In The Lab with Ruben Kanya

Ruben Kanya
  • 5.0 (56)
  • INVESTING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

In The Lab with Ruben Kanya compiles over $2 Billion worth of successful real estate experiments for new investors looking to get started in real estate. With real estate being a broad umbrella, in the lab we introduce you to a variety of real estate models (experiments) that real practitioners have implemented while sharing their wins, losses and lessons in the lab so that you can pick the experiments that suit your lifestyle the most and double down. In the lab we focus on repeatable processes, systems and ingredients so that you can implement your own experiments and build.

  1. Addition by Subtraction: How Less can turn into 10x More with Ruben Kanya - Episode #364

    2D AGO

    Addition by Subtraction: How Less can turn into 10x More with Ruben Kanya - Episode #364

    In this perspective-shifting episode of In The Lab, Ruben breaks down one of the hardest lessons entrepreneurs and investors eventually face: sometimes the thing holding you back isn’t what’s failing, it’s what’s still working. From business ventures to habits, routines, and even ways of thinking, growth often requires subtraction before addition can happen. Throughout the episode, Ruben unpacks the idea of “making room” for bigger opportunities by intentionally removing what no longer aligns with where you’re trying to go. He shares personal examples of shutting down profitable businesses, evolving into new seasons, and why some of the biggest breakthroughs in life come after difficult decisions that initially make no logical sense from the outside. He also dives into how entrepreneurs can use AI, mentors, and reverse engineering to make smarter decisions with less emotional bias. Instead of asking which tactic or business model is best, Ruben explains why the better question is: “What outcome am I trying to achieve?” From there, the vehicle becomes clearer. The episode reframes how to think about opportunity cost, blind spots, and the hidden weight of trying to carry too many things at once. Tune in now to learn how to trim the fat, stop overloading your plate, and create space for the version of your life and business that actually aligns with where you’re trying to go. #EntrepreneurMindset #BusinessGrowth #RealEstateInvesting #MidTermRentals #WealthBuilding #PersonalDevelopment #ScaleSmart #AIForBusiness #MindsetShift #ExperimentNation

    15 min
  2. The Hybrid Rental Strategy: How to Trade Volatility for Predictable Cash Flow in Real Estate with Anja Schaer - Episode #363

    MAY 7

    The Hybrid Rental Strategy: How to Trade Volatility for Predictable Cash Flow in Real Estate with Anja Schaer - Episode #363

    In this episode of In The Lab, Ruben sits down with Anja Schaer, broker, investor, and author of The Hybrid Rental Strategy, to break down how she went from a government job in Germany to building, scaling, and selling multiple businesses in the U.S.—all while creating a real estate portfolio designed for both cash flow and long-term exit. Anja dives into the real reason more investors are shifting away from short-term rentals and into midterm strategies. It’s not just about higher nightly rates—it’s about stability. Instead of chasing unpredictable bookings, she explains how locking in 3–6 month contracts creates consistent income, reduces workload, and removes the stress of staring at an empty calendar. This episode also goes beyond tactics and into mindset. From the “immigrant advantage” to breaking social norms and embracing discomfort, Anja shares how stepping outside the expected path creates exponential opportunities. The conversation ties it all together with a bigger play—building systems, leveraging AI, and creating a business that isn’t just profitable, but actually sellable. Tune in now to learn how to shift from chasing bookings to building predictable income and a real estate business designed for long-term freedom. HIGHLIGHTS: 36:10 - Anja talks about why Why midterm rentals are exploding 41:36 - Anja talks about the hybrid model Keeping it Real: 06:00 – The immigrant advantage explained 10:30 – Breaking social norms & taking risks 18:30 – From e-commerce to real estate pivot 24:30 – Finding real estate through Facebook 30:00 – Evolution: flips → wholesale → rentals 36:10 – 41:20 – How the hybrid model actually works 46:30 – Calendar strategy to unlock MTR deals 50:30 – Building a sellable property business 54:00 – AI, systems, and future-proofing 1:06:00 – What buyers will value in your business 1:16:00 – Community, collaboration, and growth 1:21:00 – From communism to entrepreneurship CONNECT WITH THE GUEST Website: https://www.peachhausfurnishedrentals.com/contact Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anjaschaer/ #RealEstateInvesting #MidTermRentals #PassiveIncome #EntrepreneurMindset #FinancialFreedom #RentalStrategy #WealthBuilding #AirbnbBusiness #PropertyManagement #RealEstateScaling

    1h 30m
  3. The Invisible Force Killing Your Goals (And Why Setting Them Isn’t Enough) with Noah St. John - Episode #362

    APR 30

    The Invisible Force Killing Your Goals (And Why Setting Them Isn’t Enough) with Noah St. John - Episode #362

    In this powerful episode of In The Lab, Ruben sits down with Dr. Noah St. John, a neuro-performance architect who has helped clients generate billions in revenue, to unpack the real reason so many entrepreneurs stay stuck despite having the right strategies, tools, and knowledge. Dr. Noah breaks down the concept of the “invisible brake”—the hidden force that silently limits your income, growth, and results. While most entrepreneurs focus heavily on the outer game like marketing, sales, and systems, this conversation reveals why that’s only half the equation. The real bottleneck lies in what happens after you set a goal—when doubt, limiting beliefs, and what he calls “head trash” begin to take over. Through real examples, including scaling a company from $4M to $20M in under 18 months, Dr. Noah explains how mastering your inner game is what unlocks exponential growth. He dives into why copying successful people doesn’t work, how unconscious beliefs shape your outcomes, and why most people are unknowingly operating with one foot on the brake. This episode also explores the idea of “permission to succeed,” the difference between conscious and unconscious competence, and how high performers think, decide, and act differently. From breaking through income ceilings to gaining clarity on what you actually want, this conversation gives you the missing piece most people never address. Tune in now to learn how to identify your invisible brake, eliminate the beliefs holding you back, and finally align your inner and outer game to unlock the results you’ve been chasing. HIGHLIGHTS: 09:22 - Noah talks about why results matter more than personal success 17:53 - Noah talks about outer and inner game. Keeping it Real: 05:06 - Why most entrepreneurs fail despite good intentions 07:43 - The truth about “fake gurus” and social media 09:21 - Why results matter more than personal success 12:10 - Why proximity alone doesn’t create results 13:19 - Architect analogy: why watching isn’t enough 15:27 - $4M plateau to $20M breakthrough story 17:47 - Outer game vs inner game explained 20:13 - How beliefs control every area of your life 22:24 - Why “The Secret” missed the real work 25:28 - Gary Vee and unconscious competence 27:51 - The concept of “permission to succeed” 31:17 - The framework behind the invisible brake 32:17 - Why most people sabotage their own goals 33:11 - Driving with one foot on the brake analogy 35:03 - Neuroplasticity and rewiring your beliefs 36:19 - From poverty mindset to building wealth 40:33 - Decision vs doubt: what actually drives action 42:05 - Pain vs pleasure as motivators 46:04 - Technology’s impact on your inner game 47:19 - Identifying your invisible brake 50:42 - Power habits of successful people 51:08 - Why clarity beats “wanting more money” 52:34 - The myth about personality and success 54:01 - Building a clear vision that actually works 55:27 - How to identify your “head trash” 56:30 - Turning limiting beliefs into opportunity 57:03 - Where to connect with Dr. Noah  CONNECT WITH THE GUEST Website: ⁠https://noahstjohn.com/⁠ Linkedin: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/noahstjohn/⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/noahstjohn/⁠ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@drnoahstjohn #EntrepreneurMindset #BusinessGrowth #RealEstateInvesting #WealthBuilding #PersonalDevelopment #HighPerformance #MindsetShift #FinancialFreedom #SuccessHabits #ScaleYourBusiness

    1h 1m
  4. Why Iteration Beats Perfection in Business with Joe Downs - Episode #361

    APR 22

    Why Iteration Beats Perfection in Business with Joe Downs - Episode #361

    Get the Midterm Rental Insurance Blueprint: ⁠https://experimentrealestate.com/#blueprintIn this powerful episode of In The Lab, Ruben sits down with Joe Downs, CEO of Belrose Group, to break down how real wealth is built through iteration, problem-solving, and identifying opportunities most people overlook. This conversation goes beyond surface-level strategies and dives into the mindset required to build across multiple industries and market cycles. Joe shares his journey from early failures—including losing $100,000 in a restaurant—to raising nearly $100 million in real estate and building a mortgage resolution company that purchased over 20,000 distressed loans. His story highlights a key truth: success doesn’t come from getting it right the first time, but from learning, adapting, and continuing to move forward through every setback. The episode also explores one of the biggest opportunities ahead—acquiring cash-flowing, mom-and-pop businesses. With millions of owners aging out, Joe explains how inefficiencies in operations, pricing, and systems create massive upside for those willing to step in, optimize, and scale. From distressed debt to self-storage, the same principles apply across industries. Tune in now to learn how to identify hidden opportunities, leverage acquisitions instead of starting from scratch, and build long-term wealth by thinking differently, acting faster, and eliminating excuses in today’s market. HIGHLIGHTS: 12:12 - Joe talks about the “mind your kitchen lesson” 35:25 - Joe discovers self storage Keeping it Real: 04:30 – Growth through acquisitions 10:15 – Leaving finance after 9/11 12:24 – Mind your kitchen lesson 15:23 – Raising millions before crash 16:50 – Discovering distressed debt 20:33 – Mortgage resolution explained simply 23:01 – Loan modification strategy 26:23 – Becoming the bank model 27:30 – Regulation forces reinvention 31:24 – Starting hard money lending 35:25 – Discovering self-storage opportunity 36:56 – Mom-and-pop inefficiency insight 41:25 – SBA financing unlock explained 43:11 – Why opportunity still exists 45:21 – Using AI for learning 49:00 – AI improves communication skills 51:31 – Seller financing deal strategies 53:39 – Future storage vertical opportunities 58:13 – Biggest demand opportunities ahead 1:00:23 – No excuses mindset 1:02:31 – Where to connect CONNECT WITH THE GUEST Website: https://belrosegrp.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-downs-7990851/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/josephmdowns/ #RealEstateInvesting #BusinessAcquisitions #EntrepreneurMindset #WealthBuilding #CashFlowStrategies #SelfStorageInvesting #FinancialFreedom #PassiveIncome #InvestingStrategies #BuildInPublic

    1h 5m
  5. The Art of Scaling: Small Piece of a Big Pie with Ruben Kanya - Episode #360

    APR 15

    The Art of Scaling: Small Piece of a Big Pie with Ruben Kanya - Episode #360

    Get the FREE Mid-Term Rental Insurance Blueprint: https://experimentrealestate.com/#blueprint In this sharp and perspective-shifting episode of In The Lab, Ruben breaks down a realization that most entrepreneurs miss: you don’t need to build everything to win—you just need to understand where you fit in the ecosystem. Early in the episode, he references Episode 351: “The Five Pillars of Success in 2026,” where he introduced the framework of relationships, resourcefulness, resilience, speed, and standards—principles he continues to double down on as he navigates higher-level rooms and bigger opportunities. Fresh off a major industry conference, he pulls back the curtain on how trillion-dollar insurance systems actually operate, revealing the layered structure between carriers, third-party administrators, adjusters, and housing providers. Instead of trying to control every piece, the biggest players focus on one thing and outsource the rest—and that’s where the real opportunities live. Ruben shares how this applies directly to real estate investors and operators, especially those transitioning from short-term rentals into mid-term insurance housing. From understanding who the real decision-makers are, to identifying where value is created (and paid for), this episode reframes how to think about scale, leverage, and positioning. He also dives into the importance of standards, knowing what your time is worth, and why trying to do everything yourself is one of the fastest ways to stay stuck. The operators who win are the ones who stay in their lane, build relationships in the right rooms, and plug into systems that are already moving at scale. Tune in now to learn how to stop overcomplicating your growth, find your position in the ecosystem, and start playing a bigger game. #PlayYourRole #EntrepreneurMindset #RealEstateInvesting #MidTermRentals #InsuranceHousing #WealthStrategy #ScaleSmart #BusinessGrowth #Leverage #HighPerformance

    24 min
  6. Trim the Good Fat: Why Letting Go of What Works May be the Real Growth Hack with Ruben Kanya - Episode #359

    APR 8

    Trim the Good Fat: Why Letting Go of What Works May be the Real Growth Hack with Ruben Kanya - Episode #359

    Get the Midterm Rental Insurance Blueprint: ⁠https://experimentrealestate.com/#blueprint In this solo episode of In The Lab, Ruben breaks down a counterintuitive principle that most entrepreneurs avoid: cutting things that are actually working. As Q1 comes to a close, he challenges the common habit of stacking new goals on top of old ones without removing anything, and explains why this approach silently kills growth. Using examples from Tesla’s strategic decisions and his own experience stepping away from profitable consulting work, Ruben introduces the concept of “trimming the good fat.” He explains that real leverage doesn’t come from doing more—it comes from removing distractions, even the ones generating income, to make room for higher ROI opportunities. The episode also dives into how AI and mentorship should be used together, not separately. Ruben emphasizes that the advantage today is no longer access to information—it’s clarity of direction. Those who win are the ones who can define what they want, ask better questions, and use the right tools to reverse engineer the path forward. This conversation reframes productivity, decision-making, and growth through a simple but difficult lens: less, but better. It’s a reminder that success isn’t about adding more—it’s about having the discipline to remove what no longer aligns with where you’re going. Tune in now to learn how to trim the good fat, compress your timeline, and focus only on what actually moves the needle. #TrimTheFat #EntrepreneurMindset #BusinessGrowth #RealEstateEntrepreneur #Leverage #DecisionMaking #HighPerformance #AIForBusiness #WealthBuilding #ScaleSmart

    19 min
  7. Barber Shop Talk: Why You Need to Ask Why with Ruben Kanya - Episode #358

    MAR 31

    Barber Shop Talk: Why You Need to Ask Why with Ruben Kanya - Episode #358

    Get the Midterm Rental Insurance Blueprint: https://experimentrealestate.com/#blueprintIn this insightful episode of In The Lab, Ruben breaks down a simple but overlooked truth that separates those who grow from those who stay stuck: the quality of the questions they ask. Drawing from a real conversation inside a barbershop, Ruben unpacks how proximity to the right people means nothing if you don’t know how to extract the real lessons. The episode explores why most people misinterpret advice, hearing surface-level feedback like “be more consistent” without understanding the deeper principle behind it. Through layered questioning, Ruben reveals the real takeaway: consistency isn’t just about discipline—it’s about increasing your chances of capturing opportunities that compound over time, like walk-in clients that turn into long-term relationships. Ruben also connects this lesson to entrepreneurship, real estate, and skill-building, emphasizing that success comes from borrowing the belief systems, thinking patterns, and behaviors of those already operating at a higher level. He highlights how AI has eliminated the excuse of not knowing “how,” shifting the real advantage to those who can define what they want and ask better questions to get there. This conversation is a reminder that information is everywhere, but transformation only happens when you learn how to think, question, and execute differently. The gap isn’t access—it’s awareness. Tune in now to learn how to ask better questions, leverage proximity the right way, and build the consistency that creates long-term results. #EntrepreneurMindset #AskBetterQuestions #ConsistencyWins #BusinessGrowth #RealEstateEntrepreneur #HighPerformance #ExperimentNation #MindsetShift #ProximityMatters #SuccessPrinciples

    18 min
  8. Creative Financing: Acquiring Cash Flowing Real Estate Opportunities without Banks with Zeona McIntyre - Episode #357

    MAR 11

    Creative Financing: Acquiring Cash Flowing Real Estate Opportunities without Banks with Zeona McIntyre - Episode #357

    Get the Midterm Rental Insurance Blueprint: ⁠https://experimentrealestate.com/#blueprint In this insightful episode of In The Lab, Ruben welcomes back returning guest Zeona McIntyre for a conversation on how real estate investors can evolve with the market while staying grounded in what really matters. Zeona first joined the show in Episode 215, “Normalizing the 30-Day Stay in Your Short-Term Rental Business.” Since that conversation, both the market and Zeona’s investing approach have continued to evolve, making this return to the lab a timely update on where opportunities exist today. Zeona shares how her journey has progressed from short-term rental arbitrage to property ownership, mid-term rentals, and now creative financing strategies designed to help investors operate in a higher-interest-rate environment. She breaks down the concept of subject-to financing in simple terms, explains how creative deal structures can solve real problems for buyers and sellers, and highlights how investors can position themselves to acquire properties without relying solely on traditional lending. Throughout the discussion, Ruben and Zeona explore the importance of experimentation in entrepreneurship, emphasizing how investors must continually adapt their strategies as markets shift. Zeona also shares real examples of creative deals, including situations where distressed sellers were able to exit challenging financial positions while investors stepped in with new visions for the property. These stories highlight how creative financing can create multiple wins across a single transaction. The conversation expands beyond deal structures into the broader mindset required to thrive as an entrepreneur. Ruben and Zeona discuss collaboration, relationship-driven deal flow, and the shift from trying to do everything alone to building networks where multiple people benefit from a single opportunity. They also explore the growing influence of AI and why building strong cash-flowing assets may become even more important as technology reshapes industries. Toward the end of the episode, Zeona shares insights from her upcoming book, The Creative Closer, which outlines several creative financing strategies and the negotiation frameworks investors can use to structure deals in unconventional ways. She closes with a reminder that while entrepreneurs often focus on the next milestone, it’s just as important to slow down, appreciate the present moment, and find small pockets of joy in everyday life. Tune in now to hear how Zeona McIntyre continues to experiment, adapt, and help investors think differently about creative financing, collaboration, and the future of real estate. KEEPING IT REAL 03:20 – Investor evolution 04:36 – Experimentation mindset 06:38 – Sub-to deal story 07:43 – Creative financing shift 08:15 – STR tax strategy 10:41 – Subject-to explained 12:20 – Writing new book 15:00 – Creative deal case 21:27 – Creative deal tools 24:14 – AI and real estate 25:01 – Cash flow strategy 31:26 – Collaboration mindset 45:15 – Enjoy the moment CONNECT WITH THE GUEST Website: https://www.zeonamcintyre.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zeona-mcintyre/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeonamcintyre #CreativeFinancing #RealEstateInvesting #CashFlow #SubjectTo #Wholesaling #InvestorMindset #Entrepreneurship #MidTermRentals #InTheLab

    50 min
See All (361)

5
out of 5
56 Ratings

About

In The Lab with Ruben Kanya compiles over $2 Billion worth of successful real estate experiments for new investors looking to get started in real estate. With real estate being a broad umbrella, in the lab we introduce you to a variety of real estate models (experiments) that real practitioners have implemented while sharing their wins, losses and lessons in the lab so that you can pick the experiments that suit your lifestyle the most and double down. In the lab we focus on repeatable processes, systems and ingredients so that you can implement your own experiments and build.

Information

You Might Also Like