In this episode of Burning the Ships, Jason sits down with the most important person in his life — his wife Kati — for an honest conversation recorded in honor of their wedding anniversary. Kati has been the quiet backbone behind everything Jason has built, and this is the first time listeners get to hear the story from her side.

They talk about how they met on a blind date that almost ended early, Kati's decade-long journey as a teacher from special education to second grade, and what it actually looked like for her when Jason decided to leave a stable career and go all in on entrepreneurship. Kati opens up about her lifelong battle with anxiety — what it felt like at its worst, how it affected their relationship in the early years, and the strategies she has used to get to a much healthier place. She also shares what she told Jason the night he needed to hear something real before turning in his resignation letter.

This episode is for anyone building something big while trying to be a great partner and parent at the same time. It is a reminder that burning the ships is rarely a solo decision — and that the person standing beside you makes all the difference.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:25 Introducing Kati Seward and why Jason had to beg her to come on for two years

01:10 JJ's joke of the week — fitting for a teacher

03:13 How Jason and Kati met on a blind date in 2006 and the escape plan that never got used

05:33 Kati's side of the blind date story and her own secret exit strategy

07:05 Growing up wanting to be a teacher and the elementary school teachers who never gave up on her

08:25 Going back to college as an adult to finish her degree and graduating in 2015

11:55 How her special ed experience made her a better mom to JJ and Emma

13:25 What she has taught Jason about meeting kids — and adults — where they are

15:19 Why she will never want to teach middle or high school and what keeps her coming back

17:52 Jason asking her to stay home for years and her refusing every time

25:24 What she sees in their kids now that tells her the parenting is working

27:46 Introducing the anxiety conversation and how far back it goes

29:04 What anxiety actually feels like from the inside — worst case scenarios, breathing problems, and constant fear

45:26 The Nashville trip that made Jason's mind up — and the conversation in bed that sealed it

46:19 What she said that had his resignation letter written within a week

47:09 Life two and a half years after the leap — happier, more present, more flexible

57:33 What Kati is excited about in the next chapter — Outer Banks house, more travel, more freedom

01:00:26 Advice for spouses of aspiring entrepreneurs — what you need to hear before they leap

Quotables

"I trust you. That's all I kept saying. I trust you."

"Our kids don't give a damn how much money you make. They want you here and they want you happy."

"I wanted to make sure the kids were still going to be okay. That was the biggest thing for me."

"You have to accept that you have a problem and then go find somebody who can help you with it."

"I'm not trying to control your life. It is a genuine fear that something is wrong."

"We don't have a problem telling each other when we think the other person is being an asshole."

"We started this thing as you and I. We're not going to make the kids 100% of our lives and forget about us."

"You've been a lot happier. You come home and there's no stress. That says everything."

Links

608B Capital https://608bcapital.com

In this episode of Burning the Ships, host Jason Seward flies solo to share something that started as a career day presentation at his kids' school and turned into one of the most universally applicable episodes he has put together.

Jason was asked to present on finance and his career to a group of high schoolers — and ended up with fourth graders in the room too after a presenter no-showed. He had to scrap his entire deck on the fly and break everything down to its simplest form. What came out of it were ten life rules that he walked those kids through, rules that turned out to be just as relevant for adults as they were for nine year olds. The best question of the day came from a fourth grader, and it reminded Jason that kids are always paying closer attention than we think.

This episode is a reminder of the fundamentals — the things that sound simple but most people are not consistently doing. If you have kids, this one is worth sharing with them. If you are an adult building something, it is worth asking yourself honestly whether you are living all ten of these rules or just preaching them.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 Your reputation is your currency and other people are the ones defining it

00:50 Why Jason is flying solo again — 608B Capital growth and team building demands

02:11 The career day presentation that turned into this episode

03:05 Getting thrown into presenting to fourth graders with no preparation

04:38 Why these ten rules apply to every age and every area of life

08:52 Rule two — Be early, not just on time, and what Jason's grandfather JJ modeled about this

11:05 Why being early signals an extra level of respect for people and situations

12:15 Rule three — Work hard when no one is watching

13:31 Kobe Bryant showing up at 5am before anyone else arrived and what that compounded into

14:24 Doing things for others when no recognition or return is coming

17:07 Rule five — Don't be afraid to ask questions, ego is what silences them

18:38 The fastest learners ask the most questions regardless of how they land

19:03 Rule six — Read and learn constantly, not just what school forces on you

20:33 Self-inflicted education as the real driver of growth and the ability to help others

20:56 Rule seven — Take care of your body, it is the only vehicle you get

24:52 Are the five people around you lifting you up or pulling you back down

26:30 Rule nine — Proactively choose to do hard things, not just the ones life forces on you

27:14 Reps of hard choices build confidence and the ability to take on more

31:42 Are you modeling these ten things for your kids or just preaching them

33:12 The closet and the truck — when his wife called him out for preaching what he wasn't living

38:15 How his daughter's Instagram algorithm led him to his next podcast guest

Quotables

"Most people eliminate themselves from an opportunity simply by not showing up."

"If you were supposed to be somewhere at noon, he'd be there at 11. That was my grandfather."

"Work hard when nobody is watching. That's where the real reps happen."

"Your reputation is your main currency in life. Spend it wisely."

"Silencing your questions equals slow growth."

"You are given one body. You have a responsibility to take care of it."

"Look around at the five people you spend the most time with. Are they lifting you up or pulling you back down?"

"If you're waiting to feel ready, that is the fastest way to stay stuck."

"Action gives you experience. Experience gives you confidence. Repeat that cycle and it works every time."

Links

608B Capital https://608bcapital.com

In this solo episode of Burning the Ships, I break down one of the most misunderstood reasons people don’t take action — and it’s not fear. It’s comfort.

Too many people blame fear for staying stuck, but the reality is much simpler. When there’s no urgency, no clarity, and no real consequences for staying the same, people stay exactly where they are. A “good enough” life becomes the trap that keeps them from ever reaching their full potential.

I walk through the three real reasons people don’t take action, how I experienced this firsthand leaving a high-income W-2 career to pursue entrepreneurship, and how these same principles apply to health, business, and even personal challenges like stepping into something completely new. If you’ve ever felt like you’re capable of more but can’t seem to move, this episode will help you understand why — and what to do about it.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 Why lack of consequences keeps people stuck in comfort

00:23 The biggest regret people have at the end of their life — unfulfilled potential

01:12 Why this solo episode exists and what Jason is diving into

02:02 Taking massive imperfect action and building a relationship with risk

02:38 Why fear is not the real reason people don’t take action

03:05 Comfort and lack of urgency as the real problem

04:02 Why a “good life” can actually hold you back

05:02 The first reason people don’t act — lack of clarity

06:06 Why too many options create paralysis instead of progress

07:25 The biggest factor — no consequences for staying the same

07:49 Jason’s story of staying comfortable in a high-income insurance career

09:10 Why most people wait until things become painful before acting

09:54 How clarity gave him the ability to leave and pursue real estate

11:20 The pressure and doubt that come with removing your safety net

12:23 What an unfulfilled life would have looked like if he stayed

16:10 Stop blaming fear — it’s a clarity and comfort issue

16:58 Why unfulfilled potential is the ultimate consequence

17:23 Lessons from the DealMaker Conference and Chuck Glover

18:16 Why most people never define the consequences deeply enough

19:01 You’re not stuck — you’re comfortable

19:45 How to create urgency through accountability and pressure

20:39 The danger of staying comfortable doing the same thing every day

24:38 Setting clear goals: blue belt and competition

26:06 Competing for the first time and overcoming doubt

27:05 How clarity, commitment, and consequences drove action

28:13 Why you must create urgency if it doesn’t exist

29:08 The danger of having a “Plan B” mindset

30:09 Why people never put themselves in a position where they have to act

30:31 Living a life of constant growth and chasing potential

Quotables

“You’re not stuck. You’re comfortable.”

“Most people don’t lack courage — they lack urgency.”

“A good life is what keeps most people from a great one.”

“You can’t attack something you can’t define.”

“Too many options lead to zero action.”

“If nothing has to change, nothing will.”

“The ultimate consequence is unfulfilled potential.”

“Stop blaming fear. It’s clarity and comfort.”

“Create the pressure if it doesn’t exist.”

“Burning the ships is about removing the option to retreat.”

Links

608B Capital https://608bcapital.com

Burning the Ships Podcast Apple, Spotify, and YouTube

In this episode of Burning the Ships, I sit down with Tom Dunkel — managing principal of Eagle Capital Investments, co-founder of U.S. Mortgage Resolution, self-storage investor, and a guy who spent ten years in corporate mergers and acquisitions before getting fired in 2006 and never looking back.

Tom walks us through a career that started with aerospace deals and Harvard MBAs in DC, ran through a firing that turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to him, and evolved into a 20-year entrepreneurial journey that has generated close to $70 million in revenue. From wholesaling to distressed mortgage debt to a $55 million self-storage portfolio, Tom and his business partner Joe have built and rebuilt multiple times — and learned hard lessons each time about niching down, building teams, and creating a business that works without you.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 Why niching down is the difference between businesses that succeed and ones that fail

01:41 Tom's background — William and Mary, corporate M&A, and the aerospace industry

03:21 Building financial models and raising capital alongside Harvard and Wharton MBAs

04:27 Getting fired in 2006 and why his ships were probably burned before that anyway

05:07 Having a wife and two young kids at home when the decision was made for him

05:53 Getting his face bashed in through the Great Recession as a brand new entrepreneur

06:20 Building U.S. Mortgage Resolution into a business that generated nearly $70 million

13:22 Walking out of a dream job interview because a voice in his head said don't do it

23:42 Discovering discounted mortgage notes and how his finance background made it click

34:37 Discovering self-storage through Scott Myers and doing the work before buying anything

35:52 Buying their first storage facility in 2020 and scaling to 18 or 19 facilities

36:37 Syndicating nearly all of the storage deals and raising about $20 million from investors

38:16 Building the business intentionally so it never became a full-time job for either of them

39:33 The mindset of running everything from an iPad on the beach — even back when iPads were new

44:38 Reading The E-Myth and why Darren Hardy's advice to build your life plan first changed everything

45:47 The early days of late night phone calls and grinding before the systems were in place

49:08 Advice on raising kids while building a business — prioritize, plan, and show up

50:13 A holistic view of education — scouting, music, and sports alongside the classroom

52:12 Eagle Capital Investments and how Tom helps investors transition into passive wealth

Quotables

"The riches are in the niches."

"I got my face bashed in during the Great Recession trying to learn how to be an entrepreneur."

"There's no such thing as corporate job security. I can go figure it out on my own."

"I heard this little voice in my head saying don't do it. So I pulled my name from consideration."

"Build your life plan first. Then build your business plan to fit inside of it."

"If you're not careful, you don't build a business — you just build a job for yourself."

"Go look at your calendar and your bank statements. That's what you're really focused on."

"You've got to find the niche and go deep in it."

Links

608B Capital https://608bcapital.com

Eagle Capital Investments https://investwitheagle.com

The Wealth Builders Playbook by Tom Dunkel Available at investwitheagle.com

In this episode of Burning the Ships, I sit down with Julian Rivera — Virginia Beach-based DJ, realtor, and co-owner of Iron Valley Real Estate. Julian has never waited for permission to get in the room. He has just kept showing up, adding value, and letting the opportunities find him.

Julian walks us through one of the most layered career journeys we have had on this show — from managing retail stores at 20, to driving comedians like Kevin Hart and Chelsea Handler around Hampton Roads, to burning the boats on corporate radio in January 2020, just one month before COVID shut everything down. Through all of it, one thing has stayed constant — his likability, his consistency, and his refusal to stop evolving.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 How Jason and Julian met at the TRIG ambassador summit

00:41 You are the brand — whether W-2 or full-time entrepreneur

04:15 Growing up in Virginia Beach and going all in without a plan

05:49 Turning down a Jimmy Choo opportunity in New York to stay local

06:37 DJ'ing since high school and building it into a real business

07:08 Working every role at the Funny Bone Comedy Club and what it taught him

07:51 Driving Kevin Hart, Chelsea Handler, and Tom Segura on press runs before they were famous

10:16 Winning Commercial of the Year for Virginia and going to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

14:31 Burning the boats on January 30th, 2020 — and COVID hitting one month later

15:07 Pivoting to real estate during COVID with zero distractions and total focus

17:13 Rookie of the Year in 2021 and Diamond Awards back to back ever since

19:30 The leadership lesson that changed everything — stop fixing weaknesses, build on strengths

28:11 The go-giver approach that opened every door in his career

29:43 Why you never know who is watching and why showing up is half the battle

32:04 What comedians grinding the circuit taught him about consistency

36:00 Why likability and relatability have been his biggest superpower in real estate

44:38 Announcing his upcoming book — The Road

46:08 Family as his north star and the legacy he is building

Quotables

"Likability is a superpower. If I don't have haters, I'm not doing something right."

"You are the brand. It doesn't matter if you're W-2 or independent."

"There's never a right time to do anything. You just have to go."

"Showing up is always half the battle. Always."

"Stop trying to fix weaknesses. Build the strengths and delegate the rest."

"I want to be the painting of Grandpa Julian on the wall that every generation sees."

"Little did I know that everything I did in entertainment is pretty much the same thing you do in real estate."

Links

608B Capital https://608bcapital.com

Your Peak Life Podcast Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube

Julian Rivera Instagram & Facebook: @julianrivera | djjulianrivera.com

In this episode of Burning the Ships, host Jason Seward flies solo to share something he has been thinking about for a while — the ten fundamental traits that he believes are the building blocks of success in life, relationships, and business.

Jason opens up about where the podcast is headed, why he is refocusing Burning the Ships around mindset and storytelling, and how launching the Dealmaker podcast with his business partner Jim Ingersoll has freed him up to go deeper on the topics he cares about most. From there, he walks through his personal list of ten core character traits — not as a lecture, but as an honest reflection on what has shaped him, what he has had to build over time, and what he still works on every single day.

This episode is equal parts personal and practical. Jason weaves in stories about his grandfather, his marriage, his workout streak, his business, and the lessons he has picked up from a decade of obsessive reading and listening. If you have ever wondered what separates people who consistently show up and build something meaningful from those who stay stuck, this episode lays out a clear and honest answer.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 Introduction and the mindset behind taking ownership of everything

00:47 Why Jason is going back to his roots with more solo episodes

01:08 Over 200 episodes in and never missing a week since launching

03:14 Launching the Dealmaker podcast with Jim Ingersoll to cover real estate tactics

09:04 The podcast that inspired this episode and the idea of fundamental character traits

14:45 In leadership, if your team fails, you failed them first

15:33 Trait two — Discipline: why motivation is temporary and discipline is permanent

16:31 The January gym analogy and what it reveals about most people's foundations

17:39 How discipline shows up in his marriage and why date nights are non-negotiable

24:17 Why reputation is your currency and how quickly it can be spent

27:22 Trait four — Resilience: adversity is not the exception, it is life

28:35 How to define resilience — taking a punch, adjusting, and moving forward without losing the vision

29:18 Trait five — Curiosity: the trait that has served him best and why it keeps him sharp

32:30 How curiosity feeds a willingness to challenge your own assumptions

33:26 Trait six — Decisiveness: why indecision kills momentum

40:19 Trait nine — Consistency: small actions repeated daily create massive results over time

43:18 Trait ten — Vision: without it, all the discipline and energy in the world becomes random effort

44:33 Using guardrails to channel energy toward something meaningful

45:16 Recap of all ten traits and an invitation to share yours

Quotables

"Motivation is temporary. Discipline is permanent."

"Anybody can perform when things are easy. The real separator is your ability to show up when they're not."

"Your reputation is your currency. You can spend it recklessly or spend it wisely."

"Adversity is not the exception to the rule. Adversity is life."

"Resilience is your ability to take a punch, adjust, and keep moving forward without losing focus on the vision."

"If you believe you already have all the answers, you are not growing anymore."

"I don't need perfect information to move forward. I just need enough to make a calculated decision and adjust if needed."

"Without vision, all my discipline and energy just becomes random effort."

"Consistency compounds. Small actions repeated daily create massive results over time."

"Own everything. Figure out how you could have influenced any outcome to make it better."

Links

608B Capital https://608bcapital.com

In this episode of Burning the Ships, I sit down with Martine Richardson — a Richmond-based real estate investor, rental property coach, and community builder who went full time in real estate ten years ago not by choice, but by force.

Martine shares the honest version of how her journey started — getting fired from her job because real estate had already become her priority, and deciding in that moment to go all in rather than look for another paycheck. She opens up about the early hustle of wholesaling to stay afloat, how she accidentally stumbled into her first rental property through seller financing, and why she has been ten toes down on buy-and-hold investing ever since.

We also dive into the freedom that rental properties have quietly built for her family, how growing up with financial hardship shaped her drive, and why she now coaches others to buy their first rental using little to none of their own money. Martine's energy and positivity are contagious throughout this conversation, and it's clear that her purpose goes far beyond building a portfolio — it's about showing others that the path to freedom is more accessible than they think. If you've ever talked yourself out of taking the next step, this episode will make you rethink that decision.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 Introduction and Martine's philosophy on letting assets do the work

00:46 Getting into real estate 12 years ago and going full time ten years ago

01:44 Getting fired from her job — and why it was the push she needed

03:00 The early hustle of wholesaling to create active income after losing her W-2

03:47 Accidentally landing her first rental through seller financing

04:28 Why buy-and-hold rentals are the foundation every investor needs

07:37 House hacking a six bedroom home and eliminating her own living expenses

08:42 How quietly accumulating rentals created a freedom she couldn't get any other way

09:46 The power of principal paydown and pulling equity tax-free through refinancing

10:03 Buying a house for $35,000 that is now worth $240,000 — and never selling it

14:15 Growing up in financial hardship and how that shaped everything she has built

15:07 Teaching her daughter affirmations at age three and instilling a do-your-best mindset

20:26 Launching her coaching community "The Fam" and what makes it different

21:22 Where her natural positivity comes from and why it makes her a great coach

23:44 Working as a financial analyst and hating every minute — the moment she knew she had to leave

25:31 A client who went from skeptic to closing $1.2 million in rentals with none of his own money

28:30 How to find Martine and get into her free Facebook community

30:06 Parting advice — make a decision and push through until it starts working

Quotables

"I realized real estate was going to give me my freedom more than my job ever could."

"It was time to sink or swim. I chose to swim."

"I bought a six bedroom house and rented out the rooms. I was living for free."

"The assets quietly make you wealthy while you're just carrying on doing more."

"I don't have to work anymore. I get to work now."

"I'm always finding the positive in anything that I'm doing."

"Make a decision that you are going to continue to do this until it starts working for you."

"The path will be revealed as you start the journey."

Links

608B Capital https://608bcapital.com

The Fam — Martine's Free Facebook Community (search "Free to Make" on Facebook or reach out to Martine directly)

In this episode of Burning the Ships, I sit down with Carrie Copenhaver — a Virginia Beach-based real estate agent, investor, and longtime member and former president of TRIG (Tidewater Real Estate Investors Group) who has spent nearly two decades building a portfolio on her own terms.

Carrie shares how she went from forensic chemist — working in a government lab where mediocrity was the expectation — to becoming a full-time real estate investor and agent alongside her husband Mike. She opens up about the unconventional path that got her here: a brief detour into gym ownership, years of studying real estate before pulling the trigger, and the mindset shift that changed everything.

We also dive into how Carrie has intentionally avoided the "scale at all costs" trap, building a lean, flexible business focused on creative financing, short-term rentals, multifamily, and now commercial real estate. She talks about the joy she gets from pouring into other investors, why she believes real purpose comes from service to others, and how she and Mike have built not just a strong business partnership, but a genuinely strong marriage. If you've ever felt like you don't fit the mold of a corporate job, this episode is proof that betting on yourself — even slowly and methodically — can pay off in ways that go far beyond the bank account.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 Introduction and Carrie's philosophy on real estate and relationships

01:06 Carrie's background — real estate agent and investor since 2006

04:53 The gym ownership detour with her husband before jumping into real estate full time

06:38 Why leveraging your W-2 as long as possible is a superpower in real estate

08:02 Studying real estate for years before pulling the trigger — the importance of foundation

14:12 Raising two sons as entrepreneurs and teaching them how to hustle

17:04 Both sons now involved in real estate — project management, flipping, and rentals

21:24 Building a portfolio intentionally — flipping, multifamily, short-term rentals, and creative deals

27:05 Why she'll never fully retire — the mental gymnastics and relationships keep her going

31:21 Her life purpose: pouring into people and changing lives through real estate

35:58 Advice for investors stuck in the learning phase who aren't taking action yet

37:20 How to find a mentor — and what you should bring to that relationship

39:17 Go-give mentality: showing up to add value, not extract it

48:01 Using persuasive language skills in marriage and parenting — not just in business

52:04 TRIG — what it is, when they meet, and why it's been a game changer for her business

54:39 Still active as a real estate agent and wholesaling with a business partner

Quotables

"I had that epiphany — am I really going to trade my life for mediocrity?"

"You can tell yourself you can or you can't. You're right either way."

"I've learned how to live comfortably uncomfortable."

"Go in with how you can provide value — not how you can extract it."

"There are two banks: your money bank and your karma bank. I'm not leaving here with money, but I will leave here with the karma."

"Whose life can I change today? That gives me the highest level of satisfaction of anything I do."

"There's enough sunshine for all of us."

"This is not a dress rehearsal. We're one and done."

Links

• 608B Capital https://608bcapital.com
• TRIG — Tidewater Real Estate Investors Group (meets the third Tuesday of every month at the Holiday Inn on Greenwich Road, Virginia Beach)