***Guest Appearance
Credits to:
https://www.youtube.com/@JakeandGino
“Private Money Plays with Jay Conner”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46diWzgCIIo&t=1s
If you’re a real estate investor who’s ever worried about being dependent on banks or burning out by wearing every hat in your business, Jay Conner’s story, shared in his discussion with Jake Stenziano and Gino Barbaro on the Raising Private Money podcast, is a must-hear.
Jay, known as the Private Money Authority, has not only mastered the art of raising millions in private capital but has also built a real estate business that operates on autopilot most of the time, freeing him to focus on what matters most.
From Bank Reliance to Private Money Powerhouse
Jay’s big “aha” moment came when his banker, Steve, told him the bank was shutting off his line of credit. As many investors hit hard by the 2008–2009 crash, Jay faced a choice: give up or find another way. He chose the latter, and within 90 days, raised over $2 million in private money, forever changing how he operated. Since then, he’s never missed out on a deal because of a lack of funding. As he puts it, “the money comes first”—and it does, especially when you know how to attract private lenders.
But what sets Jay apart isn’t just capital raising; it’s the holistic, automated model he’s developed. Operating mostly in a small North Carolina market, Jay averages $64,000 profit per single-family house with just two to three deals a month. The secret? Systems, automation, and a relentless focus on scheduling and prioritizing for success.
Automate, Delegate, and Disappear: Jay’s Triple D Philosophy
Early in his career, Jay and his wife Carol Joy found themselves “at Lowe’s at 8:45 at night picking knick-knacks” for staging homes, realizing the business was running them, not the other way around. That epiphany led Jay to embark on a mission of automation.
Inspired by his father’s mantra—“Dictate, delegate, and disappear”—Jay took inventory of his daily activities, asking: “What am I doing now?” He recognized that any task he could pay someone $15 an hour to complete meant he was essentially earning $15 an hour doing it himself. That realization led Jay to schedule his successes: every night, he does a “brain dump” on a yellow pad, then, in the morning, prioritizes tasks, ensuring only high-value activities land on his plate.
This scheduled approach, combined with leveraging virtual and local assistants, allowed Jay to scale back his direct involvement to about five hours a week. He now serves as the “visionary,” guiding the ship and showing up when least expected, rather than reacting to fires.
The Four Pillars and Winning for All
Jay’s business stands on four pillars: finding, funding, flipping, and automating. The “finding” pillar relies on proprietary foreclosure tracking and direct mail campaigns with high response rates. When it comes to funding, Jay works with 47 private lenders, many using self-directed IRAs for solid returns. His “flipping” strategy focuses on entry-level single-family homes—maximizing profits while serving first-time buyers via rent-to-own arrangements, with a strong credit repair component to ensure tenants eventually buy and achieve homeownership.
Crucially, Jay frames each deal as a win-win for everyone involved. Sellers in distress get relief, private lenders receive above-market returns, buyers become owners, and Jay orchestrates the process. He emphasizes that “successes are scheduled,” and that private money can be raised not by hard selling, but by making his program available, arousing curiosity (“I teach private lenders how to get higher rates of return than they can get anywhere else”), and letting referrals fill the pipeline.
Takeaway for Real Estate Entrepreneurs
Jay’s journey is a blueprint for real estate pros seeking financial independence and business freedom. The core lessons?
- Automate relentlessly; don’t be the bottleneck.
- Schedule your priorities nightly and review them each morning.
- Build systems that allow you to “dictate, delegate, and disappear.”
- Raise money by networking, positioning yourself as an educator, and offering opportunities—not asking for cash.
- Celebrate successes, track progress, and get educated early to avoid costly mistakes.
Learn from Jay’s experience, and you might just find yourself enjoying real estate’s true promise: wealth, freedom, and the power to make a difference.
10 Discussion Questions from this Episode:
- What strategies for automating a business were discussed during the episode, and how could these improve efficiency for a real estate entrepreneur?
- The story about being cut off from bank financing during the financial crisis revealed a major pivot in investment approach. What steps were taken afterwards, and what lessons can current investors learn from that experience?
- The phrase “successes are scheduled” came up repeatedly. How do habits like nightly brain dumps and regular prioritization contribute to overall business effectiveness?
- The “Triple D” philosophy—dictate, delegate, and disappear—was shared as a way to step back from day-to-day operations. What are the benefits and possible pitfalls of such an approach?
- Several practical methods and scripts were shared for attracting private lenders rather than relying on traditional loans. How is this approach different from more conventional fundraising methods?
- There was a strong emphasis on the value of education and mentorship in real estate. Why is it important to seek guidance early, and how does learning from others’ mistakes accelerate success?
- The idea of developing a multifaceted business with multiple pillars or income streams was explored. What advantages and challenges might come with this approach?
- When discussing deals with people facing foreclosure, the focus was on creating win-win outcomes for all parties. How can a service-oriented mindset shape the structure and ethics of investment deals?
- The speakers highlighted networking as crucial for raising private capital. What networking strategies and best practices were shared, and how can these be adapted for today’s real estate environment?
- Several daily and weekly habits for success—such as time management routines and structured planning—were mentioned. Which of these habits seems most vital for long-term achievement in entrepreneurial ventures, and why?
Fun facts that were revealed in the episode:
- Jay Conner automated his real estate business so efficiently that he only spends about five hours a week working in it, after putting in years of foundational work and creating solid systems.
- When Jay Conner started raising private money, he was able to attract over $2 million in less than 90 days after being cut off by the banks—without ever “asking for money,” but rather by educating and attracting potential private lenders.
- Jay Conner and his wife developed an eight-letter direct mail campaign to help people facing foreclosure, achieving an impressive 57% response rate—an exceptionally high number for direct mail marketing.
Timestamps:
00:01 Successes Are Scheduled
06:25 From Bank Collapse to Private Money
09:23 Real Estate Lessons Learned
13:26 Complete Multifamily Investment Control
16:00 Four-Way Win in Real Estate
19:57 Can’t Do It All
20:50 Successes Are Scheduled
26:41 Private Money Networking Strategies
29:09 Networking Conversation Strategy Tips
31:01 Creating Curious Conversations
34:25 Real Estate Investment Opportunity
38:14 Sales Expertise and Networking Tips
42:58 University of Success Impact
46:21 Lifestyle Over Business Prioritization
47:41 Free Private Money Guide
Free Report:
https://www.jayconner.com/MoneyReport
Join the Private Money Academy:
https://www.JayConner.com/trial/
Have you read Jay’s new book, Where to Get the Money Now?
It is available FREE (all you pay is the shipping and handling) at
https://www.JayConner.com/Book
What is Private Money? Real Estate Investing with Jay Conner
https://www.JayConner.com/MoneyPodcast
Jay Conner is a proven real estate investment leader. He maximizes creative methods to buy and sell properties with profits averaging $67,000 per deal without using his money or credit.
What is Real Estate Investing? Live Private Money Academy Conference
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https://www.youtube.com/c/RealEstateInvestingWithJayConner
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https://www.facebook.com/jay.conner.marketing
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