My Story: Battling The Devil That Lives Inside Me
Hey! My Name Is Darrell Stout
I started this blog as a project to create a sustainable income for my family in the event that the devil inside me wins the battle. The blog would allow me to pass this income on to my daughter. I know you’re probably thinking…..
Wow! however this was my thought process at the time
You see! In 2018 my health issues were so bad that it was preventing me from performing normal every day tasks like walking. I was in constant pain and the pain was even worse at night. I was in such a bad place that I was having trouble keeping it all together. I didn’t even want to be around myself. I was so irritable all the time and the pain was so severe that when my daughter would ask to do things, I would look for things to do that didn’t involve physical activity. I even contemplated ending it all. But I just couldn’t leave my girl behind to fend for herself. To top it all off I was fighting for custody because of her mothers drug addiction. It all started in 2008 when my left hand swelled up twice the size as the right one. I immediately went to the hospital. They did an MRI, tested for arthritis and gout but all were negative. For years I’ve been probed and tested with no diagnose’s or remedy in sight. The Medical Bills were piling up. The episodes became more frequent and I couldn’t work for days at a time. My hand would just swell up out of nowhere. Eventually it traveled throughout my entire body causing inflammation in my knees, elbows, feet, ankles. It was eating away at every area of my life. The trickle down affected me financially, physically, and mentally. I fought to keep it together but eventually shut down the construction business that supported me for 25+ years and lost my portfolio of real estate investments as well
How We Got Here!
The Highlight Reel of Low’s and High’s
I started my journey as entrepreneur at the age of 18 after working with my Stepdad at a Patio Enclosure Company which I started when I was 15. I was assembling patio doors in the warehouse and bought my first car when I was 15. After working at the patio enclosure company for a couple summers and building up my skills I went out on my own. At 18 and started my own construction company. At this point in time, infomercials were how all the gurus and influencers were selling their courses. I knew that I wanted to learn how to invest in real estate, but wasn’t sure how. So at the age of 21, I purchased my first real estate investing course. This course (which I still own) led to me purchasing my first home for $5,000 dollars which I later turned into a 38,000 profit. With the help of an investor, I purchased another house across the street for 23,000 and later sold for a $28,000 profit. Later on bought the house next door to the first one for $1000. Things were moving along and I was making significant progress. Only problem was I didn’t have all the pieces. I wasn’t ready and didn’t have the foundational skills, systems, strategies and tactics of how to manage my money and grow a business. I definitely didn’t understand marketing, credit and certainly didn’t make the smartest decisions and with investing my money in assets to pay for the toys and the lifestyle I wanted. I squandered a lot of the money on stupid shit. I had the best intentions but not the right strategies, tactics and certainly not the right mindset.
I Did Have 2 Things Going For Me!
1. MASSIVE IMPERFEKT ACTION
I was willing to try things that were out of the norm that I had no idea how to achieve but I knew I would figure it out. And that’s exactly what I did! Bought my first house from the bank for .50 cents on the dollar. Probably could have gotten it for less knowing what I know now. Looking back that was pretty much always the case. Hind site is always 20/20. In the beginning you don’t know what you don’t know, but you can’t let that hold you back.
I didn’t know exactly how I was going to get there, but with what limited knowledge I did have at the time, I knew that I was going to make it in real estate. So I moved the needle forward acquiring property and renovating, holding or flipping. Eventually I went on to build two houses just before the 2008 Crash. That’s when my world would be turned upside down in more ways than one.
2. Tenacity
I was willing to do whatever it took to be successful. Ethically of course! I never took “no” for an answer. I was willing to fight for what I believed would provide me a lifestyle of freedom. Sure I’ve made my fair share of mistakes, but I wouldn’t take any of them back. They are what has led me here today.
My First Ever New Construction Home
Built My Second New Construction Home in 2007
The Devil Still Lives Inside Me!
If it wasn’t for the devil that lives inside me though I would still be a slave to my construction business. You see! I wasn’t really running a business the business was running me. I didn’t have systems, staff, or any sort of standard operating procedures. If I took time off the business wasn’t making any money and it seemed like every time I turned around I was fixing something at my investment properties Closing up shop and losing my real estate portfolio was one of the best things that has ever happened to me. It made me revaluate what was important to me and what I was truly working to achieve. While I’m still currently fighting with health issues I couldn’t be more thankful that these obstacles have led me to building my personal brand.
Turns Out Im Still A Real Estate Investor!
Sometime back in 2015 in my search to create an income online I came across this youtube video where a guy was talking about creating and income from blogging. How he learned about it from talking with another guy. That guy had built an entire online business that was generating 40k from a blog. Initially he thought he meant 40k a year. Turns out he meant 40k a month. At the time I had no idea what A blog even was. I definitely didn’t understand how it was even possible.