Brian Luebben started in corporate sales, ranking in the top 10 of nearly 600 reps. Despite earning a strong income, he looked at the lives of leaders above him and realized he didn’t want the path they were on—endless meetings, limited freedom, and no time with family.
That realization, paired with a feeling of being “stuck in good enough,” drove him to act. He argues many Americans are in that same trap: good job, good income, but zero flexibility. And when the only income you rely on disappears, so does your sense of security.
Brian quit corporate life and began buying real estate, a house a year. But he soon discovered the math didn’t support quick financial freedom. At $200/month in profit per door, it would take 50 properties and over $2.5 million invested to reach $10,000 in monthly income.
He discovered a faster path: acquiring small businesses. With an SBA loan, you can buy a business with as little as 10% down and begin drawing a salary immediately.
Let’s say a business earns $500,000 a year in profit. With a 3–5x multiple, you might buy it for $1.5–$2.5 million. An SBA loan funds 90%, and you, or a backer, put in the rest. Now you’re the CEO, earning income and owning the upside.
Compared to 50 single-family rentals, that’s a quicker, more direct way to financial freedom.
Real estate is still part of his strategy, but more for wealth building and tax advantages. His focus includes:
Real estate is the orchard that stores value. Small business is the cash cow that gets you there.
Early on, most investors grind alone—driving for dollars, cold calling, analyzing deals solo. Brian encourages making the leap to team-based investing sooner.
Partnerships let you combine skills, mitigate risk, and scale faster. But they need structure:
“You need a chest to poke and a throat to choke for every role,” Luebben says. Partnerships aren’t easy, but done right, they turn 1 + 1 into 10.
Brian looks for businesses with $1M–$3M in revenue and $300K–$700K in seller discretionary earnings (SDE). He typically buys at 3–5x SDE using SBA financing.
His typical structure:
If he funds the down payment, he usually takes 12–19% equity, keeping his stake under 20% to ensure the operator has majority ownership and drive. Sometimes he structures the deal as debt; other times, as equity with profit share.
Luebben has backed and participated in several deals across industries:
Each deal follows the same playbook: back strong operators, provide capital or expertise, and scale.
Luebben’s strategy isn’t about chasing hot sectors; it’s about backing the right people.
He underwrites operators more than spreadsheets. Key qualities he looks for:
“Give me the people,” he says. “A great operator can fix almost anything. A bad one will ruin a perfect deal.”
With mass layoffs, automation, and corporate restructuring, job security is no longer guaranteed.
Luebben has seen six-figure earners lose jobs overnight. That’s why he emphasizes building income outside of W-2 employment whether through small business or real estate.
Even a side hustle or minority investment can act as a buffer during uncertain times.
Proximity to the right people accelerates progress. Stop obsessing over tactics and start surrounding yourself with operators who are already doing what you want to do.
Copying others blindly rarely works. Adapt successful frameworks, test them, and create a version that fits your life and strengths.
Behave like the person you want to become. From mindset to routine, act now as your future self would. Let time be the only difference between who you are and who you're becoming.
Brian hosts the Action Academy Podcast and has interviewed hundreds of 7- to 9-figure entrepreneurs. Core lessons repeat often:
These mindset shifts, more than technical skills, are what separate average from extraordinary.
Building Action Academy took Luebben two and a half years of relentless work. He followed a Hermozi mantra: “Don’t do your best. Do what’s required.”
Once the foundation was built, he flipped from action mode to leverage mode. He now:
His motto: Delegate everything except genius.
With deal flow at an all-time high, he now filters aggressively:
If the answer isn’t “hell yes,” it’s a no.
Some real estate investors reached $10K–$12K/month via 15 rentals. Luebben hit similar cash flow through small businesses, faster.
Both paths work. Real estate builds long-term wealth. Small business provides quicker income and control. The key is to choose a lane and stay in it.
Watch the full conversation with Brian Luebben to hear real-life strategies, examples, and mindset shifts that didn't make it into the blog.
One of Brian’s mentors taught him this wealth-building model:
He followed this exactly, building Action Academy first before branching into passive partnerships.
People get stuck analyzing paths instead of walking them. Luebben compares it to:
"Life isn’t a five-course dinner. It’s a food court. Try free samples until you find what you like."
In other words: Start somewhere. Adjust as you go. Waiting for the perfect plan only delays your success.
Q1: Is buying a small business more profitable than real estate?
A: Often, yes. Small businesses can deliver livable cash flow faster than rental properties, especially when acquired using SBA loans.
Q2: How do I finance a business if I don’t have the down payment?
Many investors use SBA loans requiring just 10% down. That 10% can come from a partner or capital backer in exchange for equity or profit share.
Q3: Can I do both real estate and small business investing?
Absolutely. Many blend both—using businesses for income and real estate for wealth building and tax strategies.
Q4: What makes a good business to buy?
Look for service-based companies with $1M–$3M in revenue and reliable profits. Stability, simplicity, and strong teams are key.
Q5: Why are corporate jobs becoming riskier?
Layoffs, automation, and offshoring make W-2 roles less secure. Employers cut costs fast during uncertainty, leaving high earners vulnerable.
The conversation ends with a simple truth: There are many paths to wealth. The best one is the one you’ll actually follow.
Whether you choose real estate, small business, or both—commit, take action, and surround yourself with great people. Everything else becomes clear as you move forward.