Episode 76: Becoming Limitless – Featuring Stacy Bahrenfuss

Stacy (00:00):
Do what you want to do, and do worry about anyone else, what anyone else thinks, or making anyone else happy. If you make you happy, and really go for what you want, everything else will just be absolutely beautiful in your life.
Michelle (00:16):
Hi, I’m Michelle Bosch, real estate investor, mom, wife, and host of the In Flow Podcast. I’m passionate about helping women invest in land and apartments. Join me each and every week for real estate investing strategies and interviews with thought leaders that will leave you inspired and ready to step into flow. For inflows of cash, inflows of ease, and inflows of grace in your life. Now, here on YouTube are the video versions of my podcasts, and in order for you to get my latest information, please go ahead and subscribe. And now, let’s go.
Michelle (00:52):
Welcome to the In Flow Podcast, I’m your host Michelle Bosch. Super excited to have a very dear friend of mine here with me today, her name is Stacy. I met Stacy a couple years ago, in a mastermind that I belong of high caliber women, seven figure business owners, all women. I was so impressed by her business acumen, but just the breadth of knowledge and the experiences that she has had so far. I’m not saying that I’m old, but I think you’re even younger than me.
Michelle (01:28):
So without further ado, let me introduce Stacy Bahrenfuss, right?
Stacy (01:34):
Yes.
Michelle (01:35):
Jack is always pronouncing your last name like he would in German. He’s like, “That is such a German last name.”
Stacy (01:43):
Yes! Oh, I’m so happy to be here, Michelle. It’s seriously an honor. I’m going to have to ask Jack how to say it in German, and if it really means barefoot because that’s what they tell me.
Michelle (01:53):
Yeah. Just so that you guys know a little bit about Stacy, Stacy is a founder and CEO of the Catalyst Group, and the creator of the Limitless Realtor Circle. That’s a professional training for realtors. She also started her real estate company at a very young age, at 19, which is incredibly impressive. I’m going to ask you about that, later on Stacy. She sustained her company through the crisis, through the recession of 2008. And she really continued to scale, even throughout that period of time, her business to seven figures. She has also led high performing teams in the state of Idaho.
Michelle (02:37):
She brings a unique perspective, in my opinion, to real estate, because she also is a designated broker, and has also gone into her own little project, or expansion, or growing opportunity, of even buying and developing her own development project, I think of 11 luxury homes, in Idaho. That paved the way for you to not just be on the real estate, as in a realtor representing two parties, but actually being an investor yourself. I know that you’re also leveraging a lot of intuition, a lot of mindfulness techniques that you have learned during your travels through India, because I know she’s traveled to India as well. I’m just wanting to … [inaudible 00:03:38] for you to tell me a little bit more about that.
Michelle (03:41):
But first, let’s start with the fact that you started at 19, and you started building your business. At 19, I was nowhere near that point of saying, “Okay, I’m ready to start a business and become an entrepreneur.” So how did you grow up around money, such that by 19, you’re ready to start?
Stacy (04:03):
Yes. It’s interesting, because my environment growing up was not one that we discussed money often. In fact, the one conversation I remember with my mother was when I received a checkbook, it was a kit. You learned how to write a check, and that was the one conversation that I remember.
Stacy (04:27):
It actually started when I was 17, I was a senior in high school and joking around with some friends that I was going to apply as a salesperson at a local real estate office, resort real estate office. They ended up hiring me as an admin assistant to one of the coordinators, and that is when I was exposed to the business world. Because growing up, we just didn’t have those kind of conversations.
Stacy (04:52):
What I did have, though, growing up was I was responsible for everyone. Emotionally, and the brothers and everything. That instilled in me that it starts and stops with me, and if I want to create the life that I envision, there’s no better time than right now to do it. I started, like I said, as an admin at the office, and just knew that there was gap in the industry that I could fill, and wanted to pursue real estate to do that. I saw an ability to help people at a different level, provide better customer service to people than what I was exposed to originally. It was so busy, it was 2005, 2006, and agents weren’t calling their clients back, and it was just a lot of those experiences that I saw. I could provide a better experience.
Stacy (05:44):
Then, got licensed later, at 19, and started the journey from there.
Michelle (05:50):
Amazing, amazing. Now, what were the biggest challenges that you faced, starting a such a young age? Considering it’s 2006, two years into it, the market turns. What were some of the biggest challenges back then?
Stacy (06:09):
Yes.
Michelle (06:09):
I’m just trying to see, because we’re right now in the middle of a pandemic and economic downturn like we’ve never seen before, so how we can bring some of what, perhaps, you’ve learned over there to now.
Stacy (06:21):
Yeah, I think the biggest thing was running it like a business. I think that’s the thing that I did from day one that I still do today, which is why we were thriving through the pandemic as well. Which is knowing what your target is, and breaking down those action steps, and relentlessly executing on those steps. That’s what I did back then, which was key to my success and the ability to build the business at that young age.
Stacy (06:51):
I didn’t have a network, at that point. I was new to the area. I just cast out that net, it was get as many fish as possible. By doing that, allowed me to work with for sale by owners, builders, expired listings, and build my business quickly. And then, once it got to a certain point, narrow in on what I enjoyed most, and build the business from that point.
Michelle (07:16):
What is it that you enjoy most?
Stacy (07:19):
It definitely is the development, builder side of it. I love working with sellers. With sellers, builders, developers was my niche.
Michelle (07:29):
Your sweet spot. Absolutely yeah, got it.
Michelle (07:33):
Now, when I was introducing you, in your bio, you’re used to working, and you love working with peak performers. Whether it be realtors, whether it be now high seven figure leaders, entrepreneurs in whatever industry, that is something that you really are passionate about, peak performance. Can you tell me, what are some of the things or strategies that you employ to really help a person? Even if you’re a beginning entrepreneur or a high seven figure, what are those distinctions that you are able to make? What are some of those strategies?
Stacy (08:20):
Yes. Number one is leverage my intuition to see the truth of what’s going on in the individual, and help them and guide them so that they can discover that truth, and get to the bottom, the root of whatever is going on. Because so often these strategies, these tactics that we’re taught, it’s a Band-aid. It really doesn’t address the lower issue that if you can just pull that root, you can build from a beautiful inner state, a calm inner state. That’s number one, is leverage that piece and relating to the individual in such a deep level of compassion and understanding, that there is that safety and security that’s created immediately.
Stacy (09:09):
And then from there, I blend energetic work, the spiritual side, with strategies and tactics such as whatever goal it is, and achieving the goal.
Michelle (09:21):
I was going to say, can you give us an example of a real breakthrough that you’ve been able to help someone go through? Or just, the typical things so that we can relate, and we’re like, “Okay, that resonates. I’ve been there, I’ve done that.”
Stacy (09:37):
Yes, absolutely. A lot of times as women, we’re creating from a fear state. Or, we want to prove ourselves in some way. Or, if we can prove ourselves, we can come out of hiding and finally express ourselves, there’s that deep feeling within us.
Stacy (09:57):
So an example of a breakthrough was I was working a woman, and she’s just a dynamo, powerful, just powerhouse salesperson. She had some issues with her mother that was going on since she was very young. Literally, by having a conversation in one afternoon about the situation that had happened with her mom, and that relationship that was broken and was not being nurtured or communicated with was holding back her ability to sell. I’ll always remember it.
Stacy (10:34):
She was 19 at the time, which of course I’m passionate about that age, and we discussed it. And that next month, she went on to sell six upper tier houses, in one month. It’s just those little things, by getting to the root, and connecting with our source, that we can then, in that person, I can empower them to tap into their intuition, which the sky’s the limit. That’s why limitless is such a powerful word to me, and my word, because anything is possible once you’re connected.
Michelle (11:11):
You really remove the lid, or the feeling that is stopping you. I would say, 80% of the time, when somebody comes to us for coaching on the land flipping side, they’ve put a property under contract, they’ve tried to market it, they tried to sell it, and for some reason it isn’t selling. Sometimes, it’s not about, “Oh my gosh, your listing is missing this tactic, or is missing this attention grabbing headline.” It’s none of that. It’s like you said, it’s a mindset. It’s something in the energy, and how you’re pouring yourself into that work that is really stopping the floodgates from just pouring through. I totally get what you’re saying, because we see that time and time again, within our own coaching program.
Michelle (12:07):
People don’t recognize that. That sometimes, it could be something so unrelated that the not selling something, like a piece of real estate, is only a symptom. Some people probably think, the very left-brain, analytical ones, that this is crazy and baloney, that there’s a way to make that sale happen. Yeah, you could make it happen, but it’s going to be forceful and with a ton of resistance, versus, like you said, with peace, with calm, with ease, once you have unleashed that inner thing that was stopping you from not just doing that one, but many, many more opportunities into the future as well. So totally, totally relate that.
Michelle (12:58):
Stacy, is there a relationship that has been incredibly impactful in your life? And how has that relationship shaped you, or changed you?
Stacy (13:10):
Yes. My step-father came into my life when I was 16. He just completely embraced me, no questions asked, went all in. He, from a business standpoint and risk standpoint, which is why I will definitely go for all things at this point … He said to me, “What’s the worst that can happen?” At the time, I wanted to buy my first house before I was 20, that was my thing. I remember him saying to me, “What’s the worst that can happen? If you lose everything, you can rebuild it.”
Stacy (13:50):
Now, I’m not saying that that’s how you should live, but just the ability … That it’s okay to fail, because you’re going to learn the most when you do it that way.
Michelle (14:01):
We’re all so scared because we are programmed, from little, to not make mistakes.
Stacy (14:05):
Exactly, yes. Because my father, I absolutely was raised to be a good girl, and perfection is most important, and all of that good stuff, it was so refreshing for me to feel like I could be free, and express myself by going for what I really wanted.
Michelle (14:26):
Is that how you decide, some day, to go to India? By just, let’s just pick up my bags and go somewhere. How does that happen?
Stacy (14:36):
Yeah, that’s an interesting story. It was 2010, and I had two different real estate agents, that were not connected at all, that in my life they were saying I should go and get this oneness blessing. It was little too woo-woo for me at the time. I was like, “What’s this blessing?” Any time something coincidental happens, I’m like, “Okay, there’s something here for me.” So I followed that, and went and did this blessing, and that is when everything changed for me. I experienced that … That oneness blessing comes out of O&O Academy, which is the wisdom school in India that I then went to, later on.
Stacy (15:18):
What was interesting about it is I booked my first trip to India in 2013, but I didn’t end up going until 2016 because something came up. You know, I wasn’t ready. But, going to India by myself, all of that, definitely was probably a part of … I call him Papi, my step-dad, his impact on me, and just the ability to go for it. My mom also instilled in me you can do anything you set your mind to, nothing to it, she had that attitude. Definitely both were great, to get me to go to India.
Michelle (15:55):
Yeah. Does that shape in any way, or form now, the work that you do with high performers, with leaders of seven figure companies, and so on? How does that all come together?
Stacy (16:08):
Yes. Everything that I learned in India is so profound, and the mixing that with the modern science, and the results oriented coaching that’s available is where the magic happens.
Stacy (16:25):
The reason is because it’s lasting change when you get to the core of whatever’s going on, like I said earlier. And you come from a different state, because most of the time people are not coming from their truth, they’re running from something. Even if it’s something that’s not even real like fear, they’re still running from it and it’s unconscious. So the work that I did in India is so brilliant is because it allows me to bring in a consciousness aspect to the work that I’m doing. Which, like I said, it makes it lasting. It not only affects the individual, what’s so beautiful about the work is that their families change, their businesses change. It is just a completely ripple effect, it’s incredible.
Michelle (17:18):
It’s not something that you’ve only experimented with yourself, you then brought this to your high performance team, and your brokerage. What kind of results did you see there?
Stacy (17:28):
Huge, huge difference in how they perform. What’s really interesting is the intuitive in me is really, really powerful when I start work with someone, and I brought that in on multiple occasions. Sometimes, would wake up in the middle of the night and have a download, is what I call it, to share with this person and it ends up becoming something huge that they needed to address in their life. It’s a recipe for great results. We saw that.
Michelle (18:00):
[inaudible 00:18:00] see the results, for sure.
Stacy (18:02):
Absolutely, yes.
Michelle (18:04):
I know you are a top performer. Hey, if I can learn a little bit from someone and get an edge, and all of a sudden what is your unique ability can become my strength, too, by tapping into your energy. [inaudible 00:18:18]?
Stacy (18:18):
Yes.
Michelle (18:19):
For sure, yeah.
Stacy (18:20):
It works.
Michelle (18:21):
Exactly. That is how it works. We always think that, when someone has a gift that, oh my God, I don’t have it. But, you really have access in tapping into someone else’s inner genius, and so on and so forth. It’s just a matter of not seeing, or comparing yourself as me not having it and her having it, and rather appreciating it in you, and willing to learn from you, of course.
Michelle (18:55):
Now I want to shift a little bit gears, and ask you a little bit about your development. I know that you built those 11 custom homes, you embarked on this multi-million dollar project. How did you seize that opportunity? What tools, advice, can you share with others that are looking to develop, to go into developing? Because we do have, as part of our audience, people that don’t just want to flip land, but that actually want to go on and not just do horizontal development, but vertical development. Actually put homes, or build something, improve it, and really add zeroes to their flip, or to their deal. Tell us a little bit about that.
Stacy (19:44):
Yes. Yeah, the opportunity, once it crossed my desk, the reason I wanted to do it was, like everything that I do, is I want everyone to see that they can do it, too. So I received the numbers, the numbers made sense, and I let the land owner know, “If these numbers are what you say they are, I’ll have an offer to you.” So I made the offer, and did not have the $1.3 million lined up at that moment, but knew I’d figure out how I wanted to package it. I still had about six months before the closing date, because we were still underway with the zoning, and development, and everything.
Stacy (20:26):
What I would say about that is, especially in development, there are so many surprises. I mean, just plan for surprises the entire way. I don’t say that to freak anyone out, it’s more just there isn’t a way to be totally prepared. Go into it knowing that whatever comes your way, you’re going to handle it and take care of to.
Stacy (20:56):
So, went through that process, and because I haven’t done a development before … I had represented developers, worked with new construction, obviously and real estate, but I hadn’t personally don’t that. I couldn’t get a bank loan without putting the majority, 50, 60 percent down, which didn’t want to do it if I didn’t have to kind of thing. Finally, found an entity out-of-state that would do the financing for the ground, and also the construction. So that was all finalized the end of 2018, and I started construction on the 11 houses February 2019. It took way longer than we were expecting, carrying costs.
Michelle (21:41):
The time horizon needs to be an extended from a traditional quick flip, I’m in and out in a few months.
Stacy (21:48):
Yeah. I would absolutely say make sure that you’re planning 18, 24 months. And then that way, if it moves quicker, great. But that is a good timeframe, if you get the lots where they’re finished, you have buildable lots, that’s the timeframe. I would go a little longer if you had to do all the development.
Stacy (22:07):
So went through that process, and just from the standpoint of taking on an investment like that, definitely for your audience to think about those types of loans that are out there, exploring hard money, exploring investors.
Michelle (22:27):
Partnering, yeah.
Stacy (22:29):
Partnering. I definitely would suggest look at the options of doing it yourself, with partners, and just see. Does it make sense to lower your risk of carrying it for all these months by yourself? Or, leveraging some investors so that if it does go longer, you’re prepared in that way.
Michelle (22:49):
Yeah, it’s easier to carry.
Stacy (22:51):
Yes.
Michelle (22:58):
Now you just told me, before we started our recording, you said, “I just put the last property under contract from this development.” What have you noticed that has been counter-intuitive, when it comes to your ability to sell the lots, especially right now during an economic downturn and pandemic?
Michelle (23:18):
At least, the city of Phoenix right now, the market is crazy hot. It’s either people being stuck at home realizing, “Crap, we’ve outgrown our home, let’s go move to a bigger home.” Or, it’s people in the land space, being stuck at home and not being able to travel wherever they go and live the Vida loca, usually during the summers. And now, they’re looking for a piece of land that is one or two hours away from their home that they can go, take the family, escape the craziness of the pandemic, and bring some reset into their lives.
Michelle (23:56):
What have you seen when it comes to development, especially right now?
Stacy (24:02):
Yes.
Michelle (24:02):
The ability to sell, basically, the properties.
Stacy (24:05):
Yes. The market is incredibly hot. Our inventory is below one and half months, and it’s just been nuts. Out of the 11 houses, nine have been relocations. Only two people are locals here that bought, in my community. But overall, that’s what we’re seeing, so many people just flocking to the area. I think it’s because we have the shutdown, the reality of, “Oh my word, I’m going to be stuck in this area I don’t love” hit them, when the pandemic happened. I think that people are taking serious action, and moving to where they want to be. Especially because they can work from home now, so they’re not traveling as much, all of those reasons.
Michelle (24:49):
Right now, I think Idaho and the city of Boise is one of the fastest growing. I am actually in conversations with Stacy to start investing, and looking into property in the state of Idaho. She just sent me a market analysis of how that market looks, and the type of growth they’re experiencing in it. I was like, “Wow,” blown away. It’s, on top of it, very mild four seasons, so I can see why people probably are, right now, crazy looking into buying real estate up there.
Michelle (25:24):
Now, because this podcast, Stacy, is not just about inflows of cash, and I know we briefly touched a little bit, it’s about inflows of grace, and inflows of faith in your life. How did you bring inflows of grace in your life on a daily basis, and basically maintain positivity? What are some of the things that, if I am right now at home listening, actionable things that I can quickly implement where I can really see them moving the needle in terms of my state of mind and going about my day?
Stacy (26:00):
Yes. Taking a few minutes to notice all of the good. I have a practice I do every day, it’s called the triple threat.
Michelle (26:12):
The triple threat? Let me write that down. I’m ready.
Stacy (26:19):
First, notice the good. But the triple threat is I write down … First, I start with three minutes of conscious breathing. Conscious breathing to me is my inhalation is shorter than my exhalation, so it brings you to a state of calm and it’s quick.
Michelle (26:38):
Breathe in for four, out for six.
Stacy (26:40):
Exactly. That’s number one.
Stacy (26:44):
Number two is I write down the three things I’m grateful for. That just hones in my focus for the day, I do this practice in the morning.
Stacy (26:52):
And then, the third part of the triple threat is writing down … I keep the notes in front of me, but read and review my three short term goals. That keeps that focus. And I have my three most important longterm goals there as well.
Stacy (27:11):
But that practice is something that is totally doable, no matter what your schedule, and brings such presence.
Michelle (27:20):
It helps you prioritize, also. Immediately you go from a very centered, grounded state to prioritizing, almost as a time management tool with mindfulness, all built into one.
Stacy (27:32):
Yes, exactly.
Michelle (27:35):
Yeah, I can see that. Also, keeping your eye on the ball on the longterm goal, like you said, as well.
Michelle (27:44):
Now, if someone wanted to learn more about what you’re doing now, with business leaders, if you’re an entrepreneur or you’re a beginning investor, or full-time investor … In terms of mindset, personal development, I know that you have taken a sharp right turn, that you’re not just about now bringing the strategies into your high performance team within your brokerage, but you’re about sharing this outside of your brokerage as well, with others. Where can people find more about what you’re doing? And can you tell us more about what that sharp right turn has looked for you?
Stacy (28:30):
Yes. Yes. Because my last name is German and long, most people call my Stacy B, so the website where you can learn more is limitlesswithstacyb.com.
Stacy (28:44):
The sharp right turn has been thinking about and reflecting on all of my life. I remember being in seventh grade at a volleyball camp, and everyone was freaking out. I called everyone in a circle, and I sat them down and told them to meditate. I don’t know where I got that or what, but it’s just been a part of my life that absolutely is my zone of genius, so bringing that to high performing women leaders, and those changemakers, influencers that, by them operating at a higher level of consciousness, it raises the bar, and raises consciousness for everyone else that their impacting so much. That is absolutely my passion.
Stacy (29:27):
That’s that right turn to really work with them, so that they can see their inner truth and start operating from that place, and be successful with such ease and grace, and accelerate their results, and be happy and fulfilled during that process. That’s the sharp right turn that I’ve taken.
Michelle (29:49):
That’s beautiful. Do you have a Facebook community by chance, Stacy, where you do any live trainings, or anything that is going on?
Stacy (29:59):
Yes. That is going to be coming your way, so I can send you that link after that, yes.
Michelle (30:05):
Yeah, I was wondering.
Stacy (30:07):
I think you have to be in it.
Michelle (30:09):
Wonderful. Well, just to leave, also, our audience one last piece of advice that you would have for women, either starting out like you were when you started at 19, or a woman that is already right now in business, what is one piece of advice that you would leave them with right now?
Stacy (30:29):
Do what you want to do, and don’t worry about anyone else, what anyone else thinks, or making anyone else happy. If you make you happy and really go for what you want, everything else will just be absolutely beautiful in your life.
Michelle (30:45):
Yes, absolutely. I agree. We’re just, at times, a little bit scared of our own potential.
Stacy (30:50):
Yes, absolutely.
Michelle (30:52):
Well, thank you so much, Stacy. It has been an honor having you here with me on In Flow today. I can’t wait to hear more about this community that is starting soon, and I am going to start incorporating the triple threat. I’m doing some elements, but they’re being disjointed. I’m doing my gratitude at the end of the day versus at the beginning, I’m doing my breath work in the beginning and at the end, and I’m looking at my short term and what I call Farm Club, which is longer term goals, but once I have gotten to my desk versus it being a punch with all three at once. I can see how, in that relaxed, inspired state, you can go about getting into the flow and becoming much more effective, and getting whatever project that you need to work on that day, be done in a much more harmonious versus forceful way, without [inaudible 00:31:56]. Thank you so much.
Stacy (31:57):
Yes. Thank you.
Michelle (31:58):
Yes, the same.
Michelle (32:02):
For anyone listening, if you enjoyed our show today with Stacy, or you just enjoy listening to the In Flow Podcast, make sure you leave us a review, a five star review on iTunes. It helps me get more women engaged. If you are also interested in learning more about Stacy, you can go, again, to limitlesswithstacyb.com. If you are in our land flipping community, know that we have a five day Land Profit Lab coming up, on September 14 we start. We’re basically walking you through the steps from A to Z on how to flip your first piece of land in 90 days or less, and really be able to create quantum leaps still, in the last five months we have of 2020.
Michelle (32:48):
Thank you very much Stacy, it was an honor. Thank you everyone listening, and onto the next one.
Michelle (32:55):
I hope this episode left you feeling inspired, and ready to get inflows of cash, inflows of light, and inflows of faith in your life. I welcome your reviews on iTunes. Please leave me a review, and help me create an amazing community of women in flow. Thank you, as always, for sharing your voice by going to michellebosch.com, and joining the conversation about this show. While you’re there, grab a copy of my 10 Commandments to Living a Life In Flow. You can also follow me on Facebook at Michelle Bosch, and on Instagram at @MichelleBoschOfficial. Thank you very much, and until the next one.