The Man Behind
The Mission.
I wasn't born with money. I spent ten years as a high school English teacher who realized that playing by society’s rules was a guaranteed path to mediocrity, to being like everyone else. I wanted to live my passion (teaching) while moving ahead of the pack.
The Foundation
Small Town, Illinois
I was probably four years old, riding a tricycle in circles on the subfloor while my mom was working alongside her builders constructing houses in her newly platted subdivision.
Most kids grew up with the smell of cookies or fresh laundry. I grew up with the smell of sawdust, joint compound, and sweat. I watched my mother take charge while turning piles of lumber into homes. That was my first education—before any classroom, before any seminars.
I learned early that value isn't found; it's created.
The Classroom
High School English Teacher
For 10 years, I taught writing and literature. I taught public high school students how to deconstruct language, how to analyze meaning, and how to communicate with precision.
But when my wife wanted to be a stay-at-home mom, I looked at my paycheck and knew I had to do something more. I had been teaching others how to think, but I was living in a financial cage. I needed to break out.
The Awakening
Renatus & Real Estate
I didn't want to just "buy houses". I wanted to understand the mechanics of money.
I dove into learning how to purchase properties with little or no money out of my pocket because I didn’t have a lot of money. These strategies require knowledge, not credit. I realized that moving ahead financially isn't about resources; it's about resourcefulness.
Today, I have built a portfolio of dozens of rental properties. But my greatest asset isn't the portfolio. It's the knowledge of how to build it again from zero if I needed to.
The Reinforcement
Recent Pacific Crest Trail Hike
Recently, I walked 1,650 miles along the Pacific Crest Trail which stretches from Mexico to Canada. It wasn't to "find myself"—I already knew who I was.
It was a test to prove that money is simply a tool one can use to build the life one dreams about. Discipline effectively applied works universally in business and in life. The trail doesn't care about a person’s portfolio. You only get to the goal if you simply keep walking.
The Mission
Stewardship
I am a husband. I am a father. I am a grandfather. I am a Christian.
My success has a purpose. Everything I do is to serve my family, my community, and my God. The "Guru" lifestyle of flash and hype does not interest me.
My paradigm is to provide safe, sanitary, and affordable housing to hard working people who appreciate a nice home. My life verse from the Bible is John 3:30.
Through my education company, CRARE Instruction, Inc., I teach because I want to invest knowledge and passion into a generation of leaders who desire to be financially free to be and do whatever it is they are called to.
From a small town in the Midwest to the far reaches of the country, we can dream big.
Based in Illinois. Serving the Nation.