Joel has been a mentor and a friend to me for almost 10 years now, and I can honestly say our relationship has been built through the real ups and downs of business and life. Real estate isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Deals don’t always go according to plan. There are disagreements, deadlines, timelines, money on the line, and difficult conversations that have to happen when things go wrong. Joel and I have had those conversations. We’ve had moments where things didn’t go as planned, where we had to be honest with each other and have tough conversations. But that’s what separates real relationships and real business partnerships from the fake ones. When you can have those difficult conversations, hold each other accountable, figure out what went wrong, and then get back on track and execute—that’s when you know who you’re dealing with. Joel has been someone who has lifted me up when I was down, inspired me through his speeches and mindset, given me advice, introduced me to valuable relationships and connections, and helped me grow in business and close deals. But honestly, what I respect most is that he’s real. He understands that building a business isn’t perfect. Things go wrong. People make mistakes. Deals fall apart. The question is: Can you have the tough conversations, learn from it, regroup, and keep moving forward? Those are the people who make it in this business. I’m grateful to have had Joel as a mentor and friend for nearly a decade. We’ve been through enough together for me to know that his mentorship isn’t just motivational talk—it’s real experience, real relationships, and real accountability.