Timestamps:
26:01 | Decision Fatigue
27:26 | It’s All About Balance
00:51 | Covering All Bases
04:56 | The Power of Leveraging
07:52 | Find Your Mentor— Wherever They May Be
09:10 | Daily Disciplines
13:50 | Results Speak
16:41 | Step Outside Your Comfort Zone

Resources and Links:

[00:05:30] And that's from someone with no education, no skill set, nothing like that. So that's the opportunities that Australia presents. And as long as you're just willing to network, speak to people, I think everyone knows someone who has a job somewhere that can get you in or knows someone who has a business that can introduce you to that.

This is Property Investory where we talk to successful property investors to find out more about their stories, mindset and strategies.

I’m Tyrone Shum and in this episode we’re back with Braydon Birch, a buyer’s agent at Hirch Property. He shares why you don’t need to graduate at the top of your class to wind up on the top of the property ladder. Plus, he explains how he got where he is just years after earning only $30,000, and why he was always against buying in his home city— until now.

Tyrone Shum:   

Birch’s aha moment came early on in his property investment journey. It had been playing on his mind who he should listen to and whose advice wasn’t for him. While some people were going all in on commercial, others were singing the praises of blue chip properties. When they all had 50 to 100 properties that were performing well, the choices seemed endless.

Braydon Birch:  

[00:26:01] And that was a real problem for me, because it's such a big investment of your time, your energy, your money. Who do you follow? You've got to follow someone, you've got to get some mentorship in this game. You don't know it all, you've got to learn at all. And that was a really big problem for me. 

  

[00:26:01] And I was stressing out and I'm sitting there thinking, 'Do I need to buy another four or five cheap properties? Do I need to go the blue chip route or renovate or developing?' Whatever the case is. 

  

[00:26:27] I think for me, I just took a deep breath and [understood] that it's really important to diversify, and have a portfolio that works for you. And it's okay to own some blue chip. It's okay to own some cash flow positive properties that balance each other out. It's okay to own commercial. It's all about just having a good foundational portfolio and being well diversified. 

  

[00:26:46] And that's what I really started to believe in. It's okay to be diversified. You don't have to be all in on one thing. And everyone's arguing and fighting with each other. That was my aha moment.

Tyrone Shum:   

Everybody has their own set of goals and their own strategies to get there. For Birch, it’s all about the big fundamentals like diversification.

Braydon Birch:   

[00:27:26] I think it's all about just balancing your portfolio out for where you're at in your current situation. So it's okay to have cash flow properties that are maybe balancing out some of the yields in some of your blue chip assets, for example. Or wherever you're at, really, and it all comes down to: What's your goal? 

  

[00:27:44] But it's all about just building a core foundational portfolio. I'm [a] pretty big believer in just following the traditional macros of investing, buying good quality assets, and just making sure everything balances out, I suppose, and more just buying assets that are suitable to your current situation in life.

Tyrone Shum:   

[00:28:01] That's absolutely right. So at this point in time, what is your why, or your goal, behind building a portfolio?

Braydon Birch:   

[00:28:12] I think the goal and the ambition have changed, growing up and maturing. When it started off, it was because I want a Ferrari, a big mansion, and a lot of girls. Or something like that. That's what it was when I was a teenager. 

 

[00:28:24] Now the goals are completely changed, man, it's all about just building wealth and helping my family and my loved ones out. Retiring my parents, retiring my partner, helping my friends out, and then ultimately building enough of a huge foundation of wealth to give to charity and do cool things with it. 

  

[00:28:42] Because that materialistic stuff, it's sort of worn off on me, I don't really care about fast cars and all that stuff anymore. It's all about just doing things for the people you love and building a great life for everyone else. And ultimately, that's where you're going to get your fulfilment in. 

  

[00:28:56] And that's what's going to give you your biggest drive as well. I think sometimes you wake up in the morning, and if your goal is purely for you and what you want, 'I want to retire on the beach, and I want to have passive income and all that stuff', which is fine if that's your goal, but it's not going to really drive you. 

  

[00:29:10] But when you wake up in the morning and think, 'Wow, my mum's still in a bad position', or, 'My dad's still working in his late 60s' or something like that, that gets me out of bed. That fires me up to say, 'No, I have to keep going, I have to keep pushing because other people are depending on me. My loved ones are depending on me. So I've got to keep going, I've gotta buy more property, I've got to build more wealth, I've got to create a lifestyle that can give to them'. 

  

[00:29:31] So that's what's going to give your fire, your motivation to buy your next property, to read your next book, to do the things you have to do to get to where you want to be. So that's what sort of changed as maturing.

Tyrone Shum:   

After overcoming the obstacles in his way, he purchased his first property and is now looking forward to the future with the support of his strategy.

Braydon Birch:   

[00:00:51] I think it's really just about balancing yields at the moment, because I just want to have a property portfolio that looks after itself. It just doesn't affect me or my lifestyle. I never really know what's going to happen, you know, I might lose my job tomorrow, or business might not kick, or whatever position I'm in. So for me, it's super important to just [have] a balanced portfolio. 

  

[00:01:09] So at the moment, I am holding a really cheap property that's a cash flow property. And then I'm holding a blue chip asset that's somewhat negatively geared as well, in sort of inner city area. So for me, it's all about balance. It's all about having a portfolio that works. 

  

[00:01:25] And [at the] end of the day, if I can have blue chip assets that are consistently growing, and then cash flow properties that are paying for those blue chip assets, that's great. I've got a portfolio that's just taking care of itself. 

  

[00:01:36] And then ultimately, later on, I can look and revalue my portfolio and say, 'Okay, I can sell this blue chip asset, pay those cash flow ones off and keep the cash flow', or whatever I want to do. I'll have to obviously revisit that later on. But for me, it's all about just balancing that portfolio.

Tyrone Shum:   

With his ultimate goal to acquire passive income for himself and to provide for his loved ones, he’s got a well-thought-out plan to tick all the boxes. 

Braydon Birch:   

[00:02:09] I think, first and foremost, is just having that foundational portfolio built. So just getting this next one on the books will be great, that's sort of established in somewhat, and it will be a big block of land this time. So having that there will be great. 

  

[00:02:23] And I think the goal is going to change, to be honest with you. I could say, 'I just want $50,000 of passive income', or $100,000, whatever the goal is. I think it's going to change. [As] soon as I get close to that, it's gonna go more and more, and I think that's just the ambitious individual I am. 

  

[00:02:41] I don't think it's ever going to stop. I don't think I'm ever going to stop buying property, I think it's just gonna keep going and going. But to give you a short answer, I think about five to six good quality assets is what it's gonna look like. And then as soon as I hit that, it's gonna say, 'No, I need 12 now'!

Tyrone Shum:   

He’s always building on his goals, which involves building his portfolio and branching out beyond Brisbane.

Braydon Birch:   

[00:03:45] I'm Melbourne based and I was never going to buy in Melbourne. But considering the rate of decline recently, it just seems like too good of an opportunity to miss out on buying a property in Melbourne. So the next one will be in Melbourne. 

  

[00:03:57] Currently, both of them are at Brissie. [I] love Brisbane for the long term growth aspects. I think it's gonna be a killer, as most people do. But the next one will be in Victoria. And then yeah, look, we'll just continue to diversify, mate, I think it's pretty important to be sort of spread out across the country. Different markets are doing different things at different times. So I'd like to buy in Perth soon, just all over the place. But yeah, next one will be in Melbourne.

Tyrone Shum:   

He worked all sorts of odd jobs between leaving school and forming Hirch Property, a process that happened much more quickly than he’d anticipated.

Braydon Birch:   

[00:04:56] I think if you're constantly looking to improve and look for opportunities that [are] around you and leverage, things can change for you really quickly.

  

[00:05:04] But to put it in perspective, I started off making probably $30,000 a year, a couple years ago. I just sort of leveraged, I didn't have any skill set or anything like that. But I knew people, I was networking and all that. And I managed to land a job, construction union and sort of jumped it to $180,000 a year.

 

[00:05:21] So it's been great. It's been very nitty gritty work, it hasn't been fun or anything like that. But it's just been such a great opportunity to be able to make an income like that. 

  

[00:05:30] And that's from someone with no education, no skill set, nothing like that. So that's the opportunities that Australia presents. And as long as you're just willing to network, speak to people, I think everyone knows someone who has a job somewhere that can get you in or knows someone who has a business that can introduce you to that. 

  

[00:05:46] There's always opportunities out there if you're constantly looking. And I was just constantly looking for different things, and high paying jobs, high paying skill sets, side hustles that someone can teach me, all this sort of stuff. So it's definitely out there. 

  

[00:05:58] So I managed to get a high paying job. And from this position, I've been able to save a lot and say, 'Okay, great, let's do what I need to do with it'.

Tyrone Shum:   

He’s proud to show how it’s possible to buy on both ends of the spectrum, regardless of your income, but that doesn’t mean you should stop reaching for your true worth.

Braydon Birch:   

[00:06:46] I think it's super important to always keep growing your income, and just take baby steps as well. Don't try and go from $50,000 a year to $1 million a year, just, 'I'm on $50,000 now, let's get to $70,000 within the next however many months'. 'Great, let's get to $100,000 now'. 'Now we're here, what can we do to make more?' So that was the sort of thing that I did.

Coming up after the break, he delves into the pros and cons of being disciplined…

Braydon Birch:   

[00:09:31] I don't want to do it. And I'm not saying I do that every day. I'm doing it four or five days a week. I mean, I've gotta rest sometime.

The advice he wishes he could have given his younger self…

Braydon Birch:   

[00:13:50] I think it's all about just kind of showing them in a way.

He explains all about where he’s been in the world and where he plans to go next.

Braydon Birch:   

[00:17:25] It was awesome. So such a shock from what you'd expect from what the TV says.

And that’s next. I’m Tyrone Shum and you’re listening to Property Investory.

Tyrone Shum:   

Much like Birch’s desire to continually improve his income and life as a whole, he doesn’t limit himself when it comes to mentors and resources.

Braydon Birch:   

[00:07:52] Personal development's been a huge one. I think it's important to everyone to just constantly improve themselves and try and find mentors. And if you can't find a mentor in person, there's so many great mentors online that you can learn from and different aspects of mentality and education. 

  

[00:08:08] So I think my mindset was just developed from finding people that I inspired to be like. It's just sort of creating the person you want to be. 

  

[00:08:17] And ultimately, I think it's about creating the person you needed in your life. A guy I listen to a lot, Wes Watson, he was a guy who came out of prison a couple of years ago, and now he's a multimillionaire. And he says you've got to create the person that you needed when you were young. 

  

[00:08:35] And I think that's what I'm trying to be like. I'm just trying to create the man that I needed when I was a lost teenager. I needed someone who was in the right direction, who had the right work ethic, all these things. Who did I need? Well, that's who I need to become.

Tyrone Shum:   

Formal education is great for teaching the basics, but there are some things you just can’t learn in school that can take you far in life. 

Braydon Birch:   

[00:09:10] I think having daily disciplines is super important. So just having a routine, whether you like doing it, or whether you don't like doing it, you wake up every day, and you do it because it needs to be done. 

  

[00:09:22] So just having a to do list. Like, I've got to wake up, I'm pretty much up at about, like, 3:30 every morning, I'm in the gym, I'm studying, I'm doing what I need to do. 

  

[00:09:31] I don't want to do it. And I'm not saying I do that every day. I'm doing it four or five days a week. I mean, I've gotta rest sometime. There's things I've got to do every day. And I think just following those disciplines, like, 'I've got to learn real estate for an hour'. That's one of my daily things. Every day I spend one hour listening to someone, taking a call, reading a book. That's a daily discipline I do, just to constantly stay on top of the game, constantly stay on top of the market. 

  

[00:10:00] I go to the gym most days, I spend time with my partner every day. These are things that are non negotiable that need to be done to continue to progress in all areas of life. So I think it's just having that discipline. And it's all about discipline, not motivation.

 

[00:11:15] Small wins every day stack up.

Tyrone Shum:   

[00:11:19] What do you think's been sort of the best advice that you've received?

Braydon Birch:   

[00:11:25] [I] think ‘Life happens for you, not to you' is probably the best quote I've heard. And just taking every day, whether it's a bad thing, or what, and just turning into a positive thing. It's probably the best way. And it's something I try and live by, which is another quote by the guy I follow, Wes Watson, it's pretty inspiring stuff.

Tyrone Shum:   

When it comes to cash flow, it’s more about what it represents than a literal stack of cash— in some cases.

Braydon Birch:   

[00:12:02] Cash flow is king. That's what it represents. That's the name of the game, man. It's passive income, it's cash flow. Whatever goal I'm trying to achieve is always trying to achieve cash flow at the end result. So I keep a few of those things around all the time. Another one in the other room. It's got Scrooge McDuck diving into a big stack of coins.

Tyrone Shum:   

[00:12:41] Well, I want to sort of take a step back, if you had a chance to travel back in time and meet yourself, say 10 years ago, what do you think you would have said to him?

Braydon Birch:   

[00:12:52] I think I just would have said, 'Stop trying to get rich quick. Understand it takes time. It's a long term game'. And just think with longevity. Just don't think about trying to get rich in five months, think about trying to be rich in five years, or 10 years or 15 years. Just take a long term approach. I would have been so much further ahead if I took that mindset.

Tyrone Shum:   

They say patience is a virtue, yet it’s a concept many younger people still struggle to grasp without seeing what it can do.

Braydon Birch:   

[00:13:50] I think it's all about just kind of showing them in a way. I mean, you've got to prove your success and your results to them and say, 'Hey, look at what I've got now. This is because I've done the hard yards, and I've taken a long term approach'. I think results speak. 

 

[00:14:05] So if you can present with them the lifestyle you have, the results you have, all the things that they want, whatever that may be. And say, 'This is how you do it'. Not by doing, you know, get rich quick schemes, or whatever it is. 'This is how you get it', that's going to sort of put a fire in their belly. I think, anyway. It sort of just depends on the individual at the end of the day.

Tyrone Shum:   

[00:14:41] What are you excited about for the next, say, five years for you?

Braydon Birch:   

[00:14:47] [I'm] currently [working] part time as a buyer's advocate, my business partner runs a business full time, so he's a weapon. So I want to spend more time on that because that's my passion. I love getting on the phone, speaking to people. 

  

[00:14:58] Especially people that are [from a] disadvantaged background. That's sort of my [specialty]. I love speaking to people when they're in sort of a rough path and they don't know what to do, but they want to get better. I love doing that, man, I love helping people on that front and sort of advising them the road to take and how they can do it. 

  

[00:15:15] So [I'm] really looking forward to spending more time on that part of the business and get that going, which is great. And then obviously, just keep building the portfolio, man, just keep growing, get to the next level. That's the name of the game is property investing for me. So just keep building the portfolio, man.

Tyrone Shum:   

One of his biggest goals is to help the people that mean the most to him. However, he also has goals that are just for him.

Braydon Birch:   

[00:16:01] I just sort of take each day as it comes, I don't really think massively too far ahead like that, or what I want to do. I don't really have too many things. Like, obviously, I want to travel and things like that. That'd be great. I'd like to see the world. 

  

[00:16:15] But apart from that, man, I just love what I'm doing, man. So just keep doing what I'm doing. Keep hustling, keep working, see where the future takes me, different opportunities, different paths. Just keep going, man. That's all I want to do.

Tyrone Shum:   

The world is a big place with many paths to wander down, and Birch wants to explore them all.

Braydon Birch:   

[00:16:41] So I travelled the first time ever last year. And I went to some pretty crazy places. My first time wasn't your typical Bali, I went to Dubai, which is first one up, which is great. A lot of inspiration from all the wealthy people over there and the fast cars. 

  

[00:16:59] And then I actually visited Iran, which is crazy. And my partner's from over there in the Middle East. So that was super cool as well. That wasn't your typical, normal place to visit.

Tyrone Shum:   

[00:17:08] Wow, it must be a big contrast from one country that's so wealthy to another country that [is] sort of [a] bit torn.

Braydon Birch:   

[00:17:16] I was a celebrity over there. Honestly, they treated me like Brad Pitt. I didn't pay for anything over there. I was shouted everything. It was awesome. So such a shock from what you'd expect from what the TV says. Yeah, man, I love visiting third world countries and things like that. It's just really eye opening. 

  

[00:17:34] And super humbling as well. Like, you go there and you see what people don't have. And you go back home— and I'm guilty of it too— whinging about, you know, things that you don't have or what's gone wrong. And you think, like, there are people with so much less than what you have, and you're sitting here whinging and complaining about all the things you do have. It's such a gratitude check. It's super humbling. And I think everyone should go and see some places out there that so much less than what you have. 

Tyrone Shum:   

[00:18:57] How much of your success is due to intelligence, skill and hard work? And how much of it do you think is because of luck?

Braydon Birch:   

[00:19:05] So there's no skill, there's no intelligence there, that's for sure. Pure hard work. That's what I just depend on. That's an insurance for success. It's just hard work. You wake up every day and just do everything you can, work your backside off, and you lay in bed at night and say, 'There's nothing more I could have done today. You will be successful'. That is a guarantee. So just hustle. I love it. It's all about hard work for me. 

  

[00:19:30] So I'd say a fair bit of luck, obviously being in Australia and all that sort of stuff, having the resources, yes, there's luck in that component. But I'd say all of its hard work, man.

Thank you to Braydon Birch, our guest on this episode of Property Investory.