Meet Mike Deaton | Real Estate Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mike Deaton and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mike, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
In 2016 after spending decades successfully climbing the corporate ladder in the tech industry I found myself at a crossroads. I did not want to relocate to the west coast and the thought of starting fresh at a new company was unbearable. At the same time, we were empty nesting as our 2 daughters were off to life on campus.

Together with my wife, I took the opportunity to pause and reflect on our greater purpose in life. We spent some time introspecting as individuals and a couple to bring more clarity to our ‘why’. We walked away from that period of reflection understanding that we wanted more freedom out of life, to spend more time together, to travel and explore more and be able to give back to the community and spend more time serving causes that were important to us.

Knowing that we were aligned in our vision and supportive of exploring new paths, we took the leap into entrepreneurship. We ‘burned the boats’ and haven’t looked back since. It was one of the greatest decisions in my life.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We have 2 main businesses in real estate that complement each other. We started buying and selling vacant land. It’s always fun to watch people’s reaction when we tell them that side of our business. It’s simple (buy low and sell higher) but unheard of to many people. We work hard to find great deals and then we match properties with clients. We offer owner financing at zero interest to help our clients realize a dream of land ownership. We heard about the model on a couple of podcasts and then found mentors and coaches to help us grow our business.

We also have a commercial real estate business that acquires multifamily apartments. We generally follow a syndication business model, which is essentially pooling a group of investors together to purchase an asset, typically 100 units or more. We look for properties where we can renovate the asset through interior upgrades and improvements to amenities and the exterior. In commercial real estate, any improvements that generate additional revenue magnify the value of an asset (forced appreciation). In this way we generate above-market returns for our investors, most of which are friends and family.

This business is tremendously fulfilling because we are improving the living conditions of communities while at the same time generating great returns and wealth for our investors. It’s incredibly rewarding.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We love hosting friends and family. A few of our favorite spots to take visitors include hiking. We used to frequent the Indian Peaks / Brainard Lakes area; however, we just moved to a mountain getaway in Teller County so we’re more apt to visit Pikes Peak, Garden of the Gods or Green Mountain Falls.

For a bite to eat, we gave up meat and animal products almost 10 years ago and have been plant-based. And while we love dining on our patio for some amazing views and wildlife wandering by, if we’re in Denver we hit up El Five or Root Down. If we’re in the Springs our favorite spots are The Rabbit Hole and, when we’re in the mood for comfort food, the Burrowing Owl hits the spot.

And if you’re lucky enough to hit the right timing, you can’t beat a beautiful concert at Red Rocks under the stars. There are so many great things to do in and around the Denver area I feel like we’ve only scratched the surface.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My wife Ligia is nearest and dearest in my journey. She ceaselessly gives me encouragement, support and most importantly for a business owner – the approval to try new things.

Beyond her, my parents were and are supportive with unconditional love and laid the foundation for my character and success. I’ve also had managers, mentors and coaches to maximize my success and so many friends and colleagues. I feel so blessed.

Website: https://deatonequitypartners.com/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/dep_multifamily

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelbdeaton/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deatonequitypartners

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuKHP0VCb02w_f-LHTi6F_A