EP372 You're Either Learning or Earning The Hard Truth About Building Wealth w Brady McDonald

A Canadian Investing in the U.S. with Glen Sutherland

In this conversation, Brady shares the powerful mindset shift that helped him level up: you're either learning or earning, but rarely both at once. He explains that growth often comes through discomfort, whether it’s financial loss, stress, or failure. The key is to not quit during the learning phase, as that’s what ultimately leads to the big wins. Drawing from his experience in real estate, Brady describes how he built his skills by severing large lots in Ontario and navigating local zoning codes — a practice that later scaled into high-profit land entitlement deals across the U.S. through his company, The Barefoot Land Co., which focuses on sourcing undervalued land and securing zoning approvals for self-storage developments. He emphasizes the transferability of skills: the same zoning principles that yielded $200K deals in Canada can produce million-dollar profits in the U.S. if applied correctly. The final part of the discussion focuses on execution. Brady stresses that many real estate investors fail because they act like hobbyists, not operators — they lack systems, teams, and processes. To help others avoid that fate, he runs a free weekly accountability huddle called “0 to 100,” where aspiring investors can stay consistent, ask questions, and build alongside others. He encourages people to start small, build foundational knowledge, and surround themselves with a community of doers to accelerate growth and stay accountable.