An Interview with Elijah Rubin

Elijah Rubin is the founder and owner of WIIN, LLC, a real estate consulting firm specializing in off market properties acquired through probate, city violations and fire, flood or vandalism damage.

In his 10 years in real estate, Elijah has completed over 400 transactions and sold over 300 million dollars worth of real estate. He is known as the “Fire Damage King” in the Arizona real estate market – a well-earned title.

Elijah is passionate about helping his clients thrive, whether he is working with homeowners whose lives have been turned upside down by a home disaster or investors who wish to acquire off market properties.

He also enjoys helping young entrepreneurs succeed. Elijah is passionate about inspiring and empowering entrepreneurs to live a life of purpose and fulfillment. He founded the Young Millionaire Society to enable them to connect with other like-minded people going in the same direction and looking to make a global and local impact.

In this entrepreneur interview, Elijah shares his experiences in getting WIIN LLC off the ground. He firmly believes that starting a successful business doesn't take money to make money, it only takes creativity and execution. Elijah also shares some wisdom he learned from people he admired and some quick tips to follow if you feel lazy doing things in the morning.

His advice to entrepreneurs starting a business:

Get real clear with what makes you valuable. Ask this question, 'What is your USP (Unique Selling Proposition)?' Then, start looking for voids you can fill and problems you can solve for others by utilizing your USP.

To get a closer look at WIIN, LLC and what Elijah is up to, connect with him on Twitter.

What motivated you to start WIIN, LLC? How did the idea come about?

WIIN LLC stands for 'Wholesaler Investors International Network.' I had a bad business break up with a old friend from elementary school who we end up becoming business partners. I wanted to create something for myself that could go international.

My friend and I were brainstorming with some acronyms and we came up with this, I took him to dinner in exchange for his help and brainstorming for me.

What do you enjoy most about being an entrepreneur? Is there something you are most proud of?

I like what most entrepreneurs like, the freedom of time, the luxury to being your own Boss, to make and create as much as your heart desires.

One of my most proud things is the ability to turn a thought into creation, specifically the ability to turn a conversation into a cashiers' check. Now that I have done that over 500 times over the last decade, I'm sharing with others how they can do it as well.

When you started WIIN, LLC, how did you plan everything out? Any resources you used to write a solid business plan?

I had a template from last company with former business partner. How to get motivated sellers, being that I'm half Jewish, I always have had access to unlimited capital with a plethora of buyers as long as the ROI ( Return on Investment) numbers made sense. It wasn't 'till my 6th year in the business that I got serious mentors and relationships around me that help bring structure and helped me create a SWOT Analysis for future projections for me.

What attitude/habits helped make you successful while starting WIIN, LLC?

I share on the importance of having good 'habitudes'. Basically when I started out, I developed a habit of always having a good attitude and then I had a good attitude about developing good and self-serving habits. One thing I learned from my club promotion years was to get to be known for always under promising and over delivering whatever you do. Do more that what was initially asked for as a staple of BRAND.

How did you find the time and money to get WIIN, LLC off the ground? Any advice for entrepreneurs with minimal time or resources?

Being that I'm half Jewish, I learned how OPM (Others People's Money) and OPR (Other Peoples Resources) works from my first lemonade stand at 10 year old. I learned to hustle in my spot and work with whatever I got.

To all the other entrepreneurs, it doesn't take money to make money. It only takes CREATIVITY and EXECUTION abilities to make more money while still finding ways to add value and solve problems for others. For money in your industry and opportunities will always find their ways to you.

What is the toughest decision you’ve ever made when starting a business? How did it make you better at the end of the day?

Two things come to mind. (1) To let bad business partners go unless they have more Knowledge, better skill sets or has more resources with a shared vision. Don't have partners. It's okay to partner up on deals, joint projects, but not overall business partners as I had to learn this lesson the hard way.

(2) Be willing to walk away from a deal, never be too desperate, all money isn't good money. The way this has made me a better person. I have mutualism in all of my partnerships so it's not one-sided relationships. Some of the best decisions I have made has been some of the non-decisions, as I could take some major losses by getting involved with the wrong brand of person or deals.

What does your day-in, day-out look like? Is there any specific habit that has helped you become a better person?

I have no wife or kids so I get extra free time to myself and that can be a fif and a curse.

I started to do my 10 B4 10am lifestyle. These are 10 activities that I do everyday before 10:00 am to get me use to being extra productive in the morning, plus its a momentum builder as you know that you have already accomplished more B4 10 am than most people do for the day, plus it allows you to see the rest of your day as a win.

Who has been your greatest influencer along your entrepreneurial journey? How did they shape WIIN, LLC?

One of my biggest and greatest influences has been Dr. Thomas ET, the Hip Hop Preacher. Over the last several years, he has made a tremendous impact on my life as well as my company as a whole. He is big on having high character and integrity to the people all around you.

He showed me how to go from wanting just to be successful for me to understanding the value of being significant, as that is for everyone around you. He showed me how to add blessings to your life by adding value to others people's life first.

How do you balance life and work to remain connected and available for your loved ones? Any advice for me?

This one was a hard one for me in my earlier entrepreneur years. I have now adopted the 350 living, Family, Health, Wealth and Happiness. I set blocks of time to make sure that I'm dedicating time to each of these areas of my life.

Here is a good one. I started almost 2 years ago. I do Rubin Family Talk Time at 5pm every Sunday, where my 2 sisters, my mom and father all get on the line no matter where we are at in the world. We do a quick family update (any meetings or special family meetup gatherings). Then, we each get to do our Top 5% Bottom 5%.

Where, we are able to talk about what's going good and bad in our personal and business life. What's one thing I can pray for you for and one thing I can be proud of them for. This way if you don't talk with your family the whole week you don't feel so bad, because you know you have dedicated time RSVP set for them at the end of each week. You make time for the things that matter most in your life.

What advice would you give to our readers who want to start a business in Arizona today? Where should they start?

The advice I would give other entrepreneurs who are looking to start their own business in Arizona today would be— For you to get real clear with what makes you valuable, ask this question: 'What is your USP (Unique Selling Proposition)?'

Once you are clear on that piece first, then you have to start looking for voids you can fill and problems you can solve for others by utilizing your USP. Once you have done this, you will be able to see how to tie a check to your passion and get paid for doing what you're naturally good at doing.

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