In my journey exploring the dynamic world of investment, two asset classes have continually captured my attention: real estate and businesses. Recently, I had the pleasure of sitting down with real estate powerhouses Sam Primm and Lucas Walls on the Exceptional Companies Podcast. Our conversation revealed how blending these two worlds can create exponential value.
Building Foundations: From Side Hustle to Financial Freedom
Sam and Lucas weren’t born into wealth—they carved their own path. It began with Lucas stumbling upon the financial wisdom of “Rich Dad, Poor Dad,” a gift from his father. Initially skeptical, Lucas’s perspective shifted profoundly after realizing his planned engineering career wouldn’t deliver the financial freedom he dreamed of. Meanwhile, Sam was working in sales, sharing Lucas’s entrepreneurial spirit that they had both honed since college, when they ran businesses painting houses and even tried bookmaking.
Their first real estate goal was modest—ten houses in ten years. Yet their determination and innovative use of “good debt” quickly accelerated their journey, blowing past initial targets. Instead of selling renovated properties, they utilized refinancing strategies to retain rentals and rapidly build equity. Lucas vividly remembers, “We never sold that first house—we still own it.”
Debunking the Debt Myth
In a financial landscape often polarized between extremes, Sam and Lucas advocate strongly for “good debt,” countering traditional views championed by personalities like Dave Ramsey. Good debt, according to Sam, is simply borrowing to buy appreciating, income-generating assets—a cornerstone of their explosive growth. By contrast, borrowing for depreciating assets that drain cash is classified as “bad debt.” Embracing this distinction allowed them to strategically leverage resources and amplify their investments. Sam even humorously recalled, “Dave Ramsey called me a liar on his show.”
The Art of Transition: Balancing Risk and Reward
Contrary to popular entrepreneurial clichés of immediately “burning the ships,” Lucas and Sam strategically built their side hustle alongside steady jobs. This pragmatic approach provided stability, enabling better bankability and financial security. Sam noted banks surprisingly preferred stable W2 income, highlighting how employment status made securing funding easier, even compared to their significant flipping revenues.
Their disciplined transition from corporate roles to full-time entrepreneurship was meticulously planned, resulting in remarkable scaling—from flipping 20 houses a year part-time to handling hundreds of transactions annually across multiple divisions.
Scaling Through Systems and Synergies
Sam and Lucas didn’t just scale through sheer volume—they built interconnected businesses within their real estate ecosystem, including flipping, education, property management, and construction divisions. These synergies maximized value and created substantial enterprise wealth, each division supporting and enhancing the others.
Lucas emphasized to me that structuring businesses to operate independently was crucial. Implementing systems like EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) enabled these divisions to run autonomously, significantly increasing enterprise value.
Authenticity in Education: Filling a Market Gap
A notable extension of their enterprise is the Faster Freedom educational platform, born from recognizing a critical market gap. Sam specifically recalled seeing individuals with minimal experience successfully selling real estate education, prompting them to leverage their substantial real-world experience (over 300 flips and a $50 million portfolio). Their authentic approach starkly contrasts the often superficial real estate education scene. Their motto: no rented Lamborghinis, just real stories and strategies.
Leveraging Real Estate for Tax Efficiency
Both Sam and Lucas emphasized real estate’s unmatched potential for tax efficiency, highlighting tools like straight-line depreciation, cost segregation, and cash-out refinancing. Lucas noted that their real estate holdings allow around a million dollars annually in tax-free depreciation, significantly reducing taxable income and redirecting substantial resources back into their ventures. Interestingly, they mentioned explicitly that they haven’t used 1031 exchanges, opting instead for refinancing strategies to retain ownership and access capital tax-free.
A Holistic Blueprint for Wealth Creation
Sam and Lucas passionately advocate for a holistic approach, emphasizing active income through flips and wholesaling for immediate financial stability, alongside long-term wealth through rentals. Sam highlighted that with looming economic uncertainties and disruptive technologies like AI, learning to independently generate income becomes vital.
Their vision extends beyond their own prosperity. They’ve integrated wealth-building strategies deeply into their corporate culture, hosting monthly masterminds explicitly designed to support employees in building personal real estate portfolios. Lucas clearly expressed this commitment, underscoring their belief that financial independence should be accessible to all.
Navigating Partnerships and Resources for Growth
Lucas counters common wisdom against partnering, reflecting positively on his successful partnership with Sam and hiring close friends and family. Specifically, they cited hiring Andrew, who has been a friend since kindergarten, demonstrating the strength and loyalty these relationships bring to their company culture.
Their continual growth is fueled by resources like EOS, Rich Dad Poor Dad, Good to Great, and The One Thing. Regularly engaging their leadership team through a “book club,” they consistently integrate fresh insights into their strategic planning, such as adopting monthly “one thing” goals from Gary Keller’s “The One Thing.”
The Exceptional Path Forward
Looking forward, Sam and Lucas remain deeply optimistic. They view societal financial structures not as broken but as working precisely “as intended,” designed originally to produce obedient factory workers rather than independent entrepreneurs. Their advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is clear: leverage both business and real estate, educate yourself strategically, and build systematically toward independence.
As I reflect on our conversation, it’s clear that true entrepreneurial success combines real-world grit, strategic leveraging of assets, and an unwavering commitment to continuous learning—principles embodied vividly by Sam and Lucas. Their journey from modest ambitions to powerhouse entrepreneurs serves as an inspiring blueprint for anyone looking to achieve exceptional growth and lasting financial freedom.
AND MORE TOPICS COVERED IN THE FULL INTERVIEW!!! You can check that out and subscribe to YouTube.
If you want to know more about Sam Primm and Lucas Walls, you may reach out to them at:
- Website: https://www.fasterfreedom.com/
- Podcast: The FasterFreedom Show
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samfasterfreedom
Connect with Chris Seegers:
- Website: https://exceptionalcos.com/
- Email: Ch***@************OS.com
Other Resources:
Books: Selling Main Street by Chris Seegers
