We recently had the pleasure of interviewing Mercedes Kelly, CEO of Billionaire Creator Academy. In her role as CEO, Mercedes is responsible for leading a team dedicated to helping entrepreneurs reach their highest level of success and financial freedom. She shared with us some insight into what it takes to create lasting wealth in today’s ever-changing business landscape. We were inspired by her passion and enthusiasm for empowering others through education and mentorship. Join us as we discuss the strategies she has developed that have helped many individuals achieve their goals!
GP: What will you never compromise on with your business? Why?-
My sanity and my standards. What I used to do as an employee I would never do in my business as far as biting my tongue when I knew what I had to say would make a significant change. I would rather shake hands and part ways with a business partner or potential client than to compromise myself and standards. I treat my business like it is already a new york stock exchange publicly traded company. The philosophy behind the thought process is you clearly offer a price for people to buy a share of your company but you have full control. I believe in my heart that I have the best vision for my company therefore I will remain in full creative control but I value the opinion of other great minds. They just will have to buy in at a small investment amount if they are serious. No compromising on my vision though.
GP: How do you define success?
Success for each person is different. My idea of success is generational wealth, working less and making more, and increasing your billable rate per hour. I had the wrong impression. I thought the more money I made the harder I was supposed to work. After years of experience and studying great minds and successful corporations I realize that I am supposed to use my mind and not a physical task to make money. I am supposed to encourage others and create success from that. This way I have more time for family and things that truly matter in the journey of life.
GP: What steps of advice would you give someone who wants to make multiple streams of income and is considering their real estate license?
I would tell them to not get their real estate license. The real money is in real estate investing. Right now in my wholesale business we are averaging 60 homes per month in sales. This is because we are able to sell all across the United States and not one local area like realtors. Out of those 60 homes I employ agents and they get a small percentage of the deal versus investors getting the large bucket of the profits. That alludes to my philosophy of working less and making more. Successful realtors work too hard for little pay.
GP: What’s one business hurdle you’ve faced? How did you overcome?
I have hurdles every day that I have to look at as steps to get to my larger prize of success. To answer your question I think my life changing hurdle was when I lost what is the equivalent of $70k in one property investment that was supposed to be a sure thing and it was my life savings at the time. I had to look at that as an expensive learning lesson and push on. Literally when my mindset and energy changed shortly after that my life changed for the better and here we are millions of dollars later.
GP: What’s one thing people don’t know about you that you wish they did ?
If I could I would teach the benefits of learning how to flip property at an elementary school age level. These tools are something that can be introduced at a way younger age but they are not. There is no intellect involved to flip a property, no money needed and it is life changing. We have to start making changes and we can do that with the youth.
