The Chicago Journal

The Epitome of Success and Expertise: Matt Andrews Is on an Unstoppable Streak With Multiple Projects

danielruiz danielruiz on February 23, 2021

Matt Andrews, CEO of REI Collective, decided a long time ago that he was going to make a positive impact on the world—and it wasn’t long before he came up with his overall game plan.

“I realized that by investing in people rather than products and on building relationships over profit, all the other aspects of my business fell into place,” Andrews said. “I wanted to share that information with others because there’s room for everyone at the table. There’s no reason to believe the “dog eat dog” mentality of those who are bent on getting to the top of their field no matter what it takes.”

The “dog eat dog” mindset skews your thinking process, and that can be harmful to both you and your business. You could find yourself straying off the path your moral compass has set for you and traveling a road that grows ever darker with each deception.

Taking the high road

Andrews started out in the real estate industry flipping houses. He then segued into holding the properties for investment purposes and got into the rental business. From there, he progressed into putting together portfolios for foreign investors.

Andrews knew others could benefit from the information he’d acquired over the years. He put together a curriculum to teach others to use his methods to build successful real estate businesses of their own. 

The curriculum covered:

  • Wholesale properties
  • Rehab properties
  • Buy and hold properties

His target audience was small to mid-sized business owners in the real estate industry. The courses were well received, and Andrews soon had other real estate educators reaching out to him. So, he started a consulting business too.

He didn’t stop there. Instead, he kept thinking of ways to create outlets to share his expertise with the world. He uses several different approaches allowing people to learn his methods in a way that appeals to them.

The Family Mastermind 

Mastermind groups are where entrepreneurs gather to discuss all things business. For some, it’s a place to hammer out the details and close a deal, but others use them as an opportunity to meet like-minded people.

Matt created a space for like-minded business owners to come together to celebrate each other’s victories, brainstorm new ideas, and work together to determine why a particular idea fell flat. 

“At our first meeting after the pandemic hit, the group didn’t waste time focusing on any of the negative aspects. We spent our time together brainstorming ways to help each other rise above. We pooled our resources and all worked together as a team.” Andrews explained. He was proud to add that for some members, 2020 was their best year ever, and without the Family Mastermind, that may not have been the case.

Matt has another mastermind group that includes a larger group of entrepreneurs. The Real Estate Influencer (REI) Collective group isn’t as close-knit as The Family Mastermind but is a success, nonetheless.

Real Estate Influencer Family Reunion

You don’t have to be a Family Mastermind group member to attend this annual event. Instead, you can expect to learn from the most successful players in the REI Education industry. If you’re a part of the real estate education community, you might want to consider attending this year’s conference. It’s happening on September 29th and 30th in Tampa, Florida.

Real Estate Influencer podcast

Matt started a new podcast last August targeting real estate influencers, coaches, trainers, speakers, and software developers. Matt and his co-host, Jason Hartman, discuss all things real estate and pack each episode with loads of information and engaging conversations with top-notch guests.

If you’re a real estate entrepreneur who wants to learn how to think outside the box, you need to check out the REI podcast.

Real Estate Investor’s Guide

The Real Estate Investor’s Guide series proved Andrews’ ability to engage readers through the written word. 

The best-selling series walks readers through the real estate process and provides targeted information for using networking on various social media platforms to discover buying leads. One of the books focuses on how to start making money in real estate without any money or experience—that’s got to be a popular choice!

Paying it forward paves the way

Like many entrepreneurs, Matt Andrews takes a hands-on approach to his philanthropic endeavors. He and his wife, Lindsay, are the founding members of three organizations focused on giving. 

Ja’Mobility

The Ja’Mobility project provides wheelchairs to the people of Jamaica who would otherwise go without—most likely for their entire lives. Each year, Ja’Mobility provides 550 low-cost, low-maintenance wheelchairs to the citizens of Jamaica who need them. 

The Khusi Hona Orphan Project

The Khusi Hona Orphan Project provides more than just the necessities that orphaned and abandoned children need to survive. This organization ensures these children have a happy, healthy childhood. 

The Rising Heroes Project

Matt’s also a film producer. 

The Rising Heroes Project produces films that inspire viewers to overcome their personal adversities and encourages them to engage with the world in a positive way. The films depict real-life stores that share a message of hope, courage, and commitment. 

Digital platforms, such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, and iTunes, picked up the films. 

Values are more valuable

Matt Andrews doesn’t want his secret to success hidden away from the world. Being successful doesn’t mean getting yourself to the top of the heap and making sure you stay there at all costs. It’s not about raking it in hand over fist either.

The end goal of your game—no matter what industry you’re a part of—should be about reaching out to support others. You should want their businesses to be successful too. The world is a big place with plenty of room for everyone to find their niche and thrive!

Jessie Klaus Works With PBFC to Assist Beauty Professionals With COVID Woes

danielruiz danielruiz on February 23, 2021

Jessie Klaus knows the struggle of professionals in her field as a member of the 1.2 million people of the beauty industry. With most large functions canceled and buyer confidence still low in the beauty and makeup arena, hundreds of thousands of workers and many other small businesses face unemployment and business closures. But as the government starts rolling out paycheck protection program (PPP) loans, Jessie has begun a campaign alongside the Professional Beauty Federation to raise awareness on available support to curb the pandemic’s economic effects. 

Late in 2020, the government rolled out a PPP for small businesses and independent contractors struggling to get back on their feet. Jessie Klaus became one of the early recipients. But even as she received her support, she was surprised that many of her colleagues weren’t aware of it. As the first round has closed and the next round draws, Jessie has committed to spreading the word to beauty professionals.

Jessie has started working with the Professional Beauty Federation of California and its founder to tap into beauty industry channels and spread the message about the payroll protection program that could save thousands of businesses in the United States. The federation has partnered with Biz2Credit, a financial strategy firm that has helped build an infrastructure for a preapproval that the app can submit to the Lender as the next wave of funding comes. 

The payroll protection program comes from the SBA, and Congress has passed a law that made the loan 100% forgivable in the next few weeks if used at least 60% or more on your business. Even as the government rolls out billions in financial aid and support, the bottleneck has been information dissemination as projects of this magnitude often need more strategic ways of getting the word out. Instead of sitting idly by and working for her own good, Jessie has gone out of her way to play her part in the community and help her colleagues and co-beauty professionals through her awareness-building initiative. They’re also running a campaign to inform small business owners about government grants for their businesses. 

Jessie, also known as @jessie_doeshair, has worked with various stylists and fashion giants worldwide. She’s a Global Creative Director and lover of @cityofangelshairextensions and has been invited by beauty legends to New York and Paris Fashion Week. She’s a L’Oreal colorist, beGlammed Elite Designer, ORIBE + Bumble Ambassador, and many other brands as well. Jessie has also been known for her international brides, traveling far and wide for her clients.

Jessie is a stylist and creative director for Tribez Salons and Spa and runs social media, mainly focused on @probeautyfederation and other organizations that help raise up the industry, raising money and awareness. “These loans were inappropriately distributed, and many were wrongfully denied or approved in the past, for that matter. But everyone in the business with a payroll large enough to have some banking connections have already done their paperwork and received funding,” Jessie explains.

“Don’t wait to hear what we can help you get. Personally, what I’ve been given from this saved everything, and it’s not taxed like the EDD. However, both are there to help assist you. Upwards of 150,000 to small salon owners—fifteen thousand for some individuals of forgivable money– of standard costs. Even with maxed out credit cards this money is to help you fix it. Make it right for yourself and tour business. Don’t waste another second,” Jessie adds.

Through the beauty professional-run program, Jessie, Fred, and the rest of the Professional Beauty Federation hope that more American workers in the beauty industry will experience financial respite from the economic onslaught caused by COVID-19.

Jessie aims to encourage and motivate people to step up and get financial assistance to help the beauty community continue to thrive. “Without salons being saved, we lose salon culture and the people we love the most. It’s time to repair the broken hearts and re-inspire the masses. We have to continue the forward-thinking and look ahead. There’s a lot of fear in the industry, and we’re here to help take that away. We care, and we will continue to fight for the industry big and small because we’re all in this together.”

When asked about future plans, Jessie Klaus explains, “What we are doing is to rethink the new normal and not reject it. We’re owning a new beautiful picture of how that will look. We’re writing up new mission statements as it’s time to review the new normal. These plans are included in our future dreams, and we’ll never stop dreaming. In fact, we’ll dream even bigger because the things the industry is going to teach us after we survive will be the reward.”

To learn more about the payroll protection program, visit the project’s landing page.