From Excel Sheets To Building An Empire w/Dr. Sam Giordano
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Episode Description
Welcome to the Freedom Point Real Estate podcast! Jeremy Dyer welcomes Dr. Sam Giordano to today's episode to share his expertise on how to avoid common mistakes when evaluating syndication deals, how Passive Advantage helps assess risk in syndication deals, and more.
Dr. Sam Giordano is a practicing gastroenterologist, author, real estate investor, and co-founder of passiveadvantage.com - a website designed to help physicians and other high-income professionals vet passive real estate syndications deals.
CONNECT WITH SAM GIORDANO!
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuel-giordano-md-13bb5a130/
Website: https://www.passiveadvantage.com/
Email: sam@passiveadvantage.com
CONNECT WITH JEREMY DYER!
Website: https://startingpointcapital.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startingpointcapital/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremydyer
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/startingpointcapital
Book a Call! https://calendly.com/startingpointcapital/discuss-investing-with-jeremy-dyer?month=2023-12
Summary
Tip #1: Diversification Is the Foundation of Sophistication
“To diversify over multiple different operators and asset classes… that’s why I think PassiveAdvantage.com is a great tool to enable people to achieve a higher level of sophistication.”
Sam stresses the importance of not putting all your capital in one bucket. Diversifying across sponsors and asset classes not only reduces risk but also increases the likelihood of steady returns, even when one segment underperforms. Passive Advantage was built to help investors do just that—use tech and AI to approach investments with more clarity and data than ever before.
Tip #2: Get Ready Before the Window Opens
“We’re trying to ready the passive investor now… because as much as we look at ourselves as providing transparency, we also see ourselves as an educator.”
Managing relationships is as crucial as managing the financial side of a real estate deal. Jeff’s perspective emphasizes that solid relationships help protect investments, especially when unforeseen challenges arise. Knowing that you have reliable partners and stakeholders in place reduces risk, ensuring a smoother process even when debt terms or market conditions shift unexpectedly.
Tip #3: Transparency Is the New Trust
“The key word is transparency… making it a little more approachable to where [investors] aren’t having to figure all this stuff out themselves.”
In a market where many LPs have been burned, transparency has become the make-or-break feature of a good platform or sponsor. Sam’s emphasis on clarity and approachability gives investors the confidence to dig into deals without being overwhelmed. It’s about arming them with context, not just data.
Tip #4: Education Must Be Continuous, Not One-and-Done
“We have webinars monthly… a whole webinar on debt structure, a whole webinar on capital calls.”
One of Sam’s core values is continual learning. He believes investing passively doesn’t mean investing blindly. Monthly education ensures investors aren't just reacting—they're anticipating. It’s how true confidence and competence are built over time.
Tip #5: Respect the Work Behind Your Wealth
“Some of these are $50,000 or $100,000 minimums… think how many man-hours you worked to achieve that. The least you could do is dedicate yourself some time.”
This is a powerful reminder: large investments represent large sacrifices. Sam urges investors to treat due diligence with the respect their money deserves. The time invested in learning now can mean the difference between long-term freedom and future regret.
Tip #6: Know the Terms Before You Need to Use Them
“We use the infrastructure of the app… to then teach: why is this metric important? Why do we need to know about this?”
Sam’s platform isn’t just a tool—it’s a teacher. Rather than expecting investors to learn terminology during a deal rush, it guides them through metrics and key variables beforehand. This leads to smarter, faster decision-making when opportunities arise
Tip #7: Passive Investing Is an Active Decision
“You can decide: do I want to invest in this deal or not?”
Passive investing doesn't mean being passive in your mindset. Sam emphasizes that every LP still bears responsibility for the decision they make. Tools and education empower them to say yes—or no—with confidence and clarity.
Tip #8: Learn From the Mistakes of the Last Two Years
“A lot of people have been burned over these last one to two years.”
The recent market turbulence is a wake-up call. Sam points to this as evidence that due diligence can’t be skipped. Investors need tools, frameworks, and education that weren’t available—or used—by many who suffered losses. Passive Advantage aims to fill that gap.
Tip #9: Freedom Comes From Passive Income, Not Just a Big Nest Egg
“I’m blessed to have the ability to just cut down to four days a week… and investing in real estate has allowed me to do that.”
For Sam, passive income isn’t just about eventual retirement—it’s about flexibility now. Real estate investing helped him reduce his clinical hours and reclaim time with family. His story reframes wealth as a tool for lifestyle design, not just future security.
Tip #10: Start Now, Even If It Feels Uncertain
“Even though it’s difficult in this time… don’t underestimate the first-time investment.”
Sam encourages new investors to get started, even in uncertain markets. Timing is never perfect, but momentum matters. That first deal creates a baseline of experience that future investments build on—and often triggers the mindset shift that real estate can really work.
