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Freedom Nation Podcast

Freedom Nation Podcast

By: Jeff Kikel
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 The Freedom Nation podcast is the home of Freedom Day, the achievement of a work-optional lifestyle. Our show focuses around personal finance, real estate, multiple sources of income, cashflow, and the stories of people that have achieved their own Freedom Days. Our host is Jeff Kikel a 30 year veteran of the Financial Services industry that attained his own Freedom Day by building multiple streams of income, selling some, buying more and sharing his story with the audience.Jeff Kikel Economics Leadership Management & Leadership Personal Finance
Episodes
  • Why Most Real Estate Investors Fail | Hadley Nightingale on Mistakes, Systems, and Building a Scalable Business

    Why Most Real Estate Investors Fail | Hadley Nightingale on Mistakes, Systems, and Building a Scalable Business
    Mar 26 2026
    Most people get into real estate thinking it’s the “safe” path to wealth… only to make costly mistakes, follow bad advice, and struggle to scale.They chase income, hustle harder, and try to do everything themselves—without systems, without guidance, and without a real strategy.What happens when you make the wrong investment early?You spend years trying to recover.You work longer hours.You burn out… and still feel stuck.And even when you start making money, growth creates new problems—broken systems, hiring struggles, and chaos behind the scenes.In this episode, Jeff Kikel sits down with Hadley Nightingale, who shares his journey from dairy farming to building a real estate company through:Market crashes Bad early decisions Scaling challenges And learning the hard way You’ll learn:Why most investors fail in real estate The biggest mistake entrepreneurs make when scaling How to build systems and teams that actually grow your business How AI is transforming operations and efficiency If you want to avoid costly mistakes and build a real, scalable path to your Freedom Day, this episode is a must-listen.Episode Takeaways:• Why “it’s different this time” is a dangerous mindset in real estate • The costly impact of early bad investment decisions • Why working harder is NOT the solution to scaling • The importance of systems before hiring • Why hiring operators too early can hurt your business • How recurring revenue (property management) stabilizes income • The real reason most businesses fail when scaling • Why AI is a game changer for efficiency and operations • The power of focusing on one business before expanding • How struggle builds the foundation for long-term successAbout the Guest:Hadley Nightingale is the CEO of New Zealand Property Buyers, founded in 2020. Through his leadership, the business has scaled rapidly in just five years! Today, NZPB manages hundreds of properties and has helped hundreds of clients successfully secure investment properties across New Zealand, operating with a remote team across New Zealand and Southeast Asia.Links:https://www.newzealandpropertybuyers.com/https://www.facebook.com/Newzealandpropertybuyer/https://www.instagram.com/hadleynightingale/https://www.linkedin.com/in/hadleyn/Fast Five Questions:If you woke up and your business was gone, you have $500, a laptop, a place to live, and food, what would you do first? “going out and selling something… Who do I know? What can I sell?… validate your product before you've spent any time trying to make it.”What is the biggest mistake that you have made in business? ““Going too wide too soon… and… spending a ton of money on sales and marketing without a solid delivery system… basically burning cash.”What is a book that you would recommend? “Dan Martell's Buy Back Your Time… one of the best books… around hiring and buying back your time.”What is a tool that you use every day that you would recommend? “Manus AI… and Claude… we’re pretty AI heavy… they help run reports, build systems, and improve efficiency.”What is your definition of freedom? “not having to worry about money… and having the time to spend with your kids and family… freedom to choose what I do.”About Jeff: Jeff spent the early part of his career working for others. Jeff had started 5 businesses that failed before he had his first success. Since that time he has learned the principles of a successful business and has been able to build and grow multiple seven-figure businesses. Jeff lives in the Austin area and is actively working in his community and supporting the growth of small businesses. He is a board member of the Incubator.Edu program at Vista Ridge High School and is on the board of directors of the Leander Educational Excellence FoundationConnect with the Freedom Nation podcast at https://freedom-nation-podcast.captivate.fm/Connect with Jeff:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freedomnationpodcast/Twitter: https://twitter.com/JeffKikelLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffkikel/Thanks for listening!Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!Subscribe to the podcastIf you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.Leave us an Apple Podcasts reviewRatings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.
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    42 mins
  • Building Wealth Through Senior Living | Radhika Rastogi on Passive Income, Syndications, and Purpose-Driven Investing

    Building Wealth Through Senior Living | Radhika Rastogi on Passive Income, Syndications, and Purpose-Driven Investing
    Mar 19 2026
    Most professionals work for years building someone else’s dream—trading time for income, missing family moments, and struggling to create true financial freedom.At the same time, traditional real estate investing is becoming harder… higher costs, tighter margins, and fewer opportunities.What if you’re doing everything right… but still not building real freedom?What if the real opportunity isn’t in what everyone else is doing—but in a space most investors overlook?Meanwhile, a massive demographic shift is happening right now:Millions of baby boomers are entering their later years—and the demand for senior living is exploding.In this episode, Jeff Kikel sits down with Radhika Rastogi, co-founder of Relik Capital Group. Radhika shares her journey from healthcare consulting to building a real estate business—without leaving her W2—while raising a family and redefining what freedom looks like.If you’re serious about building your Freedom Day, this episode will change how you think about investing.Episode Takeaways:• Why senior living is NOT just real estate—but a healthcare business• The massive baby boomer demand wave driving long-term opportunity• How syndications allow you to invest passively with $50K–$100K+• Why returning investor capital early accelerates wealth building• The importance of operators in real estate success• Risks in senior living: legal, staffing, and operations• How strong company culture improves both returns and resident care• Why proximity and mentorship can accelerate business growth• How AI tools are transforming real estate and business operations• Redefining freedom: balancing wealth, time, and familyAbout the Guest:Radhika Rastogi is the Co-Founder of Relik Capital Group, a senior-living real estate investment firm redefining what it means to raise capital in a sector with explosive demographic demand and limited supply.Radhika enjoys speaking about entrepreneurship, business growth, and real estate investing. She also covers senior living fundamentals, capital-raising strategies, operational value creation, and the emerging opportunities available to today’s investors.Links:https://www.relikcapitalgroup.com/https://www.facebook.com/rastogirad/https://www.instagram.com/radhika.investshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/rastogi-radhika/Fast Five Questions:If you woke up and your business was gone, you have $500, a laptop, a place to live, and food, what would you do first? “I’ll probably open up a Google Doc and start making a list of like 15, 20 people that are very close to me… I would ask them what they need… I would try to just structure a deal and… raise a friends and family round.”What is the biggest mistake that you have made in business? “Number one mistake was not paying for proximity sooner… I did everything myself… but did not look for growing my network.”What is a book that you would recommend? “$100 Million Offers by Alex Hormozi… learning how to craft an offer that is irresistible.”What is a tool that you use every day that you would recommend? “I use Claude every day… it’s like a thought partner in my pocket and I use it for everything.”What is your definition of freedom? “It’s being present with people that I love without asking others permission.”About Jeff: Jeff spent the early part of his career working for others. Jeff had started 5 businesses that failed before he had his first success. Since that time he has learned the principles of a successful business and has been able to build and grow multiple seven-figure businesses. Jeff lives in the Austin area and is actively working in his community and supporting the growth of small businesses. He is a board member of the Incubator.Edu program at Vista Ridge High School and is on the board of directors of the Leander Educational Excellence FoundationConnect with the Freedom Nation podcast at https://freedom-nation-podcast.captivate.fm/Connect with Jeff:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freedomnationpodcast/Twitter: https://twitter.com/JeffKikelLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffkikel/Thanks for listening!Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!Subscribe to the podcastIf you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.Leave us an Apple Podcasts reviewRatings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.
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    42 mins
  • The Reluctant Entrepreneur | Mike Konrad on Surviving the Startup Struggle and Building a 34-Year Business

    The Reluctant Entrepreneur | Mike Konrad on Surviving the Startup Struggle and Building a 34-Year Business
    Mar 12 2026
    Many people dream of leaving their corporate job to start a business. They imagine freedom, flexibility, and unlimited income. But the reality is far different. Most entrepreneurs face years of struggle, financial stress, and uncertainty before seeing real success.What happens when the business loses money for years? When lawsuits drain your savings? When every decision feels like it could sink the company?These are the moments when most entrepreneurs quit.In this episode, Jeff Kikel talks with Mike Konrad, founder of a successful electronics manufacturing company that has survived for more than 34 years.Mike shares the unfiltered story of entrepreneurship—from starting a company after an idea was rejected, surviving early financial losses, fighting lawsuits, and eventually building a thriving business.They also discuss the mindset required to survive the early years of business and why the skills that start a company often aren't the skills needed to grow it.If you're building a business or chasing your own Freedom Day, this episode delivers real-world lessons every entrepreneur needs to hear.Episode Takeaways:• Why Mike calls himself a “reluctant entrepreneur”• How a rejected idea led him to start his own company• The lawsuit that nearly destroyed the business before it began• Why many startups lose money for the first several years• The concept that skills that start a business won’t scale it• Why entrepreneurs must “shift gears” as the company grows• The importance of hiring people who complement your weaknesses• Why relationship-based businesses outperform transactional ones• How AI tools are transforming business research and productivity• Why authenticity and personal freedom matter more later in entrepreneurshipAbout the Guest:Mike Konrad is the founder and CEO of Aqueous Technologies, a company he launched in 1992 that has become a leader in post-reflow cleaning and reliability solutions for the electronics manufacturing industry. He is also the host of two successful podcasts, Reliability Matters, focused on electronics reliability, and The Reluctant Entrepreneur, where he explores the real journeys of business founders.With more than three decades of entrepreneurial and technical experience, Mike brings a unique perspective at the intersection of business growth, innovation, and reliability.Links:https://www.mikekonrad.com/https://www.youtube.com/@thereluctantentrepreneurhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/mtkonrad/Fast Five Questions:If you woke up and your business was gone, you have $500, a laptop, a place to live, and food, what would you do first? “First thing I’ll do with my $500 is go to a bar, spend 20 on a couple of cocktails and figure out what happened… I think I would continue what I do now, which is education and sharing my experiences with other entrepreneurs.”What is the biggest mistake that you have made in business? “We used to advertise in a very obnoxious way… our ads basically said we’re the best and everyone else sucks. We even spent $70,000 on a giant waterfall at a trade show—and someone asked us to move our equipment so they could take a better picture of the waterfall.”What is a book that you would recommend? “Good to Great by Jim Collins.”What is a tool that you use every day that you would recommend? “AI… my AI of choice is ChatGPT. I use it to research topics, guests for my podcast, and subjects that I’m speaking or writing about.”What is your definition of freedom? “The ability to build or speak or contribute without having to ask permission.”About Jeff: Jeff spent the early part of his career working for others. Jeff had started 5 businesses that failed before he had his first success. Since that time he has learned the principles of a successful business and has been able to build and grow multiple seven-figure businesses. Jeff lives in the Austin area and is actively working in his community and supporting the growth of small businesses. He is a board member of the Incubator.Edu program at Vista Ridge High School and is on the board of directors of the Leander Educational Excellence FoundationConnect with the Freedom Nation podcast at https://freedom-nation-podcast.captivate.fm/Connect with Jeff:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freedomnationpodcast/Twitter: https://twitter.com/JeffKikelLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffkikel/Thanks for listening!Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!Subscribe to the podcastIf you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.Leave us an Apple Podcasts reviewRatings and reviews from our ...
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    46 mins
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