If there’s one thing I’ve learned on my entrepreneurial journey, it’s this: building a business is the fastest way to create income, and buying real estate is the smartest way to protect and grow it.
When I first came to this country, I had no road map, no guarantees and no safety net. What I did have was grit, a willingness to work and the belief that if I built something of my own, I could change not only my future but also my family’s future. Over time, I realized that the combination of business ownership and real estate investing is one of the most powerful wealth building strategies available to everyday people like you and me.
A business is more than a paycheck. It’s a machine that generates opportunity. When you own a business, you control your income potential. You’re no longer limited by what someone else is willing to pay you per hour. Instead, you get rewarded for the value you create in the marketplace.
For me, starting businesses taught me skills I never would have learned otherwise, leadership, financial management, negotiation and, most importantly, resilience. Business ownership forces you to grow because every obstacle demands a solution.
But here’s the key: profit from your business should not only fund your lifestyle. It should be invested into assets that work for you long after the workday ends. And that’s where real estate comes in.
Real estate is more than just “property.” For me, It’s security. It’s leverage. It’s freedom. Unlike other investments, real estate allows you to build wealth in four ways at once:
1. Cash Flow – Rental income provides monthly revenue.
2. Appreciation – Property values rise over time.
3. Debt Paydown – Tenants help pay down your mortgage, growing your ownership stake.
4. Tax advantages – you can take advantage of various tax deductions, which can significantly reduce your tax liability.
When your business is strong, you’re in the perfect position to invest in real estate. Your business income qualifies you for financing. Your discipline as an owner helps you manage expenses. And the cash flow from real estate gives you stability even if your business goes through ups and downs.
For me personally, buying real estate was about creating a safety net. Businesses can be unpredictable, markets shift, customer preferences change and new competitors show up. Real estate, on the other hand, is steady. People always need a place to live, work or store things.
When you put these two together, business and real estate, you create a cycle of growth, your business profits fund your real estate investments, your real estate cash flow gives you stability and reduces financial stress, with less stress, you can take bigger risks in business, leading to higher profits, higher profits allow you to buy more real estate. It’s a wealth building loop that accelerates over time.
I’ve seen entrepreneurs burn out because they only focused on their business. They reinvested everything into growth but never secured assets outside of it. On the other hand, I’ve seen investors who only bought real estate but had no engine to generate enough capital to scale. The sweet spot is doing both.
If I could go back and share advice with my younger self, here’s what I’d say:
1. Start the business you can afford, not the one you dream about. The perfect opportunity comes after you learn the fundamentals.
2. Separate business money from personal money. Discipline early on creates freedom later.
3. Don’t wait to buy real estate. Even your first small property can change the game for your financial future.
4. Think long term. The real rewards come from years of consistency, not quick flips or overnight success.
5. Use leverage wisely. Debt can either crush you or make you wealthy, it depends on how you manage it.
For me, business and real estate are not just about dollars, they’re about legacy. They’re about showing my children that with hard work, faith and determination, they too can build something that lasts.
When I walk into one of my restaurants or drive past a property I’ve invested in, I don’t just see walls and roofs, I see the proof that an immigrant kid who came to America at 16 with little more than a dream could build something real.
And that’s why I share this message: if I can do it, so can you.
The path isn’t easy, businesses will test your patience, and real estate will test your discipline. But together, they create a foundation of freedom, stability, and opportunity that few other strategies can match.
I believe every entrepreneur should have real estate in their portfolio, and every investor should consider starting a business. One gives you speed, the other gives you security. Combined, they give you power.
I can tell you with full confidence: building a business will give you the income, and buying real estate will give you the wealth. Put the two together, and you’ll create a life of freedom that not only changes your world, but the world of generations after you.
This is a contributed opinion column. Juan Martinez is the founder of Don Juan Mex Grill, a fast casual Latin inspired restaurant with five locations around the Lehigh Valley PA area. juan@donjuanmexgrill.com. The views expressed in this piece are those of its individual author and should not be interpreted as reflecting the views of this publication.
