In this episode, attorney-turned-investor Ronald Rohde shares how he went from closing over $1B in commercial real estate deals to owning more than 120,000 square feet of industrial triple net properties.

A Cornell-educated attorney licensed in Texas and Florida, Ron founded Ronald Rohde Law in 2017 and has since completed over $20 million in personal acquisitions this year alone. Known for simplifying complex deals and teaching thousands through his YouTube channel, Ron reveals what makes industrial real estate one of the most overlooked wealth-building asset classes in America.

This episode dives into how he scaled from papering deals to owning them and how his legal background gives him a unique edge as an investor.

👉 Highlights you’ll learn in this episode:

🏢 How Ron went from attorney to industrial real estate investor

💡 The mindset shift from earning fees to building equity

⚖️ Lessons from negotiating billion-dollar deals and managing risk

📈 Why industrial triple net is the most overlooked asset class

🤝 How to find great joint venture partners and structure deals

🔥 The hidden costs and mistakes new investors make in industrial real estate 💬 How his law firm team now invests alongside him in his deals

If you want to understand how to think like both an attorney and an investor and why industrial might be the most practical path to financial freedom, this episode is a must-watch.

//Timestamps//

00:00 Intro

00:45 Ron’s background and early career path

01:13 The mentor who changed his mindset about business and negotiation

03:38 Moving beyond the safety of residential real estate

05:20 Taking on bigger, scarier deals and embracing risk

07:12 How being an attorney shapes his investing decisions

09:35 The legal lens on real estate deals

10:25 Why he chose industrial over multifamily and retail

12:56 The appeal of longer-term leases and triple net structures

14:04 Why industrial is ideal for part-time investors

15:16 Common underwriting mistakes in industrial real estate

17:58 The hidden costs of vacancy, turnover, and free rent

19:38 How to find tenants and market industrial spaces effectively

21:04 Understanding tenant needs and designing smarter layouts

22:49 Why talking directly to operators gives you a competitive edge

24:43 How small design flaws reveal major insights

26:45 Managing time between law firm and investments

28:05 How Ron leverages his law firm team for real estate tasks

29:57 Why joint ventures beat solo deals

31:44 The importance of having active, reliable partners

32:02 How to find the right partners and start conversations

33:44 The power of positioning yourself publicly and online

36:19 How Ron structures his joint ventures and raises capital

37:49 Managing investor relationships and handling conflict

38:18 How his employees now invest in his deals

39:34 Ron’s best deal and the “COVID discount” story

43:24 How to connect with Ron and his YouTube channel

45:17 Advice to his younger self about taking bigger risks

46:49 Books that shaped his thinking: Traction and Mastering the Market Cycle

47:51 Outro

🤝 CONNECT WITH RONALD

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ronaldrohdelaw

X: https://x.com/rohde88

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ronaldrohdelaw

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/law-office-of-ronald-rohde-pllc/

Website: https://ronaldrohdelaw.com/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ronaldrohdelaw

👋 CONNECT WITH LEO

1) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leo-young/

2) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leoyoungrealestate/

3) Want to invest with us? https://tidycal.com/leoyoungrealestate/investor-alignment-call