One September 2nd and 3rd 2023, over 300 Veterans met at the Encore in Las Vegas for the inaugural Financial Freedom Summit. They came ready to network, learn, and be inspired. And they were not disappointed.
The idea for this event was solidified earlier this year when a group of Veterans came together to start planning. Erin Helle, Buddy Rushing, Carly DaCosta, Patton Gade, Taylor Wing, David Ortiz, and Sunny Alexander committed to putting on an event we hoped would have immense impact on our network. Nothing like this existed for Veterans, and we wanted to bring them together for an action-packed weekend of value, education, networking, and camaraderie.
To say that we hit the mark would be an understatement. We put together an event that brought people together that might never otherwise have the opportunity to meet. The education, empowerment, support and network we plugged our attendees into will pave the way for real wealth and changed lives.
We started off the event with White Feather’s founder and CEO, Buddy Rushing. Buddy brought the entire audience to tears as he inspired everyone to live a life worthy of the sacrifice of our Veterans. He encouraged us to find our Why, put a plan in place, and take action to live the life of our dreams.
Milena Dorsey amazed us with her story of unprecedented success in the face of extreme adversity. Her story represents the experience of so many in our network and serves as an empowering example of the possibilities open to anyone in this network.
We celebrated the life of her husband, Peyton Dorsey. Peyton was one of our own, and he will forever be missed. The outcry of support for the vulnerability of our speakers indicated that mental health continues to be a big issue for the Veteran network. If you or someone you know or love is struggling, please check out the resources below, or send us a message and let us know how we can help!
Kelly Cardenas served as our master of ceremonies. His “vibe” and ability to network is top notch. His basic tenants of “be kind, make friends, stay curious” will serve us for years to come, both in business and our personal lives. Kelly volunteered his time and expertise to ensure this event was a success and we’re grateful to have such a powerhouse as an ambassador for the Financial Freedom Summit!
The #1 VA Loan originator in the entire US taught us about the power of the VA loan. Patton Gade is a master of the trade and the ideal person to educate this particular audience on the power of the VA loan. This loan product is exclusively offered to Veterans and service members and provides an incredible resource to own property with no downpayment. Many use this to kickstart their wealth building endeavors and add it to their toolkit for growing their wealth.
We had very practical sessions about tax planning and legal protection, as well as a powerful presentation on the future of real estate by Bruce Norris. Bruce’s ability to forecast long-term real estate market trends is unmatched, and his predictions of the future will undoubtedly make many of our attendees a lot of money in the coming years.
Day two brought more immense value and remarkable camaraderie. We, again, dove into specific real estate strategies to learn the ins and outs of the business before conducting a funding panel. We put Patton Gade, Taylor Wing, Jered DaCosta, Buddy Rushing and Matt Owens on the stage to answer open-forum questions about funding and financing deals.
The breakout sessions set this event apart from other real estate investing conferences. Our subject matter experts presented on specific strategies in the industry (syndication, flipping, multifamily investing, house hacking, lending, short term rentals, real estate agent, property management, and wholesaling.) Our leaders are truly experts in their fields and their generosity and willingness to share the tricks of their trade did not go unnoticed. Countless attendees shared their opinion that the abundant mindset of the conference team, and the genuine atmosphere of the entire conference made them feel right at home, and like they belonged to something bigger.
The real superman, James Dixon, closed us out with a powerful message about finding what’s within us and realizing our true power. James, also known as the absolutely motivator, is a best-selling author and huge supporter of the military. His presence changed the feel of this event and his message resonated deeply for so many.
Special thanks to the sponsors that helped make this a phenomenal success: Patton Gade of Loan Depot, K&R Strategic Partners, DirectedIRA, The Norris Group, Trophy Point Investment, Freedom Property Group, Convolo Capital, RCN Capital.
If you’re ready to take action and join the ranks of so many in our network who are taking control of their finances, building real wealth, and achieving financial freedom, check out the free resources that Veterans for Financial Freedom has to offer.
If you missed out, we’ll be back with version 2 next year. Stay tuned for the details!
Mental Health Resources for Veterans
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline – Call or text
Hours: Available 24 hours. Languages: English, Spanish.
Crisis Support Services of Nevada: https://cssnv.org/
National Institute of mental Health https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/suicide-prevention
TAPS: TAPS is the national nonprofit organization providing compassionate care and comprehensive resources for all those grieving the death of a military or veteran loved one
TAPS phone number: 800-959-TAPS (8277)
What did you think of the summit?