Hey everyone,
There's a lot happening in the economy right now, and while some investors are sitting on the sidelines waiting for things to settle down, others are finding opportunities in places most people are overlooking.
This week, I'm pulling back the curtain on a struggling business I purchased and grew from $250K to over $930K in revenue in just one year, including the mistakes, challenges, and lessons learned along the way. We're also digging into why falling self storage valuations could actually be great news for investors looking to buy, and how the AI boom is creating some unexpected consequences for the Federal Reserve and the broader economy.
As always, the goal is to help you understand what's happening, recognize opportunities others might miss, and make smarter investment decisions. Let's get to it.
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[ AJO Podcast ] I Bought a Dying Business and Scaled It to $930K (Full P&L Breakdown)
Most people assume buying a small business is either out of reach or reserved for private equity firms with millions to deploy—but the average small business in America sells for less than the average single-family home.
In this video, I open up the real profit and loss statements from a struggling company I bought for less than the median home price in my state. In our first 12 months, we scaled top line gross revenue from $250,000 to $930,810 with a 76% gross margin ($707,000 in gross profit)—yet walked away with only $5,000 in net profit.
Why? Because taking over a distressed business isn't like an ATM; it requires upfront capital reallocation, cleaning up mismanaged systems, fixing invisible financial leaks, and enduring a steep operational learning curve.
I break down the exact operational audits and framework changes we used to fix hidden leaks, overhaul marketing channels, and generate over $150,000 in net profit during our slowest months in Year 2, paving the way to cross $2,000,000 in revenue.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE EPISODE
[ SSI Podcast ] Self Storage Values Are Being Crushed (Why You Should Buy)
The self storage industry is changing. Fast.
In the last six months, we’ve seen rising interest rates push self storage values down, banks tighten their borrowing requirements, and owners reluctantly list more assets for sale.
On the surface, things may seem turbulent. But this shift represents a massive window of opportunity for self storage investors, the likes of which we haven’t seen since the wake of the Great Financial Crisis. Naturally, people are worried that property values could continue to fall, not rise.
And this is exactly the right time to buy.
Self storage fundamentals are stronger than they have been in recent years. Rents have increased, occupancy has recovered, and new supply has been minimal, yet self storage facilities are selling for much lower prices than advertised.
We’ve hit the “stabilized” bottom.
In this episode, we break down these macro- and micro-economic factors and explain how the recent AI boom is affecting not just the economy at large but also cap rates. With access to more data, tools, and resources than ever before, new investors have even more opportunities at their fingertips. But if you’re not paying attention, you’ll miss them.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE EPISODE
[ AJO Podcast ] AI Is Holding the Fed Hostage
Interest rates keep climbing higher. But the real culprit isn’t the Federal Reserve, the White House, the Iran War, or anything else that probably comes to mind. It’s AI.
AI is responsible for over half of Q1 2026 gross domestic product (GDP) growth. Without it, the Fed might be able to have a conversation about lowering rates. But that’s an entirely different economy and reality than the one we’re living in.
The Fed’s hands are tied.
Today, I break down why this creates a “lopsided” economy, who’s actually benefiting from the AI boom, and why lower rates may require something no one wants: another recession.
Hope you enjoy the new resources.
That's it for this week - until next time!
- AJ Osborne
