Opportunity Zones were created to revitalize economically distressed communities using private investments rather than taxpayer dollars. However, due to their relative newness, Opportunity Zones are understandably unfamiliar to most investors and residents of these newly designated areas. What exactly are the benefits? Today’s guest is Jake Gardner, Head Of Investor Relations at the St. George Opportunity Zone Fund. Jake is a successful entrepreneur, starting his marketing technology firm seven years ago, which he just recently sold to a public company. As an investor, Jake focuses on finding unique projects in Opportunity Zones. In this episode, he shares with us his journey into real estate, verifies the importance of scaling, and explains why he believes COVID-19 is an opportunity for businesses to not only survive, but thrive. We discuss Opportunity Zones and the benefits for investors to defer capital gains, and Jake tells us what is different about the St. George Opportunity Zone Fund compared to other funds. We end the show with some rapid-fire questions to learn a bit more about Jake, and he shares what he has learned about listening as a passive investor that he’s using to his advantage as an investor relations liaison. For more on Opportunity Zones and the opportunities for investors, tune in today!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Jake introduces himself and what he does.
- Jake’s first passive investment in 2009 and how he got involved with his dad.
- The most important thing Jake learned from this first passive investment was about scaling.
- Appropriate scaling and why Jake thinks it is a real recipe for success.
- Jakes's philosophy on diversification and how he has diversified his portfolio between life insurance, gold, and real estate.
- Jake’s sentiments about investing in commercial real estate and why it’s worth finding deals.
- Markets that Jake finds exciting now, particularly secondary and tertiary markets.
- Sheltering down or expanding during a crisis and why Jake believes COVID-19 is an opportunity for businesses to survive and thrive.
- The St. George Opportunity Zone Fund and Jake’s role to educate investors.
- What opportunity zones are – a way for economically depressed communities to get investors and rehab their communities and a way for investors to defer capital gains.
- What’s different about the St. George Opportunity Zone Fund compared to other funds.
- What Jake has learned about listening as a passive investor that he’s using to his advantage as an investor relations liaison.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
St. George Opportunity Zone Fund
St. George Opportunity Zone Fund on Facebook
Wayne Patton’s Asset Protection
Passive Income through Multifamily Real Estate group on Facebook
