Meet Tanner H. Hicks, a multifaceted individual acclaimed for his prowess as an investor, speaker, coach, and the visionary behind Property Entrepreneurs Club and Ajito Capital. With an unwavering commitment to choice, financial security, and personal growth, Tanner has embarked on a mission to empower individuals to carve their paths to success in the dynamic realm of property investment. Through his ventures, he endeavors to demystify the complexities of the industry, offering guidance that streamlines processes and fosters tangible results with ease.
How did your personal experience with health challenges influence your approach to life and career choices?
It made me realise I’m not indestructible and bad things unfortunately happen to people all the time. At that moment on that operating table I realised I’m exposed to those same risks and if I want something great from my life, I have to go and grab it before it’s too late because nobody was going to hand it to me on a platter.
What motivated you to establish the Property Entrepreneurs Club and Ajito Capital?
The property training industry has grown and evolved. The people who are in the game, have some knowledge and experience have smartened up to the marketing and sales techniques of the bigger training companies. Having been involved within that industry for a little while I would see and hear of so many situations where people would invest significant funds into programmes but leave with a bitter taste in their mouths. I wanted to create something that was built around its community first. Something that people wanted to be part of and saw the value of without being “sold” into. That’s what the Property Entrepreneurs Club is about, and the majority of our new members are via referrals.
How do you help individuals navigate the complexities of the property industry to achieve financial security and growth?
We try to take a bespoke approach to each of our clients. Everyone is unique in terms of their previous experiences, knowledge, resources, goals etc. Therefore we help to create a bespoke plan for each individual that focuses on leveraging existing resources as much as possible. This helps move the needle quicker and in a bigger way. Couple that with small, intimate support groups where people are comfortable in sharing in depth and detail creates incredible results.
Can you describe your philosophy on simplifying processes for your clients to achieve success in property deals?
Setting metrics, creating frameworks, and focusing on the first 2-3 steps before worrying about “what might happen” in steps 7-8 is key. In property so many factors and variables can change along the way so trying to have all the answers upfront is impossible, but being clear on what the plan is (via your metrics and frameworks) means that you can start to build a pipeline of deals that all fit within the plan. This de-risks things and gives more flexibility to react later down the line when things inevitably change.
We also work a lot on mindset as the majority of the time people have not achieved the success they want yet because they have held themselves back. By understanding themselves and the thoughts that have prevented their success to date, we can work on unlocking that and providing the support where necessary to push them towards their goals.
How has your journey shaped your coaching and speaking style to be open, real, and approachable?
My journey hasn’t been easy and all golden. Therefore I don’t think it’s right that I portray that it is because that would just be a load of bull – plus the people I like to work with and want to attract into my business are smarter than that. Unfortunately though we live in a world today where people’s expectations for what life in business is like has been skewed and manipulated. If it was easy everyone would be doing it. I therefore have no shame in admitting that I have made mistakes, had challenges and will continue to have challenges and not get everything right. That is the nature of business. But if I didn’t have those challenges I wouldn’t be growing as an individual and therefore wouldn’t be able to share those learnings and experiences with others.
What pivotal moment prompted you to propose to your girlfriend and pursue a non-traditional career path?
In 2015, I took the plunge into full-time property investment. However, I encountered stumbling blocks along the way due to a lack of discipline and self-confidence. These hurdles culminated in a breakdown in 2017, right when my wife was pregnant. The immense responsibility of supporting my growing family weighed heavily on my shoulders.
It was at that juncture that I recognised the significance of understanding oneself and cultivating a positive mindset. I needed clarity and a shared vision with my partner to make meaningful progress. Involving her in the journey, we charted a path together, which proved to be instrumental in moving forward.
Realising that we are in control of our journey is a game-changer. If we ever feel stuck or devoid of optimism, seeking support from others or seeking professional guidance can make all the difference. Identifying areas where we inadvertently hold ourselves back and areas where we excel is essential. This self-awareness empowers us to nurture the right mindset for success.
How do you empower others to break free from the constraints of a traditional 9-5 job?
Firstly by helping people think differently about money and income. The majority of people who have a dream to become an entrepreneur get stuck with an ingrained belief around money and that security blanket of the regular paycheck. By expanding people’s thinking and understanding around managing money, and getting them to think more on a longer term basis, rather than a monthly or weekly basis is one of the first starting points. Because getting their financial houses in order is the first stepping stone to transitioning away from a 9-5 job. Money beliefs are often the biggest reason why people never become entrepreneurs. Then, I get into reminding them all about how their 9-5 job is at the discretion of somebody else and isn’t as secure as they think and how becoming an entrepreneur unlocks things like time freedom, choice, flexibility, financial security etc.
My commitment to helping individuals achieve long-term and sustainable success in the property business is evident with the essential strategies outlined in the Do More Deals Framework™, which I teach all of my students.
How do you balance valuing choice, financial security, and growth in your life and business endeavors?
Prioritisation fundamentally. Every so often I carry out the “post-it note” exercise. It is something I teach in our business planning and Do More Deals workshops. Basically listing out all the things I want from life in terms of experiences, lifestyle, choice, time etc. Prioritising them in an order and then ensuring every strategic decision I make around the business, or new business ventures I assess against whether it’ll help me get closer to those priorities. For example, the main priority for me starting in property was because I wanted to be a hands-on father when I had kids. I wanted to be around at breakfast, lunch and dinner times, help my wife whenever needed and be present for my kids when they grew up. A month before I had my first child I built a log cabin in the garden which has been my office ever since (and this was way before lockdown days when everyone else jumped on the bandwagon). Since then my priorities have changed a bit more towards doing more things for myself and as a family, travelling more and creating experiences for the kids. I therefore look to leverage as much as I can to enable the time to do these things, whilst also building in that financial stability and security.
Can you elaborate on your commitment to helping individuals achieve long-term and sustainable success in the property business, thereby gaining more financial and time freedom?
My commitment to helping individuals achieve long-term and sustainable success in the property business is evident with the essential strategies outlined in the Do More Deals Framework™, which I teach all of my students.
By leveraging these tools, individuals can gain clarity, confidence, and consistent results in their property endeavours, ultimately leading to increased financial and time freedom.
