Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Dr. Justin M. Lee.
Purpose of the Interview
- To showcase Dr. Lee’s journey from a young real estate agent to a multi-industry entrepreneur.
- To inspire listeners with strategies for wealth-building through real estate, construction, and logistics.
- To encourage financial literacy, ownership, and collaboration within underserved communities.
- To issue a call to action for minorities to explore opportunities like Amazon DSP and real estate investment.
Key Takeaways
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Early Career & Education
- Started young in real estate, embraced discomfort in rooms dominated by older professionals.
- Leveraged millennial tech skills (social media marketing) to help veteran brokers grow.
- Earned a doctorate degree and became a licensed real estate broker.
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Social Media as a Business Tool
- Built a strong presence on TikTok (90K followers) and other platforms.
- Helped older real estate firms thrive by creating digital visibility.
- Emphasized that “business must look as good online as in person.”
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Financial Literacy & Homeownership
- African-American communities often lack foundational financial knowledge.
- Key barriers: misunderstanding credit, fear of debt, and lack of exposure to ownership benefits.
- Advocates teaching the difference between good debt (real estate) and bad debt (consumer credit).
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Real Estate Process
- Initial onboarding: credit score, income, tax filing.
- Connect clients with lenders, secure pre-approval, then negotiate and close within 30–45 days.
- Uses property tours as motivation even for those not yet approved.
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Pooling Resources for Wealth
- Industry dominated by white men and foreign investors who use syndication.
- Dr. Lee created a private family fund with fraternity brothers and friends.
- Acquired 150+ apartment units and commercial properties by pooling resources and forming LLCs.
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Amazon DSP Opportunity
- Owns an Amazon Delivery Service Partner business (42 trucks, 200 employees).
- Offers minorities a chance to apply for DSP with $10K grant.
- Taught him true CEO skills: HR, payroll, compliance, and scaling operations.
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Construction Business
- Entered construction after experiencing exploitation in fix-and-flip projects.
- Learned the business side (permits, change orders) and got licensed.
- Built major projects like a 10,000 sq. ft. restaurant in Atlanta.
- Advocates for Black representation in construction, an industry dominated by whites and Hispanics.
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Personal Background
- Raised in New Orleans during Katrina by a single mother and grandparents.
- Mother invested FEMA checks into real estate, teaching him property management and renovation skills early.
- Believes knowledge is power and emphasizes planning and consistency.
Notable Quotes
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On embracing discomfort:
“I learned to embrace the uncomfort and make it one of my biggest strengths.” -
On social media:
“You have to make your business look the same way online as in person.” -
On financial literacy:
“Real estate is always going to be good debt. Bad debt is the Macy’s card.” -
On collaboration:
“Pooling resources shows how far we can go and how fast we can go—but together.” -
On planning:
“If you don’t plan, you plan to fail. All you have to do is stick to the plan.”
#SHMS #STRAW #BEST
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