In this episode of REIA Radio, Ted Kaasch and Owen Dashner sit down with Mike Bjork for a wide-ranging conversation on real estate, entrepreneurship, and the fast-moving world of AI.

Mike shares his unexpected path into real estate, from his background in the fire department to building a high-producing real estate team that surpassed $100 million in volume by year three. He talks about what it was like hitting major goals earlier than expected, why that left him looking for the next challenge, and how that search led him deep into artificial intelligence.

The conversation dives into how Mike used Zillow at a high level, what he learned from scaling fast, lessons from launching a title company, and how he now views AI as more than just a time-saver. Instead, he sees it as a tool that can create leverage, improve systems, and even generate new income opportunities inside and outside of real estate.

They also get into some of the personal side of Mike’s story, including his struggles with dyslexia, learning how to study later in life, and how his wife played a major role in helping him see bigger possibilities for himself. On top of the business talk, the episode has plenty of laughs, side stories, and the kind of back-and-forth that makes REIA Radio feel real.

Whether you’re an agent, investor, entrepreneur, or just trying to keep up with where AI is headed, this episode brings a mix of mindset, strategy, and straight-up entertaining conversation.

Listen to Episode 299.2 of REIA Radio and hear how Mike Bjork went from firefighter to high-level real estate producer to AI builder. If this episode gives you a new angle on business, real estate, or technology, share it with someone else who needs to hear it.

You can Join the Omaha REIA - https://omahareia.com/join-today
Omaha REIA on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/OmahaREIA
Check out the National REIA - https://nationalreia.org/
Find Ted Kaasch at www.tedkaasch.com
Owen Dashner on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/owen.dashner
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/odawg2424/
Red Ladder Property Solutions - www.sellmyhouseinomahafast.com
Liquid Lending Solutions - www.liquidlendingsolutions.com
Owen’s Blogs - www.otowninvestor.com
www.reiquicktips.com
Propstream - https://trial.propstreampro.com/reianebraska/
Timber Creek Virtual - https://timbercreekvirtual.com/services/
MagicDoor - https://magicdoor.com/reia/
...

In Episode 299, Ted and Owen close out the Real Estate Rundown era with a mix of humor, reflection, and real talk about business, real estate, and what is ahead for the podcast. Ted shares a frustrating city code violation tied to one of his long-held rental properties, which leads into a broader conversation about the realities of owning property over time and the random headaches that come with it.

The episode also takes a fun turn as the guys talk through other topics they could easily build a show around outside of real estate, including Mustangs, fantasy baseball, politics, movies, nightlife, and more. They also get into AI and how tools like Claude can help investors analyze multifamily deals, move faster on underwriting, and spot opportunities in a changing market.

This episode is a mix of looking back, laughing a little, and setting the stage for what is next. Ted and Owen also let listeners know that the next episode will feature their upcoming guest, Mike York.

Listen now, subscribe to REIA Radio, and stay tuned for the next episode featuring Mike York.

You can Join the Omaha REIA - https://omahareia.com/join-today
Omaha REIA on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/OmahaREIA
Check out the National REIA - https://nationalreia.org/
Find Ted Kaasch at www.tedkaasch.com
Owen Dashner on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/owen.dashner
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/odawg2424/
Red Ladder Property Solutions - www.sellmyhouseinomahafast.com
Liquid Lending Solutions - www.liquidlendingsolutions.com
Owen’s Blogs - www.otowninvestor.com
www.reiquicktips.com
Propstream - https://trial.propstreampro.com/reianebraska/
Timber Creek Virtual - https://timbercreekvirtual.com/services/
MagicDoor - https://magicdoor.com/reia/
...

In Episode 298 of REIA Radio, Ted Kaasch and Owen Dashner sit down with Jeff Ahern for a real and powerful conversation about resilience, reinvention, and building a life by design.

Jeff shares his journey from growing up in Alaska and serving in the Marines to suffering a life-changing parachuting injury that forced him out of the military after 12 years. What felt like the end of everything became the beginning of a completely new path. Jeff opens up about the dark season that followed, the struggle of losing his identity, and how he and Megan rebuilt their lives through real estate.

This episode dives into how they got started investing, why they chose Lincoln, Nebraska, how they lived in a travel trailer behind their early projects, and how they built a real estate business that eventually gave them the freedom to spend a year living in Maui. Jeff also talks about health, recovery, family, systems, entrepreneurship after military life, and the mindset shift that helped turn one of the worst moments of his life into one of the greatest blessings.

This is a strong episode for anyone navigating change, chasing freedom, or trying to build something meaningful from the ground up.

You can Join the Omaha REIA - https://omahareia.com/join-today
Omaha REIA on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/OmahaREIA
Check out the National REIA - https://nationalreia.org/
Find Ted Kaasch at www.tedkaasch.com
Owen Dashner on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/owen.dashner
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/odawg2424/
Red Ladder Property Solutions - www.sellmyhouseinomahafast.com
Liquid Lending Solutions - www.liquidlendingsolutions.com
Owen’s Blogs - www.otowninvestor.com
www.reiquicktips.com
Propstream - https://trial.propstreampro.com/reianebraska/
Timber Creek Virtual - https://timbercreekvirtual.com/services/
MagicDoor - https://magicdoor.com/reia/
...

Ted Kaasch and Owen Dashner are back with another Real Estate Rundown on REIA Radio, covering real investor conversations, market uncertainty, tax strategy talk, and deal stories happening in real time.

In this episode, they preview next week’s sit-down with Jeff Ahern, teasing his military background, real estate journey, and the story behind the investor many know as Megan Ahern’s other half. Jeff does not appear in this episode — this one sets up what’s coming next.

Ted and Owen also dive into a tax-related Golden Nugget involving depreciation schedules and major property replacements, then shift into broader conversations around market volatility, global tension, inspections, disclosures, and the messy side of getting deals across the finish line. It’s a real, unfiltered episode for people actually in the game.

Subscribe to REIA Radio, leave a 5-star review, and stay tuned for next week’s episode featuring Jeff Ahern.

You can Join the Omaha REIA - https://omahareia.com/join-today
Omaha REIA on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/OmahaREIA
Check out the National REIA - https://nationalreia.org/
Find Ted Kaasch at www.tedkaasch.com
Owen Dashner on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/owen.dashner
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/odawg2424/
Red Ladder Property Solutions - www.sellmyhouseinomahafast.com
Liquid Lending Solutions - www.liquidlendingsolutions.com
Owen’s Blogs - www.otowninvestor.com
www.reiquicktips.com
Propstream - https://trial.propstreampro.com/reianebraska/
Timber Creek Virtual - https://timbercreekvirtual.com/services/
MagicDoor - https://magicdoor.com/reia/
...

In this episode of REIA Radio, hosts Ted Kaasch and Owen Dashner share a live recording from a past Omaha REIA event featuring Fernando Angelucci, better known as the “Storage Stud.”

Fernando breaks down how he went from the corporate world to building a major self-storage business and why he believes self-storage is one of the most overlooked opportunities in real estate. He shares why the asset class has appealed to so many investors, how it can perform during different market cycles, and what makes it different from traditional residential rentals.

This conversation dives into market opportunities, management simplicity, financing options, occupancy, additional income streams, and what investors should look for when evaluating their first self-storage deal. Fernando also shares real-world insight from his own journey building and scaling in the storage space.

Fernando Angelucci will also be back with Omaha REIA for the REIA Mastery Series, where he’ll go even deeper into self-storage investing, operations, and growth strategies.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to learn directly from Fernando in person, check out the upcoming REIA Mastery Series event at http://reiamasteryseries.com/. Be sure to follow REIA Radio and Omaha REIA for more live events, real-world investor education, and upcoming speakers.

You can Join the Omaha REIA - https://omahareia.com/join-today
Omaha REIA on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/OmahaREIA
Check out the National REIA - https://nationalreia.org/
Find Ted Kaasch at www.tedkaasch.com
Owen Dashner on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/owen.dashner
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/odawg2424/
Red Ladder Property Solutions - www.sellmyhouseinomahafast.com
Liquid Lending Solutions - www.liquidlendingsolutions.com
Owen’s Blogs - www.otowninvestor.com
www.reiquicktips.com
Propstream - https://trial.propstreampro.com/reianebraska/
Timber Creek Virtual - https://timbercreekvirtual.com/services/
MagicDoor - https://magicdoor.com/reia/
...

In this episode of REIA Radio, hosts Ted Kaasch and Owen Dashner cover a little bit of everything—from self-storage and redevelopment challenges to car wash ownership, off-market opportunities, and the random chaos that comes with building businesses in real estate.

They kick things off by previewing Fernando Angelucci, also known as the Storage Stud, and his upcoming REIA Mastery Series event in Omaha on June 24th. If self-storage has been on your radar, this is a strong reminder that it may be one of the most overlooked wealth-building plays in real estate.

Ted and Owen also dig into real-world investing updates, including large-scale lease-up challenges in Branson, dealing with short-term workforce housing, unexpected repair costs, and the reality of managing value-add projects while trying not to lose your mind. Ted also shares what he’s learning from car wash ownership and a possible off-market laundromat deal, while both hosts talk through the kind of behind-the-scenes stuff investors rarely post about online.

They wrap with a timely reminder about phishing scams, fake emails, and account security—because apparently real estate investing now also includes playing defense against internet weirdos.

If you enjoy honest conversations about real estate, business, and the mess in the middle, share this episode with a friend and leave a 5-star review.

You can Join the Omaha REIA - https://omahareia.com/join-today
Omaha REIA on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/OmahaREIA
Check out the National REIA - https://nationalreia.org/
Find Ted Kaasch at www.tedkaasch.com
Owen Dashner on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/owen.dashner
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/odawg2424/
Red Ladder Property Solutions - www.sellmyhouseinomahafast.com
Liquid Lending Solutions - www.liquidlendingsolutions.com
Owen’s Blogs - www.otowninvestor.com
www.reiquicktips.com
Propstream - https://trial.propstreampro.com/reianebraska/
Timber Creek Virtual - https://timbercreekvirtual.com/services/
MagicDoor - https://magicdoor.com/reia/
...

Dane Peterson joins Ted Kaasch and Owen Dashner to unpack what it really looks like to go from “first rental” to scaling fast—mistakes and all. Dane shares how his early deals left way too much money in the property, what changed once he got smarter on banking, and why a HELOC flipped the switch from buying one at a time to building real momentum.

They dig into tenant screening (hint: the score isn’t the whole story), Section 8 realities—good tenants, nightmare turns, and everything in between—and the chaos that comes from property management surprises, utility headaches, and insurance fine print. Then Dane breaks down his biggest jump yet: taking down a rough 60-unit in a great area, navigating an appraisal that came in wildly low, and the ongoing process of stabilizing and repositioning the asset.

If you’re into real-world investing (no guru fluff), subscribe and check out more episodes at REIARadio.com.

You can Join the Omaha REIA - https://omahareia.com/join-today
Omaha REIA on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/OmahaREIA
Check out the National REIA - https://nationalreia.org/
Find Ted Kaasch at www.tedkaasch.com
Owen Dashner on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/owen.dashner
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/odawg2424/
Red Ladder Property Solutions - www.sellmyhouseinomahafast.com
Liquid Lending Solutions - www.liquidlendingsolutions.com
Owen’s Blogs - www.otowninvestor.com
www.reiquicktips.com
Propstream - https://trial.propstreampro.com/reianebraska/
Timber Creek Virtual - https://timbercreekvirtual.com/services/
MagicDoor - https://magicdoor.com/reia/
...

Networking isn’t a “nice-to-have” in real estate—it’s the shortcut. Ted and Owen break down why expanding your circle is the fastest way to level up, avoid bad deals, and find the kinds of relationships that actually move the needle (including the behind-the-scenes partnerships you never hear about).

Then it turns into a winter survival story: snowblower chaos (yes… the choke was on the whole time), broken parts, gas spill disasters, and a dead truck right when the day is packed. The guys also hit a real-world Airbnb headache: internet issues, provider policies, and door-lock battery drama right in the middle of a solid booking.

They wrap with what’s coming next—an Omaha event on Tuesday, March 3 with Andrew Devlin—and tease a big announcement for the 300th episode.

If you got value from this one, subscribe to REIA Radio, leave a quick rating/review, and share this episode with one investor friend who “doesn’t do networking.” Also, if you’re in Omaha, check out the March 3 event with Andrew Devlin and stay tuned—Episode 300 is going to be a big one.

You can Join the Omaha REIA - https://omahareia.com/join-today
Omaha REIA on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/OmahaREIA
Check out the National REIA - https://nationalreia.org/
Find Ted Kaasch at www.tedkaasch.com
Owen Dashner on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/owen.dashner
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/odawg2424/
Red Ladder Property Solutions - www.sellmyhouseinomahafast.com
Liquid Lending Solutions - www.liquidlendingsolutions.com
Owen’s Blogs - www.otowninvestor.com
www.reiquicktips.com
Propstream - https://trial.propstreampro.com/reianebraska/
Timber Creek Virtual - https://timbercreekvirtual.com/services/
MagicDoor - https://magicdoor.com/reia/
...