What Surfing Taught Me About Investing

Just got back from a 5-day wellness retreat in Oaxaca. It wasn't just a surf trip - it was a mindset reset... packed days surfing fun waves, video analysis, breathwork, foundation training, XPT training, and ice baths. I love the pursuit of kaizen in and out of the office. Reflecting on the trip, here are a few lessons:

1. Your network is your biggest unfair advantage.
The best part of the retreat wasn’t the waves—it was the people. I trained with a group of passionate surfers who all showed up with an open mind to learning and making new friends. In real estate, just like in life, your network is your edge. Smart partners, passionate mentors, aligned investors, and operators who push you to raise your game make all the difference.

2. Micro-adjustments = macro results.
The adjustments I made were minor but they made a huge difference – I learned to move my front foot back and compress my body more during my turns. Almost impossible to notice. That kind of nearly invisible micro-optimization is everything in real estate: carefully tuned underwriting, dialed in business plans, optimized operating budgets, detailed asset management. Over time, small gains stack into big results.

3. You can’t control the ocean—only how you respond.
No matter how good you are, the ocean (like the market) will always hand you a wipeout every now and then. What matters is how you recover and adapt. With both, there are forces beyond our control - interest rate shocks, uncertainty with tariffs, unpredictable tenants. What matters is how prepared you are, how quickly you adapt to changing conditions, and how you manage risk without losing momentum.

And just for fun, here’s a video clip of my last day. I managed to get a turn in and some travel time in the barrel. It was satisfying seeing the progress after a few days of hard work. And yes, I didn’t let that wipeout deter me, I got right back out there.