In this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan connects with Cory Jacobson and Ryan Bevilacqua, founders of Juice Enterprises and co-hosts of the Wealth Juice Podcast. These two friends and business partners built their real estate portfolio from the ground up while maintaining their full-time jobs. The key? Consistency, community, and focusing on the long game.
Starting with a House Hack
Cory and Ryan, like many new investors, began with a house hack. That first move laid the foundation for everything that came after. By buying a multifamily property and living in one unit while renting out the others, they began building equity, learning the ropes, and gaining confidence.
At the same time, they launched their podcast, Wealth Juice, to document the process in real time. That decision didn’t just help them stay accountable. It helped them build a brand and attract others on the same path.
Finding Their Edge Through Content and Relationships
By sharing their story publicly, Cory and Ryan created growth opportunities. People resonated with their transparency and consistent messaging. Over time, their audience grew, and so did their network. They partnered with mentors, joined mastermind groups, and eventually began raising capital for larger deals.
Today, their portfolio includes 10- to 40-unit properties in the Northeast and Florida, with plans to continue expanding. Their approach is grounded in aligning with trustworthy operators, leveraging each other’s strengths, and never pretending to know it all.
Breaking Through Inaction
One of the biggest themes in this episode is mindset. Cory and Ryan discuss analysis paralysis, building confidence through repetition, and how simply showing up consistently can lead to outsized results. They also discuss how podcasting and coaching helped them overcome fear and take meaningful steps forward.
They didn’t start as experts. They got moving, learned along the way, and stayed focused on helping others do the same.
Cory and Ryan prove that you don’t need to have all the answers to start. You just need to take the next step and stay committed.
If you want to learn more about Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing Podcast, check out https://zenandtheartofrealestateinvesting.com/podcast/253/.