Travis Makes Money

Owen Barrett is the founder of a solar company that has generated over $50 million in revenue in just three years. Before building his solar empire, Owen spent a decade in the energy efficiency space, eventually discovering a massive gap in the multifamily real estate market: operators were ignoring solar as a value-add strategy. After trying and failing to convince syndicators to adopt solar, Owen bought his own apartment buildings, proved the model worked, built proprietary software to eliminate complexity, and then sold the solution back to the industry. On this episode we talk about: Owen's journey from failed businesses (recycling, nonprofit soccer equipment) to building a multi-million dollar lighting company How he identified a major blind spot in multifamily real estate investing: solar as an untapped value-add strategy Why decreasing operating expenses by $100K can increase property value by $2 million in multifamily The technical challenge of installing and monitoring 300 individual solar systems on a single apartment building Building proprietary software to automate billing, monitoring, and maintenance for tenant-meter solar installations Top 3 Takeaways Find problems you've experienced firsthand and solve them. Owen's most successful businesses came from identifying inefficiencies he encountered personally—whether it was wasted soccer equipment in college, unused grant money in California schools, or ignored energy costs in multifamily real estate. For every dollar you increase net operating income (NOI) in multifamily, you increase property value by roughly $20. Solar installations can slash operating expenses by $100K+, creating $2M+ in instant equity without the headache of traditional unit renovations. If you can't convince people, prove it yourself first. When multifamily operators wouldn't listen to Owen's solar pitch, he partnered with a real estate company, bought 650 units worth $75M, installed solar himself, and showed the industry it worked—then built software to scale the solution. Notable Quotes "I noticed nobody was going after the smaller school districts or charter schools where they still had like $500K, a million dollars, $2 million... so we just set out on this campaign to get in touch with as many small school districts and charter schools as humanly possible." "If you're in that 1% where you feel like you're a change agent and you can get shit done, it's kind of selfish to not do anything." "You guys are pulling out your hair renovating units, dealing with subcontractors, like all this stuff that just annoys everyone. And meanwhile, you're leaving probably the easiest value-add strategy on the table." Connect with Owen Barrett: LinkedIn: Owen Barrett Shine: https://www.getshine.com/about A Word from our Sponsor:Are you ready to start your own creatorjourney and make it big? Visitwww.fanvue.com today and launch yourcareer! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yasmin Cheyenne is a three-time HarperOne author and Today Show wellness expert who has guided hundreds of thousands of people back to their authentic selves through her writing, workshops, and teachings. After serving five years in the Air Force and working in the JAG (legal) department, Yasmin spent nearly a decade balancing a government job with her growing coaching and writing business before making the leap to full-time entrepreneurship in 2021—just days before the Today Show reached out for her first major media appearance. On this episode we talk about: The strategic decision-making process behind leaving a stable nine-to-five job to pursue entrepreneurship full-time Why seeing a financial advisor before quitting your job is essential, even if you think you can't afford one The difference between setting healthy boundaries and becoming unreasonably selfish How reconnecting with your inner child can help you rediscover what you truly want from life The concept of the "comeback era" and why midlife discomfort is actually a gift, not a crisis Top 3 Takeaways Do the human work before making the leap - Consult a financial advisor (many banks offer this free), calculate all expenses including taxes and health insurance, and ensure your business income can sustain your entire family's needs—not just your current bills. Don't make major career decisions from overwhelm or sleep deprivation. Consider whether your passion can handle the pressure of paying bills - Some people love their creative work but don't want it to be the thing they rely on financially, as it changes the relationship with their gift. Be honest with yourself about whether you can emotionally handle your passion becoming your primary income source. Learn from children's natural boundaries - Kids have no problem saying no to things they don't want to do, even when it would help someone else. While adults can't be completely unreasonable, reconnecting with that willingness to disappoint others occasionally helps you identify where you've been people-pleasing at your own expense. Notable Quotes "I knew that I was not going to take on hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt in an economy where people were not being hired. And so that's where entrepreneurship kind of became the only option for me. It felt like if there's so much of a risk here, then I might as well take the risk on myself." "I want you to follow those things [like gut feelings and dreams], but I also want you to do your human work, which is the numbers. And so we have to make decisions from both places." "To feel that discomfort is actually a gift and it's an opportunity to explore how you can make the changes that you want. I think it's actually an opportunity for a comeback." Connect with Yasmin Cheyenne: Instagram: @yasmincheyenne Website: https://yasminecheyenne.com/ Book: The Comeback Era pre-order now for May 18th! A Word from our Sponsor: Are you ready to start your own creator journey and make it big? Visit www.fanvue.com today and launch your career! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if one of the world’s most solvable problems remains unsolved… simply because most of us never have to think about it? In this preview episode of Travis Makes Friends, Travis sits down with Scott Harrison, founder of Charity: Water, to unpack a staggering reality: 700 million people still lack access to clean water—and the biggest barrier isn’t technology, it’s attention and funding. Scott shares how his organization has already helped over 21.6 million people across 29 countries, and why that progress, while meaningful, is still just a fraction of what’s possible. Scott breaks down the evolution of the clean water movement—from early challenges around sustainability and infrastructure to today’s highly effective, locally tailored solutions. With a portfolio of over a dozen technologies, from wells to solar-powered systems, the problem is no longer how to deliver clean water—it’s how to scale it. And according to Scott, the number is surprisingly within reach: about $100 billion could bring clean water to everyone on Earth in as little as a decade. The conversation highlights the hidden cost of water scarcity, especially for women and girls. In many communities, they spend hours each day walking to collect unsafe water—time that could otherwise go toward education, work, or building businesses. Scott shares powerful data and stories showing how access to clean water can reduce disease by up to 80%, keep girls in school, and unlock entire local economies almost overnight. Travis and Scott also explore why this crisis remains so underfunded. In developed countries, clean water is so accessible that it’s virtually invisible—something we use dozens of times a day without a second thought. That disconnect, Scott explains, is the core challenge: people don’t rally around problems they’ve never experienced. You’ll also hear how charity: water is rethinking philanthropy through initiatives like The Spring, a subscription-style giving model that allows everyday donors to contribute monthly and see exactly where their money goes. With billions of dollars sitting in donor-advised funds, Scott makes the case that solving the global water crisis is less about innovation—and more about mobilization. If you’ve ever wondered how one resource could impact health, education, gender equality, and economic growth all at once, this preview offers a compelling answer—and a clear call to rethink what’s possible. Hit play to hear why the solution to one of humanity’s oldest problems might already be in our hands—and what it would take to finally finish the job. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bestselling author, journalist, and podcast creator Jo Piazza joins Travis to break down the realities of building a career as a modern writer. From working gossip columns in New York City to publishing bestselling novels, launching hit podcasts, and navigating today’s AI-driven content landscape, Jo shares the unfiltered truth about storytelling, publishing, audience building, and why creators need to think like entrepreneurs. With books published in multiple languages and millions of podcast downloads, Jo brings a candid, funny, and deeply practical perspective on making a living through creativity. On this episode we talk about: How Jo broke into journalism and built a writing career during a collapsing media industry Why mentorship and hard work still matter in creative careers The rise of self-publishing, Substack, and creator-owned audiences How AI-generated content is impacting books, publishing, and attention spans The business realities behind book deals, podcasts, and film adaptations Top 3 Takeaways If you want to be a writer or creator, start building your audience immediately instead of waiting for permission from traditional gatekeepers. Creative careers require constant adaptation — the pathway to success changes, but opportunities still exist for people willing to hustle. Owning your platform, audience, and intellectual property creates long-term leverage and financial opportunity. Notable Quotes “If you want to be a writer, you just have to be writing.” “The traditional path that was available to me is not available anymore.” “I adore writing books. It’s also a job. This is what pays my mortgage.” Connect with Jo Piazza: Instagram: @JoPiazzaAuthor Website: Jo Piazza Official Website Newsletter: Over the Influence Podcast: Under the Influence Podcast A Word from our Sponsor:Are you ready to start your own creatorjourney and make it big? Visitwww.fanvue.com today and launch yourcareer! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices