February 18, 2025

How Real Estate Investors Can Scale Faster with the Right Community – Insights from Leon Barnes

The Power of Community in Real Estate Investing

Success in real estate investing isn’t just about having the right strategies—it’s also about surrounding yourself with the right people. Investors who generate consistent deals and build long-term wealth understand the importance of being in a room with like-minded professionals who push them to execute at a high level. A strong community provides access to industry leaders, innovative strategies, and tested processes that can shorten the learning curve and help scale businesses efficiently.

If you’re looking to generate more motivated seller leads, build a high-performing team, or refine your business systems, finding the right mastermind or investor community could be the key to unlocking your next level of success.

The Collective Genius: A Unique Real Estate Investor Network

Leon Barnes, VP of Membership at The Collective Genius (CG), understands the power of real estate masterminds. Having started as a member himself, Leon now connects investors across the country to a high-caliber network designed to help them scale. With over 450 members across four different tiers, CG ensures that investors are placed in the right environment based on their experience level and goals.

Unlike traditional real estate courses or networking events where attendees often guard their secrets, CG fosters an environment of transparency and collaboration. The best investors know that success isn’t about hiding strategies—it’s about executing better, refining processes, and continuously learning from those ahead of them.

Why the Right Room Matters in Your Growth

One of the biggest mistakes new investors make is joining groups or programs that don’t align with their current business stage. Leon highlights that early on, CG noticed newer investors struggling in high-level mastermind groups because they lacked the necessary experience to keep up with advanced strategies. To solve this, CG introduced multiple membership levels, ensuring investors are surrounded by peers who challenge and support them appropriately.

For example, an investor doing 30-100 transactions a year may not benefit from the same discussions as someone executing 250+ deals annually. By segmenting members into different groups, CG ensures that each participant gains valuable insights without feeling overwhelmed or lost.

Additionally, CG has evolved significantly, introducing structured tiers such as CG Select (for investors completing 30-100 transactions a year) and CG Premiere (for those handling over 100 transactions). This segmentation ensures that members receive guidance tailored to their current business challenges, allowing for a smoother growth trajectory.

Execution and Adaptability: Traits of High-Performing Investors

Through his work with CG, Leon has observed common characteristics among the most successful real estate investors:

  • Relentless Execution – There are no hidden secrets to success; top investors simply execute more consistently and at a higher level.
  • Accountability and Systems – Building a sustainable business requires repeatable systems and the right team to ensure long-term success.
  • Lifelong Learning – The best investors never stop improving. Whether it’s through books, mentors, or masterminds, they constantly seek out ways to sharpen their skills.
  • Giving Mindset – Those who share their knowledge and help others often receive 10x the value in return.

The Importance of Transparency and Finding the Right Network

In the past, many real estate investors were hesitant to share their knowledge, fearing competition. However, Leon notes a shift in the industry, with more investors realizing that execution is the real differentiator—not secrecy. High-level investors now understand that by openly sharing their strategies and challenges, they gain even greater insights and build stronger networks that help them scale faster.

A prime example of this mindset shift is within CG, where investors are required to contribute knowledge rather than just absorb insights. The expectation is simple: give value to receive value.

More Than Just Business: A Network That Supports Beyond Deals

Beyond business success, the right community also offers meaningful personal and professional relationships. The Collective Genius, for instance, has members who support each other in times of need, such as during natural disasters, and contribute to charitable initiatives like building homes in Mexico and supporting communities in Guatemala.

Leon shared a personal experience where he received multiple offers from CG members to relocate during a hurricane that threatened Tampa Bay. Members from across the country extended invitations, highlighting the deep sense of community that CG fosters.

Investing in relationships with other high-performing professionals doesn’t just lead to better business outcomes—it also creates lifelong friendships and a strong support system.

How to Maximize Value from a Real Estate Mastermind

Joining a real estate mastermind or investor group is a powerful way to accelerate growth—but only if you approach it the right way. Here are some key takeaways for making the most out of these opportunities:

1. Check Your Ego at the Door

Whether you’re a seasoned investor or just getting started, there’s always something to learn. Humility and openness to feedback are essential for growth.

2. Engage and Build Relationships

Mastermind groups work best when members actively participate. Sitting quietly in the back of the room or staying glued to your phone won’t yield results. Instead, introduce yourself, ask questions, and offer insights where possible.

3. Identify Your Biggest Bottleneck

Before attending a mastermind or networking event, pinpoint the one thing that could have the biggest impact on your business. Whether it’s improving marketing, hiring the right team members, or refining lead generation strategies, clarity on your key focus will help you get the most value.

4. Take Action Immediately

Too often, investors leave events with notebooks full of great ideas but never implement them. Prioritize actionable steps and execute quickly to see results.

Recommended Reading for Real Estate Investors

Leon Barnes highly recommends Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell, a book that breaks down how to implement systems and processes to free up time for higher-value activities. The book uses a playbook-style approach, making it an excellent resource for real estate investors who want to scale efficiently while avoiding burnout.

Key Takeaways

 1. Importance of Community in Real Estate Investing

  • Being part of a strong, knowledgeable community can significantly accelerate business growth.
  • The Collective Genius (CG) is a mastermind community designed to help real estate investors scale.
  • Members benefit from learning from others who have already faced similar challenges.

2. Structure and Membership Levels of The Collective Genius

  • CG has four different tiers to ensure members are placed in the right group based on their experience level.
  • Initially, CG required members to complete at least 50 transactions per year to join.
  • Recognizing that newer investors were struggling in high-level discussions, CG introduced structured tiers such as CG Select (30-100 transactions per year) and CG Premiere (100+ transactions per year).
  • This segmentation prevents investors from feeling overwhelmed and ensures they can contribute and learn effectively.

3. Characteristics of High-Performing Real Estate Investors

  • Relentless execution – Success comes from executing consistently and efficiently.
  • Accountability and systems – Sustainable growth requires repeatable processes and strong team management.
  • Continuous learning – Top investors are always refining their strategies and learning from others.
  • Giving mindset – The more value an investor provides to their community, the more they receive in return.

4. Value of Transparency in Mastermind Groups

  • The industry has shifted from a secretive mindset to a sharing-based approach.
  • Investors who openly discuss their struggles and successes receive more actionable advice.
  • CG fosters an environment where members are required to contribute knowledge, making the experience mutually beneficial.

5. Finding the Right Room for Growth

  • Investors should join mastermind groups that match their business stage to get the most value.
  • Being surrounded by people slightly ahead in experience helps new investors level up faster.
  • If the discussions are too advanced, investors might feel lost; if too basic, they won’t be challenged.

6. How to Maximize Value from a Mastermind or Networking Event

  • Check your ego at the door – Everyone has something to learn.
  • Engage and build relationships – Don’t just listen; actively participate.
  • Identify your biggest bottleneck – Focus on one game-changing takeaway from the event.
  • Take immediate action – Ideas are useless unless implemented.

7. CG’s Support Beyond Business

  • The community isn’t just about deals—it provides personal support in difficult times.
  • Example: During hurricanes in Florida, CG members offered places for Leon and others to stay.
  • Members also contribute to charitable initiatives, such as building homes in Mexico and supporting projects in Guatemala.

8. The Role of Intentionality in Real Estate Growth

  • Investors should attend events with specific goals in mind.
  • Identify areas where they need help and what they can offer to others.
  • Small, intentional improvements compound into major business growth over time.

9. Recommended Book for Real Estate Investors

  • Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell is highly recommended.
  • The book focuses on systems and processes that allow entrepreneurs to scale while reducing burnout.
  • Uses a playbook approach, making business operations more structured.

10. Call-to-Action for Investors

  • If you want to scale your real estate business, surround yourself with growth-minded professionals.
  • Whether it’s The Collective Genius or another mastermind, being in the right environment accelerates success.
  • Focus on generating motivated seller leads and refining business processes to maximize efficiency.

Take Your Real Estate Business to the Next Level

If you’re serious about scaling your real estate business, surrounding yourself with growth-minded individuals is non-negotiable. Whether you join The Collective Genius or another mastermind group, ensure that you are placing yourself in an environment that challenges you, holds you accountable, and provides a roadmap to success.

Looking to generate more motivated seller leads and systemize your real estate business? Start by building connections with the right people and learning from those who have already paved the way.