Wendell’s Weekly Wins and Whiffs

👋 Welcome to Wendell’s Weekly Wins & Whiffs — your front-row seat to the entrepreneurial and real estate rollercoaster, complete with high-fives, facepalms, and everything in between. Each week, I’ll peel back the curtain on life as an active investor and business builder: the triumphs that feel like victory laps, the flops that sting like a surprise plumbing leak, and the behind-the-scenes grind of running multiple companies. From flips that soar to admin headaches that test my patience, you’ll get the real, unfiltered scoop on both deals and business operations. Why? Because building wealth isn’t just about properties — it’s about building systems, partnerships, and businesses that can stand the test of time. My goal is to share the wins, the whiffs, and the lessons learned so you can sharpen your own edge in both investing and entrepreneurship.

Author

Wendell Butler
November 10, 2025

🏆 This Week’s Win: Reconnection, Growth & Brotherhood

This week’s biggest win wasn’t about deals or dollars, it was about alignment and energy. I officially joined GoBundance, a mastermind for entrepreneurs focused on becoming whole life millionaires, people who strive for excellence not just in wealth, but in health, relationships, contribution, and purpose.

After taking about a year and a half off from masterminds, I felt the difference. Less energy, fewer new ideas, and more tunnel vision. I realized how much I missed the environment where iron sharpens iron. Masterminds have played a massive role in my growth, pushing me to level up, expanding my perspective, and holding me accountable to goals bigger than myself.

Being back in that space feels like coming home. The people inside these groups think big, take action, and push each other to evolve in every aspect of life. They’re the kind of people who celebrate your wins, challenge your excuses, and pull you higher when you’re slipping.

When you’re out there grinding as an entrepreneur, it’s easy to feel isolated, even when things are going well. Without a circle that understands the mission, it’s easy to lose motivation, get overwhelmed, or even start resenting the grind. GoBundance reminded me that success is a team sport. Energy is contagious, and being around people who are driven, disciplined, and purpose focused refuels my drive to keep pushing.

I’m fired up to learn, grow, and contribute inside this community, to share what’s worked for me, but also to absorb the wisdom of others who’ve been where I’m headed. If you’ve ever thought about joining a mastermind, do your research and find one that aligns with your values and goals. There are a lot of options out there, but the right one can truly change your trajectory.

If you’re curious or want to chat about how masterminds have impacted my business and mindset, I’m always happy to share more.

This week’s win wasn’t just joining a group, it was reigniting the spark that started this whole journey. Growth mode is back on. ⚡

💨 This Week’s Whiff: Lessons in Focus, Volume, and Due Diligence

Real estate has a way of keeping you humble. Out of the 7+ deals we have going on right now, one in particular has taken more time, energy, and mental space than all the others combined. It’s a project that, unfortunately, went so far south that our expected profit has completely vanished.

When a Deal Turns into a Drain
Sometimes in this business, things pop up that you just can’t see coming. But this one wasn’t only about bad luck, it was also about a lack of due diligence on my part. I took my foot off the gas when it came to properly vetting this deal. Between juggling multiple projects, system building, and managing growth, I didn’t give this one the attention it deserved, and we’re paying the price.

The toughest part? Once you’re deep into a project that’s gone sideways, getting out isn’t always an option. Selling early would’ve meant a huge loss, so the only path forward is to finish it and minimize the damage. But knowing the profit is gone while still pushing through the work can mess with your head. It’s draining, frustrating, and a powerful reminder that focus and discipline can’t slip, no matter how busy things get.

The Wake Up Call
This deal made me realize that we’ve been operating too much in the business and not enough on the business. We’ve been juggling too many moving parts and letting volume distract us from quality. The truth is, we need to step back, recalibrate, and refine how we operate, building the business how we want it, not just how fast we can scale it.

It’s time to double down on system building, delegate the right tasks, and focus on quality over quantity. Because in this game, doing more doesn’t always mean earning more.

The Perspective Shift
Would you rather do 25 flips or new builds in a year at $40k profit each, or 10 to 15 at $60k to $80k profit each? On paper, 25 deals sounds great, but it comes with more variables, more risk, and more chances for something to go wrong. With thinner margins, one bad deal can wipe out months of effort. Fewer, higher quality projects not only mean more profit per deal but also more time to manage them effectively and avoid burnout.

This part of the business, fix and flips and new builds, is meant to be the consistent base that fuels the bigger vision: long term wealth through larger projects and smarter investments.

So while this week’s whiff stings, it’s also a reminder to slow down, refocus, and build smarter. Every mistake is tuition in the school of real estate, and this one just reminded me to never skip class again.

🎯 Tactical Tip of the Week: Less Is More

In business, it’s easy to think that doing more automatically means growing faster, more deals, more revenue, more hustle. But the truth is, sometimes less really is more. Fewer deals with higher margins, less revenue while you refine your systems, and fewer busywork tasks that make you feel productive but don’t actually move the needle, that’s where real growth begins.

When More Starts to Mean Less

There comes a point where chasing volume starts to cost you clarity. You’re so busy managing everything that you forget to build the foundation that allows growth to scale sustainably. You end up juggling deals, wearing every hat, and confusing activity with progress. The lesson I’ve learned is that more revenue without the right systems or focus can actually slow you down.

How We’re Adjusting

At Hammerhead Capital, Tide & Timber Ventures and Flip Fuel Lending, we’re intentionally pulling back on the do more mindset. Instead of trying to juggle 25 deals for $40k profit each, we’re focusing on 10 to 15 stronger projects that can bring in $60k to $80k each. We’re also dedicating time to building systems, documenting processes, and hiring for key roles that will allow us to scale the right way later.

This means accepting that short term revenue might dip while we build. But the tradeoff is long term freedom and exponential growth, a business that runs with precision instead of pressure.

The Takeaway

Growth isn’t always about acceleration, sometimes it’s about alignment. Doing fewer things, but doing them better, gives you the bandwidth to think clearly, make sharper decisions, and actually enjoy the process.

👉 Action Step:

Look at your weekly workload. Identify three things that keep you busy but don’t directly drive growth. Cut one of them this week. Then use that reclaimed time to improve one system that will make your business more efficient.

Less noise, more focus. That’s how you 10x with intention.

🔦 FROM THE FIELD: When Foundations Need $10,000 Duct Tape

Every day in real estate, you learn something new. This week’s lesson? Carbon fiber isn’t just for hockey sticks. It turns out they make carbon fiber straps strong enough to literally hold up a building.

On one of our fix and flip projects, we discovered after removing drywall that the foundation was not in great shape. And by “not great,” I mean it needed serious help. We brought in a structural engineer who explained that carbon fiber straps were required to reinforce the walls.

Essentially, think of it as $10,000 duct tape for your foundation. These straps get epoxied into the wall, creating a permanent bond that prevents further movement or cracking. It blew my mind to see how something so lightweight could provide that much strength.

Check out this video of me showing it live on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/DQpgyaOieyV/

🎯 Why This Matters
Real estate has a funny way of teaching you things you never expected to learn. One day you’re analyzing numbers, the next you’re learning about structural reinforcement materials that sound like they belong in a science lab.

The takeaway? Every project, no matter how challenging, adds a new skill or bit of knowledge to your toolbox. Stay curious, stay adaptable, and never stop learning, because the more you know, the better you become at navigating the surprises this business loves to throw your way.

🎤 FINAL WORD

This week was a reminder that growth in business isn’t always about the wins, it’s about the lessons. From a deal that completely wiped out its profit, to realizing that sometimes less really is more, to learning that carbon fiber straps can literally hold up a house, it’s all part of the process.

We’ve been reminded to slow down, refocus, and rebuild with intention. Fewer deals, better systems, stronger foundations, both in our business and the properties we work on. It’s about shifting from doing more to doing better and building something that lasts.

Because at the end of the day, that’s the real goal. Freedom, balance, and sustainability. The ability to step back, learn something new, and keep moving forward no matter how tough a week gets.

Every challenge teaches you something, every mistake sharpens your focus, and every new discovery, even $10,000 duct tape, makes you a better investor.

So keep learning, keep adjusting, and remember, this business rewards those who adapt. Here’s to building smarter, not just bigger.

Thanks for reading,