About Us - Awesome REI (2023)

Patrick's entrepreneurial journey began while at Clemson University when he purchased his first investment property. Shortly thereafter, going to school no longer made sense... so he promptly quit, dove into the world of real estate investing, and never looked back.

Since 2003, Patrick has been self employed... and today, spends most of his "working" hours (if you can call 'em that) at Awesome REI.

A few of Patrick's favorite things:

-- His "Boosted" electric skateboard (which he says was the best purchase he's ever made)
-- TACOS: Beef tacos, chicken tacos, fish tacos, really any kinda Mexican cuisine
-- Coffee: Hot in the morning, cold brew in the afternoon
-- Playing beach volleyball at the Windjammer on Isle of Palms
-- His incredibly awesome wife & daughter

Patrick & his family currently reside in paradise (aka Charleston, SC).

JP Moses is a roughly-hewn man-child who first got into REI after reading Rich Dad, Poor Dad back in 2000and went full time in 2002. His business has had many twisty turns over the years, and he'stinkered in everything from landlording to short sales to rehabs to Realtoring to lease options to REOs to notes to owner financing, started and ran his local REIA club for 6 years, blah, blah, blah…Until he finally stuck his flag deep into wholesaling and has since flipped somewhere north of 400+ transactions.

Today JPruns a thriving wholesale operation in Memphis, TN that actively turns around 3 to 7 houses a month. Andlike Patrick, he's also passionate about helping others along their journey, and pours a ton of his heart and soul into helping his fellow real estate investors with tips, tactics and lessons learned from his own real estate and business-building experiences.

He's also a guyof deep faith, and a die-hard family man(have you seen how cute his kids are?!)Among his core values are authenticity, creativity, value-giving, general fun-ness and being unshaven.

He’s super proud to be in charge of bringing an extra dose of awesomeness to everything we do here.

Charity is the gal at AwesomeREIwho holds everything together for us. From being in charge of Customer/MemberExperience to helping with all the worky admin thingsbehind the scenes that everyone else seems to take for granted because she does them so darn well.

Truth be told, Charity's not only the lubrication that keeps our gears rolling internally, but she's also kind of the awesome mom of us. Not that she's old enough to be... cause she's not. Butshe's just that way. And we love it. And we love her.

Also, her Snapple Fun Fact is that she's one of the Sand People. Meaning, she enjoys collecting sandat each beach she visits, and labels and proudly displays it in her home. True story.

Seriously. She's amazing.She's likely the one you'll be talking with most of the time when you contact us, so say hi to her next time you chat w/ her.

As ourCFO and resident MBA, Tim is certainly the smartest sounding of all of us. Tim used to work for Patrick's real estate company and managed over 50 property renovations. Things evolved (as they do) and Tim's nowour numbers guy and makes sure we're on the straight and narrow. He keeps all our money someplace safe like under his mattress or something. He also tries so hard to make Patrick remember to keep his receipts, but old habits die hard, so it seems to be a losing battle for sure. Still, Tim presses on.

He's also a huge Steelers fan, but don't hold that against him.

David Eldred's Jam is making systems, people and processes sing. He'sour how-can-we-make-it-work-better-faster-easier guy here at AwesomeREI. He's also the one most likely to wag his finger at JP for his sometimes questionable jokes.

He has a passion for continuous improvement and lean/agile methodologies. Formally trained in the dark magic of business administration and – OH yeah – he speaks Spanish. Like, for real speaks Spanish. He once disassembled his first car just to see how it worked. He's kinda like Sylar from Heroes but without most of the mess & psycho aspects. But this guy just loooooves to know how and why things work, and doesn't really understand what "good enough" means. He signs his emails with Semper Anticus which means "always moving forward", if that tells you anything.

So when David's not actively tuning the very welled-oiled machine that is AwesomeREI, he is spending time with his lovely wife and three strapping boys. He loves the outdoors, carpentry, and most things history related.

A few more Snapple Fun Facts: He's been known to dig really deep holes in the ground searching for antique bottles, and never turns down an offer to go fishing (wifey approved of course). He's also almost never home on Sunday mornings, because that's precisely when you'll find him serving somehow in his local Church community, which he truly loves to do.

Shoshana is our resident word nerd extraordinaire. She's been a professional writer, editor, proofreader, marketing consultant and all-around wordsmither since 2002. A graduate of Indiana University in Bloomington (Go Hoosiers!), she kicked off her career as a TV news writer and producer in Washington, DC and later in Atlanta, GA, before segueing into print and digital arenas. (That's segueing not Segwaying.)

She met up with the one and only JP Moses, whom she considers a mentor, back in 2013 and began collaborating with him on various real estate investing content endeavors. This lady knows her REI.

A diehard Disney fan/expert, Shoshana and her three young kiddos—twin boys Aiden and Akiva, and daughter Lyla—live happily in her hometown of Memphis, TN. She enjoys traveling, cooking, karaoke, working out, participating in her synagogue and spending time being active with her kids at parks, on hikes, biking around their neighborhood and walking their pups Dreidel and Memphis.

Jeracellejoins the AREI team from across the ocean in Manila, Philippines. As our Support Hero, she uses her degree from the University of the Philippines Manila and 10+ of experience in the customer support industry to provide—yep, you guessed it—support and assistance to our AREI customers. This Potterhead (aka Harry Potter fan) loves that she gets to connect with so many different people and help solve problems and make their life Awesomer. Yasss to that!

When she's not re-reading The Chamber of Secrets for the 27th time, she's with her family—a hubby and two little kids. She's fun and environmentally friendly, and her friends know they can come to her when they need a good giggle or outright belly laugh.

A favorite quote that guides her is, "What comes easy won't last long and what lasts long won't come easy."

Also her fun name kinda reminds us of this, but I digress...

Matt's a dude you can't miss. I mean that quite literally—this Penn State grad is a towering 6'7". For real.

As our Awesome CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) this former pro volleyball player has spent years marketing professionally before landing with Team Awesome. He also has a super nerdy tech background in coding, but whatever.

So, from writing copy to creating new ads or other promotions for our Awesome programs and services, Matt's well-versed in the whole marketing 'verse. And—we shucks—he says that he especially enjoys our friendly, teamwork-driven Team Awesome atmosphere, 'cause he sees that we really, truly care about our customers and their success. Matt is a totally task-oriented, high-achiever kind of dude. Basically, he gets stuff done. (Btw, "totally task-oriented" is kinda fun to say out loud.)

Living with his wife and two young boys in Southern California, he enjoys surfing and spends most of his fun time hanging out with his family at parks and beaches. Suffice it to say, playtime is bigtime in the Proper place. (that's also fun to say out loud!)

Ben is our actual, legit Web Wizard and technical sherpa behind all the online awesomeness that happens here. Born a hardwired entrepreneur and natural problem-solver, he doesn't just think outside the box...he kinda lives outside most boxes.

Besides being a full-time web developer and our secret weapon (shhhhhhhhh) Ben's also got an Angel of a wife (that's her name, Angel), two crazy-awesome kiddos (Emily and Anna) and a dog (Beasley) and cat (O'Malley)—both rescued animals.

So he's a wizard with a great big, juicy heart. Yeah, he's our Dumbledore.

And Snapple Fun Fact: Ben's got a not-so-secret addiction to the pure, child-like joy of the Disney Cruise experience. The Cope clan just keep going.... and going... and going... (Guess there's worse addictions out there. 😉 )

All the way in Laguna, Philippines, Edy Dava lends AREI a huge helping hand—well, two of them actually. And we sure need ‘em both cause they can do so much!

On many days (OK, every day) she wears more hats than you probably have in your closet right now. Her official may be “Administrative Assistant”, but she’s actually more like the high-end motor oil any great engine needs—not easily noticed, but absolutely essential to keep things running Awesomely.

For serious. With a degree from Mapua University, her professional experience in market research, real estate, logistics, training, podcasting and social media management is a perfect match for us. She enjoys that her role calls for a variety of different skills, and especially loves being part of a work culture that’s so fun, friendly and super positive. ッ

Snapple Fun Fact: She wears makeup on workdays, even though she works remotely from home. Dedication!

And with wisdom beyond her years, she says ⤏ “What fuels me is to think that everything is temporary—that there is a deeper meaning to what life is, that we do not strive to gain everything for our own happiness, but for the happiness of others because in a life that's temporary the latter is more rewarding.”

When not working Awesomely, this spirited, spontaneous & sunny single mom of 2 delightful kiddos loves to chill & hang out with friends, check out vlogs and edit photos & videos. Her ambitious efforts to keep learning & growing (which she does well) are beaconed by her favorite quote: “We are not meant to stay the same. Change is good. Continue to evolve to a better you.” High five, Edy! ッ

If you were to bump into Eman, our Creative Technician, odds are he’d be wearing a black shirt. How do we know? “I have 14 plain black shirts,” he says proudly. “Reason: Every time I go out, I don't have to think about what to wear! Operation: Brain Cell Preservation.” Pretty clever.

Eman does a bunch of cool stuff for AREI, working with several of our programs and focusing on blog, website and email design and publication. We’re pretty sure there are a few solid reasons why Eman is so amazing at his job. #1. He lives by this saying: "Do something hard today." Eman says that quote forces him to keep getting better, no matter how little progress it may be. #2. He’s got severe OCD; bent French fries give him headaches. #3. His passion is exactly what he does for AREI. “I love what I'm doing, and I love that I learn from JP, Patrick, and the rest of the team every single day.” (Aw shucks!)

Over in Bulacan, Philippines, Eman, who’s an avid reader, puzzle solver and LEGO builder, says he “feels so blessed to be working on what I love to do, in an environment that encourages growth, and knowing that my passion changes people's lives. Couldn't ask for more than that.” We feel the same, Eman, love fest!

Here at AREI, we think that several years of successful professional experience in customer support qualifies a person for a gig as one of our superb Support Heroes. And Vince sure didn’t prove us wrong!

Living in Parañaque City with another home in Makati City, Philippines, Vince believes that “a person who feels appreciated will always do more than what is expected.” Well, Vince must feel appreciated ‘round these parts because he always exceeds our expectations.

His favorite way to spend time is with his sweet young daughter, and he also likes to game online and play guitar. Vince, a grown adult, is into Funko pop toys — to look at, not play with. (So he says.) And get this — he doesn’t eat the usual favorites like sweets and cakes and no fruit unless it’s in a drinkable version like a juice or smoothie. (Hey, no food shaming here, to each their own. Besides, that means more sugary treats for the rest of us!)

As if all of that wasn’t awesome enough, friends say his superpower is being able to persuade them to do something that they don't want to do. Ok, Vince, we’re on alert!

Out in beautiful Manila, Philippines, is Karl, who provides awesome support to awesome people as a Support Hero. And he certainly knows what it takes, as he’s guided by a smart mantra: “Give it your 100% each and every day.” Before joining our awesome team, Karl was into theology courses in college, and then worked as technical specialist, so he’s surely got the skills we need here.

When he’s not dishin’ out helpful support, this car-fanatic enjoys long drives, hanging out with friends (most of the time in scenic places or beaches) and going to church. Believe it or not, part of his car hobby includes cleaning them. (Hey, Karl, mine next?) And those friends he chills with, they say his superpower is always knowing what they want.

He has a lovely fam, which includes 3 older brothers. “I'm the most handsome,” Karl claims. Wonder what his siblings would say about that?! Uh, we mean, of course you are Karl! 😉

Our Program Specialist, Glena, joins our team with helpful and interesting work history. Armed with her bachelor of science in tourism and based in the Philippines, she’s previously worked as Recruitment Consultant in Australia (yep, she has a terrific accent!), para consultant and has many years of customer service experience.

The youngest sibling with 3 older brothers, Glena says that with her, what you see is what you get. And what we get is an emotionally strong woman who loves inspiring other people. She gets her own inspiration from a Bible verse: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Outside of work, Glena spends time with her cute young son. She also enjoys jumping rope, reading and watching Korean dramas. Cool, right? We love that she’s so well-rounded, and we’re grateful to have her on our team!

Our resident Family Bank Funding program specialist, Shey, hails from Kawit Cavite in the Philippines. Lucky for us, she’s certainly not a one-trick pony — with a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing, Shey also provides loads of helpful support for our Facebook messages, phone calls and emails.

Others describe her as an independent woman who’s an open book, good at multitasking, and can easily adapt to anything. And we are definitely seeing all of that in her work efforts!

Shey’s passion is going to the beach because it’s so calming, and she loves swimming, singing, and baking. She knows that every day is a special gift and frequently references her favorite quotes to guide her: “You only live once so live your life to the fullest,” & “When you get what you want, that's God's direction, when you don't get what you want that is God's protection.” Carry on, Shey, with that positivity, you can’t go wrong!

Hailing from the beautiful island of Jamaica, our incredible Director of Operations Adrian Lyew, now happily calls Miami home. Trading in stunning beaches for other amazing beaches is quite fitting for this aquatics lover who used to work in marine biology. (Cool, right?!)

Lucky for us, his educational and professional journey led him right to AwesomeREI. With a bachelor’s from the University of the West Indies — Jamaica and master’s from the University of Miami, Adrian has 10+ years of experience as a real estate investor, doing deals in Florida and the southeast U.S. Plus, he’s a speaker/coach/trainer for real estate investment education companies.

“I keep the internal operations of AREI running smoothly,” explains Adrian, who also has Singaporean heritage. “And, I oversee recruitment and hiring, implement and enforce company culture, and streamline operations so the owners stay in their respective genius-zones.” With that impressive skill set and confidence, clearly, our partnership was meant to be!

In plain English, Adrian is the person we go to for organizing our scattered thoughts, ideas and processes into cogent systems and usable workflows. He’s a bringer of sanity and efficiency. It’s no surprise that one of his personal guideposts is Thomas Huxley’s quote: “The rung of a ladder was never meant to rest upon, but only to hold a man's foot long enough to enable him to put the other somewhat higher.”

When he’s taking a break from “architecting" systems and processes, helping people think things through, and crafting awesome plans, Adrian loves all things beach — scuba diving and paddle boarding specifically — and he enjoys traveling the world, playing golf and basketball, weight training, and getting his relaxation on with yoga and meditation. No wonder he’s such a happy and chill dude!

Adrian’s quirkiest fun fact? He’s ridiculously good at trivia! Most heartwarming fun fact? His parents, grandmother and older brother still live in Jamaica, and he’s super close with them! (Swoon!) AREI fun fact: SUPER happy to have Adrian on our team!

With an extensive background in several areas of real estate, Awesome REI was thrilled to bring Eric Medemar on board. This guy’s done it all — Realtoring, flipping, wholesaling, landlording, and even creating an REI educational course. So the Michigan native, who attended Western Michigan University, is a perfect fit as our Affiliate Ace Manager and Copywriter!

When he is not using his skills to attract affiliates to our amazing AREI offers and write stellar copy, Eric makes sure to always spend time with his family: his lovely wife Beth and their 2 kiddos Brooke and Tanner. “My goal has never been wealth,” he says, “my goal has always been to make enough to support my family, while spending as much time with them as possible.” Yasss to that, Eric!

Two of his favorite things to do with his family are boating and electric skateboarding with his son (we sure hope there are photos of both!). This “Family Dude” also loves going to the movies, at least twice a week for sure. And, Eric is the person friends and colleagues go to for advice about dealing with difficult people and for persuasion tricks. That makes sense considering he’s awesome at “reading people.”

Fueling the movie buff in all his endeavors is this quote: “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.”

We sure do see your light, Eric, and we like it!