From Working Nightclubs To Running A $2 Billion Real Estate Empire

Disruptors

Steve Trang

Business, Investing, Careers

5 • 741 Ratings

🗓️ 11 November 2025

⏱️ 109 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

From running Hooters and nightclubs to leading one of America’s most successful real estate companies, John Gafford’s story is proof that you can rebuild your life at any age. In this episode of The Disruptors Podcast, John reveals how he transformed his early career in hospitality into a $2 billion real estate empire, and the mindset shift that made it possible. From firing his top agents for integrity breaches to scaling Simply Vegas into one of the most respected brokerages in the country, this episode is packed with lessons on leadership, ownership, and growth. In This Episode You’ll Learn: ✅ You’ll learn how John built multiple revenue streams through vertical integration. ✅ From real estate to mortgage and title companies, and how this strategy created financial freedom and stability in a volatile market. ✅ He breaks down why most people fail to scale. ✅ How to take full control of your life and business. ✅ And the power of embracing discomfort to unlock your true potential. ✅ Whether you’re in real estate, entrepreneurship, or business leadership, this conversation will challenge how you think about success. Follow John Gafford Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejohngafford YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EscapingtheDriftPodcast Website: https://thejohngafford.com/ Get John's Book: Escaping The Drift https://thejohngafford.com/getthebook Watch this episode on YouTube ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://youtu.be/B431QFsnjjs 📞 Get More Sales with Objection Proof AI 🤖Try Out Our AI: Text the message "AI CALLER" to the Phone Number "33777" Or Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://objectionproofselling.com/ai-sales-agent-yt⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Objection Proof AI YouTube Channel ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@ObjectionProofAI⁠⁠ Review and Score Your Sales Calls for FREE! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://objectionproof.ai/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ To Close More Sales Faster: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://objectionproofselling.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get 10% OFF on InvestorLift. Use promo code DISRUPTORS. Earn MORE in wholesaling—FAST! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://get.investorlift.com/disruptors/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Share this with someone who would find this information valuable.👉 For more excellent free content! Subscribe to Our YouTube Channel ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@DisruptorsPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Schedule a free call with our Millionaire Advocates to discuss your situation and receive personalized advice. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://rb.gy/e0cqfh⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get Connected ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tap.bio/@stevetrang⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Disruptors Podcast is on iTunes/Apple Podcast and Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Review Disruptors ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://apple.co/31geW6H⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Spotify ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://spoti.fi/3oatzkY⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Take Your Sales Team To The Next Level! Learn more about our Sales Training, Workshop, and Mentorship! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://objectionproofselling.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Want to Work with Us? We’re looking for people who want to invest in real estate. If this is you, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.teamwithsteve.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. LOOKING FOR A NEW CAREER? DISRUPTORS IS HIRING! Want to work with us? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.disruptorsjobs.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Steve Trang at Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/steve.trang⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@stevetrang⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/stevetrang⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.twitter.com/stevetrang⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ WANT TO BE A MILLIONAIRE OR ARE ONE? Click here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://objectionproofselling.com/millionaire⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Transcript

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0:00.0	BAM!
0:01.0	They hit the walls.
0:02.0	I walk in.
0:03.0	Everybody jumps.
0:04.0	I walk in.
0:05.0	I just look at Mark Burnett and I said, let me tell you something, buddy.
0:07.0	Let me tell you why she put me on your little television show. When you make an investment in me, you get back a hundred times that you invest. And I reached in my pocket and I pulled out a bag of M&M and said, I'd woman his face, and I walked. door shut, laughed on the other side, and I was like, got it.
0:20.7	And the reason I tell that story is because
0:23.3	It's a good valuation. Currently where I sit is I'm dead. I'm done. I just cook myself in that room. So my downside is zero. My upside is this dream opportunity. So I have the choice to go make one balls out moment that they're going to remember forever that's going to get me on this show.
0:39.1	And my little Eminem Rebellion accomplished both of those things.
0:41.6	So I went up there and they said I went from walking resume guy to here's a dude that's going to make some ratings.
0:48.0	Welcome and thank you for joining us for today's episode Disruptors where Millionaires are made.
0:51.6	Today we have John Gaffer with Simply Vegas and John Fle flew from Vegas to share how he built a $2 billion company. Now guys, I'm on a Mission Create 100 millionaires. The information on the show alone is enough to help you become a millionaire in the next five to seven years. If you'll take consistent action, you will become one. And guys, if you're already a millionaire, we want to recognize you here on the show, please scan that QR code. Likewise, if you need some help getting there, scan that same QR code as well.
1:15.6	And before we jump in, if you're here to learn how real entrepreneurs are building real empires,
1:19.6	please hit that subscribe button because you might hear something that will help you build your first or next million.
1:25.6	And guys, right now, you have 100,000,
1:27.5	250,000 or even more sitting in your CRM,
1:30.0	and you can resurrect all your old and dead leads
1:32.6	with our objection-proof AI calling agent.
1:34.7	Text cash to 33777.
1:37.6	Now to unlock the money that's hanging out in your CRM,
1:39.9	that's cash 33777.
	...

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