Building Wealth Through Hard Assets
- JM Ryerson
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
Introduction
On my Let's Go Win podcast I had the pleasure of sitting down with Ben Reinberg, founder and CEO of Alliance Consolidated Group of Companies. Ben has built a serious commercial real estate business from humble roots and distilled decades of lessons into a new book, Hard Assets and Hard Money for Hard Times. This conversation wasn’t just about deals and spreadsheets — it was about mindset, resilience, and the practical playbook Ben uses to create and protect wealth in hard assets.
Outline
From humble beginnings to commercial real estate principal
Why hard assets — and why commercial real estate?
Mindset: persistence, gratitude, obsession
Practical steps for getting started with little or no capital
Risk management: the "ability to hold"
Niche strategy: medical office, multifamily, and industrial
Raising capital and leveraging "smart money"
Building a high-performing team and clear culture
The book, courses, and resources to get started
From Humble Beginnings to Principal
Ben grew up in the Chicago area with Midwestern values: work hard, be humble, let actions speak louder than words. He went from working since he was eight years old to getting a business degree and then, in the early 1990s, pivoting from accounting into commercial real estate as a principal. His first purchase was a 95,000 sq ft industrial building that immediately taught him the realities of due diligence and property management — he lost 45% of the income in the first week, fixed the issues, re-tenanted it and ended up selling at 3x. That early grit and the lessons learned launched a career that grew into millions of square feet and hundreds of millions (and beyond) in transactions.
Why Hard Assets and Why Commercial Real Estate?
Ben’s thesis is simple and practical: to build lasting wealth you need hard assets. He believes commercial real estate is one of the best hard assets you can own because it generates durable cash flow and can be strategically managed across cycles. As he puts it, “If you want to build wealth, a great way to do it is through hard assets.”
Core reasons Ben focuses on commercial real estate
Resilient cash flow when assets are selected in the right markets and sectors
Ability to add value through active asset management and repositioning
Leverage: you can scale by combining capital with talent and partners
Concrete defensive strategies to protect capital in downturns
Mindset: Persistence, Gratitude & Obsession
Beyond technical skills, Ben repeatedly emphasized mindset. The recurring themes in our conversation were persistence, resilience, gratitude, and an almost healthy level of obsession:
Show up and be consistent — “You get rewarded for focus.”
Practice gratitude and stay humble — it helps you endure tough times.
Be obsessed with your niche and with continuous improvement.
Learn directly from mentors and people who’ve done it before.
"It's not about how you react. It's about how you respond and how you respond to challenges shows the character of a human being."
How to Start with Little or No Capital
A common objection I hear is: “I don’t have the discretionary income.” Ben’s answer was practical and motivating:
You don’t need a fat bank account to start — you can raise capital. Ben raised 100% equity for his first deal through relationships and local networks.
Start locally: your network is closest to you and is the easiest source of referrals and initial partners.
Invest small and scale as your income and experience grow — even $100 of disposable income can begin the learning process.
Leverage time: time is often the biggest resource for new investors.
"If you can do all these things — be determined, persistent, obsessed — you can do it. Excuses are for weak people."
Risk Management: The Ability to Hold
One of Ben’s key principles is the “ability to hold.” In commercial real estate, weathering cycles matters more than short-term market timing.
Don’t over-leverage. Preserve reserves so you can ride out downturns.
Pick markets with population and job growth to reduce external risks.
Focus on tenant credit and lease structures that protect income during shocks.
Ben added that protective strategies are as important as acquisition strategies — you must learn how to retain and defend what you build, not just grow it.
Niche Strategy: Medical Office, Multifamily, Industrial
Ben and Alliance have leaned into sectors that offer resilience and predictable demand. A few examples:
Medical office: “The human body is never going out of style.” Medical tenants proved pandemic-resilient and typically cannot claim force majeure for long-term rent abatement.
Multifamily: Ben invested in a multifamily division to capitalize on housing demand.
Industrial: he predicts industrial will come back strong and is a focus for acquisition.
Ben stresses being slightly ahead of the market through research and disciplined underwriting — not chasing trends but positioning for durable demand.
Raising Capital and Leveraging "Smart Money"
Ben is a big advocate for leveraging other people’s capital and expertise. He calls it investing in “smart money” — partners with track records, integrity, and aligned values.
Package deals professionally and start with local investors who trust you.
Partner with operators who have proven systems, talent, and technology.
Use syndications and funds to scale your exposure without personally owning every asset.
"Leverage is a very key word — leverage into talent and technology of someone else to continue to grow your hard asset empire."
Building & Leading a High-Performing Team
Ben credits a lot of Alliance’s success to systems, processes, and a values-driven culture. Their core values are transparency, integrity, consistency, and expertise. Key leadership practices he shared:
Hire A-players and pay well — you get what you pay for.
Use KPIs and regular meetings to hold people accountable, especially in a hybrid/remote environment.
Be clear and frequent about the vision — Ben does a yearly “state of the union” for staff, investors, and partners.
Delegate and focus on your unique role as CEO; you don’t have to know everything.
"You either perform or you're not going to be part of the Alliance universe."
The Book, Courses & TV Show
Ben’s book, Hard Assets and Hard Money for Hard Times, is designed to be practical and evergreen. He intentionally wrote it so readers can come back to it as a reference — and then go deeper with coursework. The curriculum is structured like an incremental college path:
Course 101 — Core Foundations: step-by-step essentials for building your hard asset empire.
Course 201 — Incremental Growth Assets: strategies for stable, scalable growth.
Course 301 — Legacy & Vision Planning: long-term planning and succession strategy.
Course 401 — Advanced Strategies & Certification: for those who want to teach or scale these concepts professionally.
Ben also hosts a show (Season 2 titled Obsessed) where he interviews top minds and then breaks down the lessons on camera — all aimed at educating new investors and operators.
Final Takeaways — What I Want You to Remember
Hard assets are a proven path to generational wealth when approached with discipline.
Mindset matters: persistence, gratitude, and focused obsession are competitive advantages.
You can start without a fortune — raise capital, start locally, learn, and scale.
Protect what you build: reserves, conservative leverage, and defensive asset selection matter.
Hire great people, set crystal-clear expectations, and communicate the vision constantly.
Ben’s message is both practical and inspiring: he built his career by showing up, learning directly from people who’d done it, and never shying away from the hard work. If you want a blueprint — and a mindset reset — Ben gives both.
How to Learn More
To explore Alliance and potential investments or to consume Ben’s educational content:
Or visit Ben Reinberg’s personal website for his book, free hard asset blueprint, and course information.
Ben’s book is available on major retailers (Amazon, Barnes & Noble) and his official launch was scheduled for August 5th. If you want one concrete next step: grab his free hard asset blueprint and map one small, consistent action you’ll take this month toward building a hard asset position.
From where I sat in that conversation, what stood out most was how often Ben returned to gratitude and humility even after extraordinary success. That balance — relentless action plus grounded perspective — is a rare combination and a big reason his approach works. If you’re serious about building wealth that lasts, study the systems and adopt the mindset. The rest is execution.
Watch this full episode on YouTube