TKSTV-355 I Was in Foreclosure… Now I Own Millions in Assets (Here’s What Changed)

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Before Brian became a real estate investor…
before he became the #1 purchase producer at Bank of America…
before the Chairman’s Club…
before the portfolio and the accolades…

there was a decision his parents made that still gives us chills.

Because Brian’s immigrant story isn’t the “we had no choice” version.

It’s the “we didn’t have to leave… but we chose uncertainty anyway” version.

And if you’ve ever wondered what it really takes to build a life from scratch—while carrying a whole family’s hopes on your back—this story will stay with you.

Back in Korea, They Were Doing Fine

Brian’s family came to the U.S. in the early 1980s—back when America felt like the ultimate “land of opportunity.”

Korea was still rebuilding after the war, and yes, many families dreamed of leaving.

But here’s what made Brian’s story different:

His family was doing well.

His father was in construction and homebuilding—building a home, selling it, building another. His brother-in-law was a general contractor. They had stability. They had a life.

So when the opportunity came to move to the U.S., the question wasn’t, “How do we survive?”

It was, “Do we really leave what’s working… for something uncertain?”

And Brian’s parents chose the uncertainty.

Not because they had to.

But because they wanted something bigger for their kids.

Hawaii Was the First Stop (and Reality Hit Fast)

They landed in Hawaii—Oahu—thinking they were stepping into a new chapter.

But like so many immigrant stories, the dream came with a very real plot twist.

Brian’s father bought a business in Waikiki—at what was then a thriving tourist marketplace. It looked like a solid move.

But shortly after he bought it, the business turned out to be nothing like it appeared.

Within months, it closed.

And suddenly, the family went from building homes in Korea…
to starting over completely.

Brian’s mom—who had been a homemaker—didn’t speak English and took the work she could find: housekeeping at a hotel.

Brian’s father also found work at a hotel.

It was a humbling reset.

And even though Brian doesn’t remember his parents expressing regret out loud, he said something that felt so honest:

When you leave everything familiar—your home, your community, your language—you carry the questions silently.

Was it worth it?

Three Jobs, No Complaints, Just “Figure It Out” Energy

Brian worked three jobs to get through school.

Waiting tables. Washing dishes. Installing car stereos.

Not because it was inspirational.

Because it was necessary.

And that became a theme in his story:
“No one’s coming to rescue you.”

That mindset wasn’t something he learned from a motivational quote.

It was something life taught him early.

The Move That Changed Everything: Hawaii → Chicago

After college, Brian’s first “real” job was with United Airlines.

And then he made a choice that honestly explains so much about him:

He didn’t stay in Hawaii where seniority dictated everything.
He didn’t wait for opportunity to land on him.

He moved to Chicago—United’s chaotic hub—because he knew that’s where growth would happen.

He basically said:
“If the best opportunity is in the busiest, hardest place… I’m going there.”

And that decision alone tells you everything about his wiring.

Then 9/11 Happened… and He Pivoted Fast

After 9/11, Brian knew the airline industry would never be the same.

So he did what a lot of people say they’ll do but rarely actually do:

He changed his environment.

He drove from Chicago to Seattle—three days, twelve hours a day, MapQuest-era chaos—because he needed a reset.

Seattle became the bridge between his old life and his next one.

And yes… it’s also where he met his wife.

(Which feels like life saying, “I’m redirecting you—trust me.”)

Entrepreneurship, Parenthood, and a “How Are We Going to Do This?” Moment

When he moved to Southern California, Brian did the corporate thing for a while… then decided to try entrepreneurship.

He and his wife started a small Hawaiian takeout restaurant—barbecue, teriyaki, the whole thing.

They were hustling hard: delivering food, passing out flyers, working nonstop.

And then they found out they were expecting a baby.

Which should be joyful, but in that moment it also brought up a very real reality:

They didn’t have corporate benefits.
Healthcare became a problem.
And because of sponsorship policies, they couldn’t access the help they needed.

This part of the story felt so raw because Brian didn’t sugarcoat it.

They were doing everything right.
They were working hard.
And still, the system didn’t make it easy.

But then… someone stepped in.

A social worker heard their story and helped them get coverage.

Brian kept coming back to this idea throughout the interview:

When everything feels hopeless, the right person shows up at the right time.

And if you’ve ever lived through a season like that, you know exactly what he means.

Real Estate “Chose” Them

They sold the restaurant around 2003, right as real estate was heating up.

They bought a property, saw equity grow, and then Brian got an opportunity at Bank of America as a personal banker (they were looking for bilingual talent).

That job gave him stability.

And then he said something we loved:

In Korean culture, there’s a phrase about the first button on a shirt—if you button it correctly, everything lines up.

Bank of America was his first button.

And from there, real estate became the thread that kept pulling them forward.

His first home became a rental.
The rent covered the mortgage.
And the feeling of ownership—of control—changed everything.

The Crash, the Foreclosures, and the Comeback Nobody Sees

Then came the part he didn’t hide.

Before 2008, he did what many people did: pulled equity, bought more properties, used easy lending.

And when the market turned?

Four properties went into foreclosure.

They rented for years.

But instead of treating that chapter like failure, Brian treated it like a lesson.

He started paying attention.

How were people buying again after foreclosure?
What programs existed?
What did recovery actually look like?

And in 2012, after years of rebuilding, the opportunity came.

A short sale.
A long, messy process.
Liens. Delays.
Almost giving up.

Ten and a half months later… it closed.

And he’s been in that home since 2013.

The Mindset Shift That Changed Everything

When we asked Brian what he had to become to get where he is now, he didn’t say “luck” or “connections.”

He said belief.

That turning point started young—at 16, when he saved $2,500 for a car, and realized:

If he wanted a bigger life, he’d have to make bigger decisions.

Not reckless ones.

But intentional ones.

He kept repeating this:

You have to believe you belong in the room.
You have to believe you can do it.
And you have to be willing to work for it—because no one is coming to rescue you.

What He Would Tell Someone Who Hasn’t “Made It” Yet

His advice was surprisingly simple:

• Surround yourself with people with proven track records
• Find a mentor
• Invest in what you understand
• Be cautious with your money, no matter how “foolproof” someone claims it is

And he said something we loved—because it’s true:

Everybody has some money to invest.
It might not be millions.
But there’s always a starting point.

What “First of the Family” Means to Him

When we asked how he wants to be remembered, he got quiet.

He said he wants his kids to go further—take what he built and build more.

And then he dropped something that felt like a mic drop, but gentle:

Anything of value has to be used, shared, and given away.
Because life is short.

You don’t want to spend your whole life chasing… and forget what it was all for.