The Level Up Podcast w/ Paul Alex

Episode: How Fareed Abedini Lost $1.7M at 20 — Then Rebuilt Through Airbnb

Host: Paul Alex Espinoza
Guest: Fareed "Reid" Abedini
Date: November 21, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Paul Alex sits down with Fareed (aka Reid) Abedini, who shares his extraordinary story of explosive financial success and devastating loss as a young trader—followed by his gritty comeback, rebuilding wealth through real estate and Airbnb. The conversation is packed with actionable advice on mindset, networking, mentorship, and real estate strategies, all delivered in a candid, inspiring manner.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Fareed’s Meteoric Rise as a Young Trader

• Background & Motivation

  • Fareed, son of Middle Eastern immigrants, was pressured to pursue a traditional profession (doctor, dentist, lawyer), yet pursued entrepreneurship ([05:12]).
  • Initially searched “how to make money online,” leading to day trading in 2020 while still a college junior at University of Maryland ([02:41], [05:46]).

• Trading Journey

  • Started with $25,000 at age 20 and, capitalizing on COVID market volatility, turned it into $1.7 million in under six months ([02:41]–[04:49]).
  • Led a trading community with almost 200 traders following his moves ([03:36]).
  • Quote: “In less than six months, I managed to grow my portfolio from $25,000 to $1.7 million.” — Fareed ([00:52])

• Crash & Consequences

  • Failed to lock in gains, kept aiming higher, described trading as gambling in retrospect ([12:50]–[13:56]).
  • Lost the entire fortune rapidly and racked up $150,000 in credit card debt, yet kept his loss secret from his family at first ([09:44]–[11:29]).
  • “I will never invest in an intangible asset ever again.” — Fareed ([13:56])

• Emotional Fallout

  • Deep depression, emotional numbness, and family concerns over his well-being ([14:47]–[15:22]).
  • Ultimately decided not to abandon entrepreneurship, using the pain as fuel to pivot.

Pivot to Real Estate and Learning the Business

• Initial Moves & Mindset Shift

  • Always wanted to get into real estate with trading profits, but after losing everything, started from scratch ([18:19]).
  • Began with wholesaling as the fastest way to re-enter entrepreneurship ([20:18]).
  • Emphasized relentless self-education and networking via online communities (Facebook, Instagram) ([21:48]).

• The Power of Mentorship

  • Tracked down a wholesaling mentor in Philadelphia, offered to add value for free in exchange for learning ([21:48]–[22:23]).
  • Lived on his mentor's couch for six months, learning property analysis, sales, and people skills.

• Sales and Personal Development

  • First six months in wholesaling were tough; didn’t close a single deal but honed sales ability ([26:11]–[27:11]).
  • Learned the “three Cs” for sales success: Care, Confidence, and Credibility ([28:07]–[30:22]).
  • Quote: “You have to let people know you care about them… then confidence… and credibility.” — Fareed ([28:07])

Building Wealth Through Airbnb: Strategies and Scaling

• Why Airbnb?

  • Wholesaling and flipping were “too transactional” and stress-prone ([30:37]–[31:41]).
  • Airbnb allowed higher and more consistent cash flow, even without owning properties upfront ([33:00]–[34:59]).

• Getting Started with Zero Ownership

  • Identified furnished rentals on Zillow, secured management agreements with landlords ([35:21]).
  • Pitched landlords with the promise of guaranteed rent, professional maintenance, and regular inspections ([39:24], [40:54]).
  • Managed properties for a percentage of revenue, then graduated to “rental arbitrage” (signing leases, subletting on Airbnb) ([38:02], [41:45]).

• Scaling the Business

  • Used management and arbitrage profits to buy first house in 2023, renovated and ran as Airbnb ([41:58]–[43:15]).
  • Flipped stabilized, cash-flowing assets to investors as a packaged business ([43:27]).
  • Quote: “The short-term rental is just an exit play. There’s so many ways to skin a cat in this industry.” — Fareed ([45:52])
  • Grew portfolio to ~35 arbitrage units by 2025, began new construction projects for future Airbnbs ([44:55]–[45:38]).

• Tactical Advice for Beginners

  • You don’t need to own property—start as a property manager or via rental arbitrage ([34:59]–[35:21]).
  • Look for already furnished rentals to minimize startup costs ([36:33]).
  • With $20,000, can secure 2–3 arbitrage units and break even in 3–4 months if picked wisely ([48:17]–[50:36]).

• Debunking “Passive Income” Myths

  • Fareed stresses nothing is truly passive until hands-on systems and people are in place ([48:17]).
  • “Be ready to learn more than you earn on your first deal, in your first year of being an entrepreneur.” — Fareed ([58:49])

The Role of Coaching, Community, and Mindset

• Importance of Paying for Proximity

  • Fareed credits mentors (some pro bono, some $50k+) for accelerated learning ([22:45]).
  • “You can either provide insane value… or you pay them for their time. Sometimes it’s both.” — Fareed ([22:45])

• Building His Coaching Business

  • Began teaching after reaching business maturity; prioritizes hands-on, not sell-quick schemes ([44:00]–[44:56]).
  • Only hires staff from within his student community ([53:22]).
  • Shared a touching story of Travis, a student who used his last dollar, moved across the country, and became Fareed’s Chief Acquisitions Officer ([52:56]–[56:19]).
  • Quote: “He invested every single last dollar he had into our program. Now he’s my head acquisition officer… and he’s crushing it.” — Fareed ([52:56], [56:55])

• Leveling Up: Mindset Shifts

  • Don’t quit your 9-5 recklessly; use it to fund your side hustle ([59:01]).
  • Focus on stacking streams of income—one isn’t enough for true security ([60:17]).
  • "If you're not doing anything from five to nine... you’re going to be trading your time for money for the rest of your life." — Fareed ([59:02])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Risk and Euphoria in Trading:

  • “At what point does it start becoming gambling? It was gambling… let me hit a million and I’ll sell. Then I hit 1.3. Then 1.7.” — Fareed ([13:06–13:56])

• On the Education System:

  • “There's no way I'm gonna sit at a desk to a professor who's teaching me about business, who hasn't created a singlepreneur himself.” — Fareed ([07:00])

• On Learning from Mentors:

  • “There’s no point of learning from people who haven’t done anything for themselves… I value my time a lot.” ([23:39])

• On Scaling with Airbnb:

  • “Buy rental properties or get into the Airbnb short-term rental business. It makes significantly more than your traditional long-term rental.” ([33:01])
  • “There is no other business that will give you tax benefits, cashflow, equity, and allow you to leverage that asset.” ([34:12])

• On Recession-Proofing:

  • “[Airbnb] is like Uber and taxis—there will always be demand for furnished, short-term rentals, no matter the app.” ([46:25])

• On Starting Out:

  • “Find someone who’s already crushing it. Learn from them, get coaching… don’t just buy a course, get in the trenches.” ([24:40])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Fareed’s Trading Journey: [02:41]–[14:16]
• Rock Bottom & Mindset Shift: [14:16]–[18:19]
• Learning Wholesaling & Mentorship: [20:18]–[26:11]
• Sales Skills & the Three Cs: [28:07]–[30:22]
• Transition to Airbnb: [33:00]–[34:59]
• How to Get Started with Airbnb—Step by Step: [35:21]–[39:24]
• Establishing Credibility and Scaling: [39:24]–[41:58]
• Purchasing, Flipping, and Advanced Strategies: [41:58]–[46:21]
• Advice for Beginners with $20k: [48:17]–[51:02]
• Impact of Coaching & Travis’s Story: [52:52]–[56:55]
• Final Mindset & Level Up Advice: [58:49]–[62:24]

How to Connect With Fareed

• Instagram/YouTube/TikTok: @reidaberdeeni
• Fareed’s Advice: “Shoot me a DM if you want to chop it up, talk about anything, you need some advice.” ([62:40])

Actionable Takeaways

• Don’t be paralyzed by catastrophic losses—pivot, seek mentors, and double down on learning and action.
• Real estate (especially Airbnb) offers multiple entry points, even for those with little capital.
• Seek out mentors and provide value, or be willing to invest financially; proximity accelerates results.
• Leverage active income (your 9-5) to build assets and side hustles, then transition.
• Nothing is really passive at first—deep involvement breeds eventual freedom and security.

Final Word:
Fareed’s story is a masterclass in resilience, adaptability, and leveraging community and mentorship for true wealth building. As Paul Alex underscores, “It’s all up to you—your environment, mindset, and who you learn from. That’s how you level up.”