Podcast Summary: The Level Up Podcast w/ Paul Alex

Episode Title: How Lee Edward Smith & Katherine Aguilar Turned Dance, Culture & Real Estate Into an Empire
Date: December 4, 2025
Host: Paul Alex Espinoza
Guests: Lee Edward Smith & Katherine (Kat) Aguilar

Episode Overview

This episode features an inspiring conversation with Lee Edward Smith and Katherine Aguilar—a married couple who transformed their shared passion for Latin dance and entertainment into a thriving empire that now connects dance, culture, and commercial real estate. Host Paul Alex explores their journey from professional performers and entrepreneurs to event producers, investors, and community builders, spotlighting how their unique background and collaborative mindset fueled their transition to the world of high-level business and networking.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Origins and Entrepreneurial Mindset

• Kat and Lee’s Early Roots:

  • Both met as professional Latin dancers, already successful independently.
  • Kat’s entrepreneurial spirit began at 15, influenced by her father who was in real estate.
  • Lee started as a magician at 11, later performing on 600 college campuses with multiple touring shows.

  "We both found each other when we were already both professional... what happened when we actually came together... it just skyrocketed us." – Kat (03:00)

2. Building a Powerhouse Duo

• Strengthening Through Partnership:

  • Married for 10 years, together as partners for 17.
  • Their relationship thrives on humor, teamwork, and supporting each other’s growth.
  • Both lean on each other to balance the demands of entrepreneurship and family.

  "We always push each other forward. If one of us is rolling the other person up the hill... that's the beautiful part in our relationship." – Kat (19:42)

3. From Dance & Entertainment to Real Estate: The Pivot

• Navigating Industry Shifts & Life Changes:

  • COVID shut down live events—their primary source of income—forcing them to innovate.
  • Transitioned from physical events to virtual shows (e.g., College Lip Sync Battle), which became their highest-grossing year.
  • The birth of their children became a defining moment, motivating them to seek stability and greater wealth through real estate.

  "There comes a pivotal moment. And I think for us, it definitely was our kids being born." – Lee (10:24)
  "When events shut down... we pivoted to virtual, which not a lot of people did." – Kat (11:22)

4. Embracing Networking and Building Abundance

• Event Production as Community Building:

  • Lee and Kat create spaces (e.g., DCBX festival, Rhythm Investor Summit) where entrepreneurs, dancers, and billionaires connect.
  • Emphasize the importance of collaboration over competition and the power of genuine connection.

  "People are people. They want to experience, they want to have fun... Our gift is bringing people together. That's what we do." – Lee (08:26)

• Overcoming Hesitation:

  • Kat candidly shares her discomfort entering new business circles, especially as a woman/minority.
  • Lee highlights how taking bold, sometimes imperfect, action opened doors they hadn’t imagined.

  "I was doing this commercial real estate thing... I realized I'm the only woman and usually only the minority in the room." – Kat (24:30)
  "Let's tell them we have a keynote. This keynote doesn't exist, by the way… Two days later, they message us... 'How would you like 25 mins on Sunday on our main stage, right after Patrick Bet-David?'" – Lee (29:32)

5. The Importance of Mentorship & Strategic ‘Giving’

• Paying to Play & the Value of Proximity:

  • Initially skeptical about paid mentorships and masterminds, Kat discusses how investing in mentorship brought shortcuts and meaningful connections.
  • Lee breaks down how they leveraged their unique background to offer value, leading to major speaking opportunities.

  "I was always a skeptic... and then I actually paid to play. And it unlocked a lot of shortcuts." – Kat (34:48)
  "Sometimes you're gonna ask, and then you're gonna receive, and then you have to deliver." – Lee (30:50)

6. Practical Networking Advice

• How to Meet High Net-Worth Individuals:

  • Frequent places where high-level people gather (country clubs, private events, even elevators at big conferences).
  • Be willing to start conversations, even if it feels uncomfortable—magic (and big deals) often happens in unexpected moments.

  "We got off on 47. They're like, 'Let’s have a drink.' They're some of our best friends. This is the classic elevator pitch. If we don't open our mouths… we waste that 40 seconds, it's a change." – Lee (41:22)

• Collaboration Over Competition:

  • Small business owners and entrepreneurs must drop the scarcity mindset.
  • Cooperation accelerates growth far faster than siloed competition.

  "What we're not doing in our communities a lot is not collaborating because we think we're all competition.” – Kat (45:31)

7. Team Building and Leadership

• Scaling Beyond the Duo:

  • The hardest part is finding reliable people and letting go of the urge to ‘do it all’.
  • Their event teams are small but have incredible loyalty, some working together for 16+ years.

  "We’ve only built a very small team of 20 people now... And all of our people... they’ve been with us for years." – Kat (51:18)

8. Personal Brand and Evolving Identity

• Embracing Change and Experimentation:

  • Your personal essence is more important than your business logo or title—people connect to who you are.
  • Both Lee and Kat have shifted roles (visionary/integrator) based on the needs of evolving ventures.

  "You can evolve... People get in, they're in love with the person, not with the logo... starting entrepreneurs get hung up on that all the time." – Kat (36:51)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Entrepreneurship & Surviving COVID:

"That year, it was actually our highest grossing year in 20 years on the market. We did over 220 universities—on this virtual show."
—Lee (15:14)

On Networking and the Power of Giving:

"You can't be afraid to ask... sometimes you're gonna ask, and then you're gonna receive, and then you have to deliver."
—Lee (30:50)

On Collaboration:

"I would lean in on collaboration... sure that you are true to yourself and who you want in your vibe and your tribe."
—Kat (60:03)

On Personal Brand:

"Personal brand is like, I mean, it's like a cliche to say that, but it's really, that's really what it is."
—Kat (37:19)

Important Timestamps

• 03:00 — How Kat & Lee met and the power of merging skillsets
• 10:24 — The birth of their children as a turning point
• 11:22–15:23 — Pivoting to virtual shows & creative problem-solving during COVID
• 17:56 — The brutal risks and rewards of event production
• 22:54 — Evolving from a scarcity mindset to abundance in business
• 29:32 — Faking it until you make it: pitching their first keynote (Find Your Rhythm)
• 33:16 — The power of proximity and referrals (Pace Morby’s endorsement)
• 41:22 — Lee’s ‘elevator pitch’ story leading to million-dollar relationships
• 45:31 — The need for greater collaboration among entrepreneurs
• 51:18 — Insights on building and leading a loyal team
• 60:03 — Kat’s closing advice for entrepreneurs seeking to find their rhythm

Actionable Takeaways

• Collaboration beats competition; build connections by being genuine and helpful.
• Leverage your unique background; your “weird” combination of skills is often your greatest asset.
• Don’t wait to be ready—take imperfect action and add value to every room you enter.
• Adapt and pivot quickly in the face of crisis (e.g., COVID, business shifts).
• Invest in mentorship and environments where opportunities can multiply.
• Start conversations everywhere (even the elevator!) and be open to serendipity.
• Prioritize your personal brand—people invest in people, not just businesses.

Closing Words of Wisdom

"The biggest gift I can give you guys as budding entrepreneurs: keep moving forward, keep moving forward and really lean in on the power of connection. Because that's really where, in our experience, we've leveled up." —Kat (61:09)

"The one thing that's consistent is you... what is the essence of you and how can you take that and move other people with that beat?" —Lee (61:15)

Connect with Lee & Kat

• Instagram: @rhythminvestor
• Website: rhythminvestor.com
• Event Info: Find Your Rhythm Wealth Summit (August, with smaller curated events throughout the year)

Missed the episode? This summary provides you with the core stories, strategies, and motivation you need to find your rhythm and level up on your own path.