Stable Cash Flow & Growth: Becknell's Industrial REIT
Is industrial real estate a smart place to put your money? In this episode, we explore what today’s market means for investors seeking steady, dependable returns.
With over 35 years in industrial real estate, Becknell Industrial is bringing its tried-and-true strategy to accredited investors who seek reliable alternatives to stocks and bonds. I sat down with Becknell's CFO, Clay Thelen, to discuss what makes Becknell stand out, explain the rationale behind the new fund, and discuss why long-term, low-leverage industrial real estate might fit into your portfolio.
Top three takeaways:
Long-Term, Mission-Critical Investments: Becknell specializes in build-to-suit industrial assets—think warehousing, light manufacturing, and distribution facilities for blue-chip tenants like Abbott Laboratories. These are designed, built, managed, and owned in-house, for consistency and commitment.
Income & Accessibility: The new Becknell Industrial Income Trust offers monthly distributions with a 5% annual yield, an early investor bonus, and a minimum investment of $25,000. As an equity investment (not just debt), you gain ownership in high-quality, income-producing real estate.
Industry Tailwinds: With e-commerce growth and U.S. manufacturing reshoring, demand for industrial space is surging—even as new supply tightens. This creates a compelling environment for stable, long-term returns.
To read more about Becknell Industrial - https://becknellindustrial.com/
Take the quiz - How Alternative Assets Can Fit in Your Portfolio
Time Stamps
00:00 Welcome to the Podcast
00:28 Meet Clay of Becknell
01:54 Boring Wins Investing
02:39 What Becknell Builds
05:06 Build to Suit Model
07:00 Why Launch the REIT
08:06 Abbott Deal and Income
09:08 Skin in the Game
10:33 Low Leverage Advantage
11:33 Why New Buildings Matter
16:43 REIT Terms and Returns
18:42 Incentives Fees Minimums
22:47 Industrial Market Tailwinds
25:08 Wrap Up and Next Steps
26:03 Listener Q&A Invite
27:11 Final Outro and CTA
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Welcome to the Podcast
Welcome to the Unconventional Investor Podcast. I'm your host, Michelle Moses, certified financial planner, licensed realtor, and founder of Me Financial. If you're an accredited investor feeling overwhelmed by managing your portfolio and looking for alternative investment strategies that go beyond the traditional stock market, you're in the right place.
Let's head into today's episode so you can start taking control of your financial future. Hello everyone. Welcome to the podcast. I am Michelle Moses, your host.
Solo Episode Setup
It's gonna be a solo episode. Today I have a few things I want to talk about. we're gonna be talking about things that I notice in people that have money, and I mean this, and not necessarily that they're uber rich.
But that they're comfortable. They don't worry about money and they have enough, you know, it, money just seems to, to flow to them. It just seems to work out. And over the years, I, and I've said on the show before that I really feel like I've, I got into this industry because I needed to learn a lot about money and in my own life, and obviously I've learned a lot of things over the years and I have.
Noticed a lot of behaviors in meeting with people.
Money Mindset Expectation
and the first one that I would say is the most prominent is that they just know that it will work out. They know that the money will be there. I have heard countless times, like it'll just work out. It's gonna be okay. You know, the money is always there.
They just expect it to be there. Like you've got to pave the road of expectation. You know, it's kind of like if you were to expect for bad people, you know, to be out there, you're probably gonna see some bad people out there versus seeing some good things and you're probably gonna see good things. So it's kind of the same thing, whereas these, you know, I've seen a lot of my clients.
you know, they just expect it to be good. And, you know, there's things that they've done in their life that, it, it works out that way and we'll get to that. But their overall attitude is just that it's gonna be okay and that the money is always there. and again, I think that's balanced with, the way that they live their life.
Low Flash Intentional Living
And that's kind of my second point is that they. Don't care so much about the flashy cars and the house. I mean, some of them do about certain things, but not all of it. Okay. So it might be about cars, it might be, you know, but it's more like. Centered on things, and you need to be in mind With who I work with, I work with like the millionaires next door.
Okay. I'm not working with the people that are all super flashy. you know, so my millionaires next door, they have, you know, they might spend it on vacations, you know, and that's where they splurge. And so then they're driving like the Volkswagen and they end up leasing it for a hundred dollars a month or something like that, just because it's cheap.
So it's. You know, they, they've set up their life so that they're not stressed out. And so that's why they can say, you know, it always works out. Like why, you know, why not? Because, I have it set up like this. You know, so I don't, it's. Again, it's like layers, but they do expect the money to be there.
And then also they kind of live in an intentional way, I think is the way that we need to put it. It's very intentional in what they spend their money on, and it's very intentional where they're saving their money and how they're saving it.
Always Be Saving
And that brings us to the next point, is that they're always saving.
They're always saving in a different way. They're saving into their 401k or their IRAs.
Retirement Buffer Story
And then they're also saving into another account where I have one client, where we were just saving $600 a month for years and then all of a sudden in retirement, you know, it's a little stressful when you're going into retirement because you're going from earning to spending money.
That is a very hard transition for people to go through. It's very, panic inducing and, and so when there is a big like plumbing issue that costs $35,000 in their home, they were a little panicked. And what kind of saved the day was this savings account that we saved $600 a month in for. We had no idea what we were saving it for.
It was just, you know, hey, we're seven years out from retirement. We're making extra money. Let's just put it. In the savings account so that we, you know, have it for things like this. And that was, especially what we were saving it for, was just, you know, air conditioners and things that happen on the house or if they needed a new car.
because when you retire, that stuff doesn't go away. And here is another one that is more. Emotional.
Stop Vilifying Wealth
So what I notice about people with money is that they do not vilify the rich. They do not look at them and speak badly of them. That, you know, the economy is rigged against me. Of course they did because their parents were rich, which sometimes there is a little bit of that.
But, you know, if you're looking at a 24-year-old buying $2 million house, then yes, sometimes, most of the time it is family money. but. The, you know, older people and that they're looking at that might have money. You are not vilifying the rich or saying all rich people are bad. you know why? And it kind of goes back to like, why if you're vilify, you know, talking badly about people with money, then why would you ever want money?
Like you're basically saying to yourself, I don't want money because I don't want to be like that person. And so you really gotta watch that language and because it really puts you into. Like a victim mentality, as in I just can't, you know, have money. And so you don't wanna do that. And I, and you know, for, for me, I feel like the hardest part and, you know, I think this is just it.
There's, there's being broke. Then there's doing okay, and then there's like just really trying to get to the next level to where you can take really great vacations and buy whatever car you want. You know, getting to that next level is the hardest. And so I'm, what I'm telling you is the people that have gotten to that next level and they don.
Worry about money. They're not just, you know, well off, but they have, you know, they're able to do whatever they want, take the vacations they want. But what's kind of ironic about it too, right, is like, even when people retire or they get to that point, there's still things that you're gonna pay attention to and not spend money on.
some people don't care about cars or clothes or, you know, facials or, you know, whatever, sporting teams and tickets to things. So it just really depends on the person.
Learn How Money Works
So the next thing that I have on here is that what I feel like people with money is that they understand money. They try to figure it out, if they don't know it.
So everything is figureoutable, essentially. So it's not like they're panicked about how does the savings account work or how does a mutual fund work If they want to know about it, they. Learn about it and read about it, or listen to podcasts or, you know, whatever way that you get your information. They tend to know about how things work and then invest in those things.
So if they don't understand it, they're not gonna invest in it. I mean, they might, if they. I sometimes they have, but most of the time it's, if they understand it or if I say, no, I really love this and you have to invest in this. 'cause I get pretty passionate about things. But yeah, I, they tend to understand how the economy works, and, you know, do research.
Own Your Decisions
I'd say the worst clients that I've ever had, and I think I've said this before, are the ones that come to me and say, okay, you just do it. I just can't deal with this. And, you know, you, you just make all the decisions and I just trust you. And that's awesome that they just trust me. I mean, what, what an honor, you know, that's very, very cool that they do.
But it doesn't work. It never works because it is your money. It's always your money. Even if you come to work with me, it is your money. And so we have to make decisions together on it. You know, my job is to like throw some things out and see what may fit your goals and, and so you just, you gotta take.
Ownership of your money, because otherwise, when you're just pushing it off and having somebody else make the decisions, you're setting yourself up to be a victim. You are not taking responsibility for your money. Like you need to learn about how it works, what it's like to spend money, what it's like to maybe be in debt.
You know? That's how I was. I know it sounds crazy, but like I had never had a credit card in college and I was like, I just want to have a credit card, and I got $600 in debt and I was like, oh. I didn't really, you know, like it was a lesson, like I had no idea how am I gonna pay this off? What am I gonna do?
But it's a lesson. That's how you learn. And so you gotta be willing to, you know, get out there and, and try some things.
Long Game Intentionality
And I would say the last thing is that I would say that, people with money and have reached that higher level is that they are intentional. They always have the long game in mind.
Like they know what their goals are. They know that they would really, really love to travel. Three to four times a year, two such and such and such and such. They have done the research. They're interested in learning about things.
No Get Rich Quick
You know, it's, it's just a slow process, you know, the saving, the putting things in line it, like, I, I see so many people, you know, when they don't have money, they're like looking for, you know, oh, I just saw this guy.
Doing the what? The real estate investing where you assume the loan, not assuming the loans, but it's like the As is or I'm totally butchering it right now. I should have written it down, but, and I'm not gonna say his name. But anyway, so you go in and the, you know, it's all these things about like how you can get rich quick or how like I should invest in crypto and I'm gonna get rich quick and.
It's just not like, it's just not like that. Like you're, it's, it is a slow, intentional process of saving, of making decisions about where you were gonna spend your money, about not, you know, making it like a diet, like where you just go and splurge, you know, and then eat. The cake. Whereas what I would say is that you go out and you just spend a bunch of money because you've been like holding back for so long.
So it's just really paying attention to your relationship with money. And I know I always come back to this, but money is so much like food and working out like. Identical. It is, it is identical. Like you've got to work on it in the same way, like it has taken me how many years to quit lemonade and coke and the drinking kind of Coke, and and to quit.
Some of the desserts and eat greens every day. I mean, it's like every year, right? You're doing like a little bit more, 'cause you have to, 'cause you're getting older. It is the same thing with money. You know, oh, I'm gonna start this. Okay, now I'm gonna start this crypto account. Okay? Now we're gonna do self-directed account and we're gonna loan money for this house.
You know, it's just a slow and intentional process about learning what is important to you in life and then also learning about finance. So anyway, this whole episode started because. You know, it was just always fascinating to me that I, I always go back to my mindset, because it just struck me so much.
When this client said one time, and this is years ago, I wanna say like 15, 20 years ago, said, she was just like, it's, it'll be there, it'll be fine. You know, like, it, it's always there. It always shows up. And I was like, wow. That is like an awesome, mindset to have, and it truly has been okay for them.
And things just pop out of the woodwork. I mean, like, I, you know, she'll call and say, look at what happened, and I'm like, I'm not surprised. I'm not, I I wouldn't be surprised if she just won the lottery like 10 times. I mean, it, like, stuff just happens and she just has a positive outlook. And, I know this has been like, you know, this is not new stuff that I'm telling you.
And so that's where the. You know, the desire for doing this episode kind of came from, is that I've wanted to talk about her mindset specifically, and then it kind of expanded into these other things of the way that I see. And again, I am not working with, you know, the people that make $30 million a year.
I work with every day people that become. You know, millionaires, multimillionaires, and, you know, some of them are doing good and making a million dollars a year, you know, like they're, they're doing good. But like, again, this is, I feel like I call them normal people, and that's who I feel like I work with.
And so these are the tendencies that I see with those people. So I, yeah.
Next Steps
I hope you enjoyed this episode, as much as I did and I am looking for, and to kind of, to switch gears a little bit, I'm looking to kind of switch the podcast a little bit. I'd love. To have another person on here to where we can talk about like some things that are going on in the world or just things that we've seen.
So, yeah, I hope you enjoyed this, solo episode. I'm hoping to have like just some guests to where we can just kind of riff about some things, kinda like I do with, Andy, my other guests. So, I hope you guys have a great day. Thank you so, so much for listening. This is a lot of fun to do and I hope you have a great day.
Thank you for listening to the Unconventional Investor Podcast. I hope you feel more confident in how you can grow your wealth using the strategies I shared in this episode. If you're ready to take the next step in diversifying your portfolio outside the stock market with alternative investments, head to me financial.net/contact us to book a 15 minute consult call with me.
Let's discuss how we can work together to achieve your financial goals. Until then, I'll see you on the next episode.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as professional financial advice. Always consult with a qualified financial advisor or professional before making any financial decisions. The hosts and guests of this podcast are not responsible for any actions taken based on the information presented.