How Colin Wright Went from Broke to Building a Real Estate Empire

From Rock Bottom to Real Estate Mogul

Not all success stories start with a perfect plan. Some begin with hitting rock bottom, failing fast, and figuring it out along the way.

Colin Wright knows this firsthand. He’s built a multi-million-dollar real estate empire, but before that? He faced career pivots, a brutal financial crisis, and even the looming reality of losing his home. In this week’s Case Studies, we break down his journey—how he risked it all, rebuilt, and came out stronger than ever.

🎧 Listen to the full episode here.

How He Learned to Bet on Himself

Success isn’t handed to you—it’s built. Colin grew up watching his father go from broke to thriving in real estate, and those lessons stuck. After getting his finance degree, he dove headfirst into real estate development, picking up skills in land acquisition, home building, and commercial projects.

But his first attempt at going solo? It nearly wiped him out. The 2008 financial crisis hit, and suddenly, the career he spent years preparing for had no demand. His mortgage went unpaid, and his young family was in financial freefall.

🎧 Missed our episode with Jeremy Andrus on navigating tough business cycles? Listen here.

Rebuilding Smarter the Second Time Around

Instead of giving up, Colin pivoted. He joined forces with a few partners, got creative with capital, and found a way to buy up distressed real estate assets at rock-bottom prices.

By 2012, his company had expanded into three markets, 5,000 lots, and 150 employees. It was a wild ride, full of lessons on scaling, partnerships, and the realities of entrepreneurship.

🚀 Lesson: Sometimes, failure isn’t the end—it’s just the tuition you pay for future success.

🎧 Listen to Colin’s full story here.

Why Great Entrepreneurs Never Stop Reinventing

One of the biggest things that sets Colin apart? His obsession with reinvention. He’s not afraid to scrap a business model, shake up his leadership team, or rethink an entire strategy if it means long-term success.

That mindset is why today, his company—Cole West—has expanded beyond homebuilding into land acquisition, commercial development, and high-growth real estate sectors.

🎧 Listen to the full episode now.

Lessons in Business, Leadership, and Risk-Taking

Here are just a few of the key takeaways from this conversation:

🔥 Know when to pivot. Sticking to a failing plan will sink you. Colin’s ability to shift gears kept him in the game.

💡 Choose the right mentors. His success was shaped by learning from top builders and developers before going solo.

📈 Discipline beats luck. Real estate markets rise and fall, but those who stay disciplined in good times thrive when things get tough.

🚀 Play the long game. Colin is constantly thinking 5–10 years ahead, making moves today that will pay off down the road.

🎧 Listen to the full episode here.

P.S. If you found this inspiring, you’ll love our deep dive with Asim Hafeez on building passive income and financial freedom. 🎧Listen Here. What’s one lesson from Colin’s journey that hit home for you?