LIL #008: 5 Filters That Help Me Say No to Almost Every Deal
Justin spends $300K/year on due diligence and still says no to most deals. Here are the five filters.
Episode Summary
In this episode of The Lifestyle Investor Podcast, host Justin Donald breaks down the five investment filters he uses to reject 90% of the deals that cross his desk.
You'll learn why downside protection matters more than upside potential, how the "velocity of money" lets you invest the same capital across multiple deals, and why monthly cash flow is a health check on every investment.
Question of the Day 🗣️
Of these five filters - Lifestyle First, Reduce the Risk, Get Principal Back Quickly, Create Cash Flow Immediately, and Find an Income Amplifier - which one have you been overlooking in your own investing? Drop it in the comments.
Key Take-aways
- A "passive" investment requiring 10 hours a week is just a part-time job in disguise
- The wealthiest investors evaluate risk first and returns second - not the other way around
- Getting your principal back quickly lets you recycle the same capital across five deals
- Monthly distributions are a health check on the deal, not just income
- Community leverage negotiates better terms than any individual investor can get alone
Timestamped Outline ⏱️
00:00 - Introduction
00:33 - Filter #1: Lifestyle First - does this investment require my time?
01:08 - Why "passive" investments can become part-time jobs
01:17 - Filter #2: Reduce the Risk - how is my downside protected?
01:50 - The wealthiest investors think about risk first
02:00 - Filter #3: Get Principal Back Quickly - the velocity of money
02:28 - How to invest the same capital five times and keep equity in all deals
03:04 - Filter #4: Create Cash Flow Immediately - monthly distributions as a health check
03:51 - Filter #5: Find an Income Amplifier - community leverage for better terms
04:30 - The $300K due diligence budget and why saying no matters most
05:22 - Closing thoughts and next week's preview
Links & Resources 🔗
Connect & CTA 🎯
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Credits
Host: Justin Donald © 2026 Lifestyle Investor. All rights reserved.
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