the $100,000 lesson that rebuilt my investment standards

The $100,000 Lesson That Rebuilt My Investment Standards

Have you ever noticed that the worst mistakes in life aren’t random? 

They usually happen when we ignore something we already know. 

I just got back from my annual goals retreat. I find that doing it in November gives me a clean runway and a clearer mind. And with that clarity comes the real work: the introspection. 

Last week, I shared a story about how I ignored one of my core beliefs about treating people with respect and not judging too quickly. And it cost me one of the greatest opportunities of my career. 

This week, during my retreat, I had to sit with that pattern a bit longer. Because if I’m being honest, every time something has gone wrong in my business life, it’s because I ignored something important—either advice, intuition, or one of the principles I built my career on. 

And that got me thinking about the biggest financial lesson of my life. 

The one that cost me $100,000. 

The Three Trust Circles I Broke

I’ve always believed that before you get involved in any investment or business endeavor, you need trust in three areas:

1. Trust in the Team

(the people you are hiring, investing with, or partnering with) 

2. Trust in the Industry

(you understand the asset class, the model, the mechanics)

3. Trust in the Opportunity

(you can validate the market, the strategy, the metrics—or you understand it because it’s in your own backyard) 

You need at least two of these three to make a smart decision. 

And if you have all three? Even better. 

A couple of years ago, I broke that rule. 

I was presented with what sounded like a dream investment: 

  • $100,000 in 

  • All capital returned in 2.5 years 

  • A 100% tax write-off in year one 

  • $40K a year in ongoing cash flow 

I knew the sponsor. I thought I trusted him. So I figured that was enough. 

But I had zero trust in the other two circles. 

I didn’t understand the industry (ever heard of carbon scrubbing?). 

I didn’t even know where the asset was located. 

And if I didn’t understand the industry or the market, then I couldn’t truly assess whether my trust in the team was warranted. 

As it turns out, it wasn’t. 

I received some small amount in distributions before everything unraveled. 

It was a Ponzi scheme. 

And the equipment we supposedly invested in didn’t even exist. 

Why I Share This

I share these stories for one reason: 

Because I never want you to experience what I did. 

At StoneCrest, we build everything—literally and figuratively—with those Three Trust Circles in mind: 

  • You can trust the team, because you can see 30 years and 350+ completed projects behind us. 

  • You can trust the industry, because we stay in our lane: real assets we build, own, and manage ourselves. 

  • You can trust the opportunity, because our projects are right here in the communities we live in, raise families in, and invest in ourselves. 

This is what high-performing professionals deserve. 

Not average investments. 

Not outsourced accountability. 

Not “hope it works out” strategies. 

You’re building a legacy. 

You’re protecting what you’ve worked for. 

You’re designing an iconic life. 

And that requires alignment—your principles, your instincts, your team, your investments. All moving in the same direction. 

Lesson Learned:

If this retreat taught me anything, it’s this: 

My standards are not negotiable. They’re the guardrails that protect StoneCrest and its investors. 

Every time I’ve honored them, life has moved in the right direction.

Every time I’ve ignored them, I’ve paid for it. 

My hope is that by sharing my mistakes, you get to keep building wealth with clarity—instead of $100,000 tuition bills from the universe. 

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