Loyd is a testament to overcoming difficulties, and he is an individual who has never feared failure. “I got out of college and couldn’t find a job in my field. I took a job with a cousin and worked in the construction industry unloading cedar shakes from boxcars. I later became a carpenter and roofer. I started to hook up a skill saw one day, 37 years ago, and was thrown off the roof as a result of a direct short in the electrical cord, which resulted in a broken back. I couldn’t return to hard labor, so I found my niche by becoming a general contractor,” he said.
He also had another challenge to overcome: a speech impediment. Hearing him speak today, one would never guess that for the majority of his early years, Loyd stuttered so badly that people often could not understand him. His speech was so bad that when he tried to join the Army, they rejected him. Loyd said, “This was during the Vietnam War, and they were taking almost any young man with a normal beating heart. The story is not that I had a speech problem. The story is that I had a speech problem - so what?” Loyd was determined not to let his stuttering, or other people’s reactions to it, come between him and his dreams.
Among his construction influences, Loyd counts his father and Claude Powell, a Colorado-based general contractor. “My dad taught me a work ethic that many in the construction field would do well to embrace. Claude Powell, a friend and mentor, taught me to look at the business side of construction. Without his influence, I most assuredly would not have accomplished all I have,” said Loyd.
| Q. What do you do for fun? A. Write, play music, and create wealth. Q. What CD is in your CD player right now? A. A CD on how to negotiate. Q. What is the last magazine you read? A. Entrepreneur Magazine. Q. What is your favorite TV show? A. Boston Legal. Q. Who is your role model? A. I’m not sure I have one at this time in my life. Others seem to hold me up as their role model now. |
Loyd is committed to developing his own business portfolio, but he is also interested in mentoring and teaching others the “tricks of the trade.” He spends his Fridays helping new real estate investors learn how to create wealth, enjoy positive cash flow, and eliminate bad debt. He has also authored several books on real estate investing, including such titles as My New Reality Journal, Marketing and Selling Your Home - A Practical Guide for FSBOs, and Earn Amazing Money - Think Your Way to Riches.
Based on his personal experiences, Loyd offers the following advice for those looking to succeed.
1. Find a mentor.
2. Learn the business side of the business. That’s where the real money is.
3. Spend time and money on education.
4. Develop a written plan for your life. Then, break down that plan into daily activity. Manage the daily activity.
5. Take personal responsibility for your actions. Don’t blame others for your failure. Rather, recognize them and work to improve.
6. Embrace a good work ethic. Give an honest day’s work for a day’s pay.
7. If you want to be more than you are at this moment, change your current reality by changing your mindset. See yourself in the better setting and believe you are there.
8. If you think you can succeed, you are right. If you think you cannot succeed, you are right there, too. Whatever you think is possible (or not) is true.
Remember, if you don't make it happen, it won't happen. Get in the game!
