Meet Jorge Contreras | Entrepreneur, Real estate investor and Airbnb Coach

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jorge Contreras and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jorge, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
While I was in community college, I started taking Salsa lessons, and after that, I was introduced to Bachata, which eventually became my first business venture. I taught myself how to improve my moves, and I eventually started teaching people how to dance in my friend’s backyard. Due to the success of my classes, I started teaching at a dance studio, where I met my dance partner, Leslie, and together we started the very first Bachata dance company in the United States, the first Bachata dance festival in Los Angeles, and the first Bachata nightclub in the US. My business thrived, as I was making over 200k per year and traveling to 25 countries. But at some point, I realized that I was trading time for money; when I wasn’t dancing, I wasn’t making money.

To provide for my family, I realized I needed to build assets, so I started educating myself in personal development courses and real estate courses and I became a student at the Rich Dad Company. My real estate journey then began, around 10 years ago, when I purchased my first property. Due to my financial situation, I decided to rent the property to long-term tenants and leverage my income to pay off my debt and acquire other properties.

I then learned that there was a bigger opportunity in short-term rentals, so in 2016 I listed my properties on Airbnb and I went from 6k to 14k from all 4 units in 3 months. Then I learned how to grow my business by subleasing and leveraging other people’s properties. In 2018, my family and I achieved the million-dollar goal, so I decided to start his next venture: a coaching business where I’ve helped over 3000+ people learn my methods and achieve their financial goals with Airbnb.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I’m a coach and a real estate investor based in Los Angeles, California. Ten years ago, I began my real estate career, and I started my Airbnb empire five years ago. I went from poverty, having to sell drugs at 7 years old, losing my father, and being abandoned by my mother, to being financially independent and creating a million-dollar business as a real estate investor and coach.
One of my earliest memories is when I helped my dad sell drugs. I was very young and didn’t know how bad it was until I grew up. I just felt good to be helping my dad to bring food to our family. I use to live in a tiny apartment in Los Angeles, and my family barely got by, and we had to deal with a lot of break-ins. This was a normal thing for us, I thought this is what life looked like. A few years later, my dad passed away due to alcoholism, and afterward, my mom abandoned me when I was 13 years old. I went to live with my mom’s friend for a while, but at 16, I was back on square one, and I had to start looking out for myself.
During this rough time in my life, I developed one of his biggest drivers: I needed to find a way to provide for myself and survive.
While I was in community college, I started taking Salsa lessons, and after that, I was introduced to Bachata, which eventually became my first business venture. I taught myself how to improve my moves, and I eventually started teaching people how to dance in my friend’s backyard. Due to the success of my classes, I started teaching at a dance studio, where I met my dance partner, Leslie, and together we started the very first Bachata dance company in the United States, the first Bachata dance festival in Los Angeles, and the first Bachata nightclub in the US. My business thrived, as I was making over 200k per year and traveling to 25 countries. But at some point, I realized that I was trading time for money; when I wasn’t dancing, I wasn’t making money.
To provide for my family, I realized I needed to build assets, so I started educating myself in personal development courses and real estate courses, and I became a student at the Rich Dad Company. My real estate journey then began, around 10 years ago, when I purchased my first property. Due to my financial situation, I decided to rent the property to long-term tenants and leverage my income to pay off my debt and acquire other properties.
I then learned that there was a bigger opportunity in short-term rentals, so in 2016 I listed my properties on Airbnb and I went from 6k to 14k from all 4 units in 3 months. Then I learned how to grow my business by subleasing and leveraging other people’s properties. In 2018, my family and I achieved the million-dollar goal, so I decided to start his next venture: a coaching business where I’ve helped over 3000+ people learn my methods and achieve their financial goals with Airbnb.
I had a rough start, but now, I am thriving and am ready to take my business to the next level by spreading my knowledge around to anyone who wants to change their lives and achieve financial time, and location freedom.
The best part of this experience is that I get to be with my family, I’m basically a stay-at-home parent and I can see my kids grow up and be there for them, and travel around the world without worrying about money. I’ve been able to help over 3,000 families to begin their Airbnb journey, so they can also create financial freedom.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Los Angeles has so much cool stuff to offer. I would start the day at Sqirl in Silver Lake for a killer breakfast. Then, head to Griffith Observatory for mind-blowing views of the city. Art lovers will enjoy the Getty Center and the Santa Monica Pier for a classic seaside vibe. When it’s time for dinner, The Little Door is a super romantic spot with delicious Mediterranean food. And for a night out, Sunset Strip has legendary music venues like The Roxy. Downtown LA is a must for The Broad’s modern art. LACMA and the Urban Light installation are a must-see, and Downtown’s nightlife scene is awesome.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to shout out to the Rich Dad Company for their contribution to my real estate journey and attaining financial freedom. Their educational resources and mentorship equipped me with the knowledge and tools to navigate the real estate market successfully. And Robert Kiyosaki, is someone I look up to and admire for what he has accomplished. I am grateful for the support and guidance that have transformed my perspective on wealth and empowered me to build a thriving business. His mentorship gave me the tools I later used to create my Airbnb business. Without it, I would still trade my time for money, instead of being able to spend my time traveling and having quality time with my family.

Website: https://thejorgecontreras.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejorgecontreras/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejorgecontreras

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JorgeAirbnb

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thejorgecontreras1

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JorgeContrerasyoutube

Other: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-jorge-contreras-show/id1610028629