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198: Everything I Learned After Losing $40M with Levi Benkert - 8FE

Beyond A Million

Release Date: 10/16/2025

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Beyond A Million

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Beyond A Million

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Beyond A Million

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Beyond A Million

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He lost $40 million in 2008... and built a real estate empire from the rubble.

Today’s guest, Levi Benkert, went from running coffee shops to flipping houses, losing $40 million in the 2008 crash, relocating his family to Ethiopia to run an orphanage and start businesses, and then returning to the US to build a thriving Class B industrial real estate empire in Texas. He breaks down the mindset shifts, lessons from failures, and disciplined strategies that turned what looked like a disaster into the comeback story of the century.

If you’ve ever wondered how to recover from a huge setback, this episode gives you the playbook straight from someone who’s done it.

Tune in to hear Levi's journey from collapse to empire... and why the lessons he learned can help anyone in business or life.

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This episode is part of the 8FE (8-figure entrepreneur) series, where we talk to entrepreneurs who have already passed the million-dollar mark.

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Key Takeaways:

  • 00:00:00 Intro

  • 00:01:55 Understanding interest rates and market cycles 

  • 00:04:08 The Chatham forward curve 

  • 00:11:36 Levi’s early business ventures 

  • 00:16:42 Fear and feelings in business

  • 00:19:09 Transitioning to property development 

  • 00:27:05 Institutional lending

  • 00:32:12 Losing $40M during the 2008 crash 

  • 00:41:49 Building an orphanage in Ethiopia 

  • 00:49:22 Building a beef farm in Ethiopia 

  • 00:57:51 Moving back to the US and starting Harbor Capital 

  • 01:03:15 Industrial real estate and fundraising 

  • 01:11:16 Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs 

  • 01:13:53 Outro

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Additional Resources:

🔹 Levi’s Website: https://harborcap.com/ 

🔹 Levi on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/levi-benkert-81a18895

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Beyond A Million is a business podcast that reveals the scaling secrets of 8, 9, and 10-figure entrepreneurs. Every week, we share an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the best business growth strategies that work. 

If you're an entrepreneur or business professional who's looking to level up & continue to scale far beyond the million-dollar mark, this podcast is for YOU!

Tune in weekly for new interviews with Easy Pay Direct founder Brad Weimert and business expert guests who absolutely crush it in their area of expertise. Learn world-class marketing and sales tactics with elite-level business strategies in sales, marketing, operations, finance, and wealth building.

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