Releasing control can be challenging, even intimidating, yet each time I’ve taken a calculated risk to let go of control in exchange for greater freedom, I’ve made significant strides toward my long-term objectives. This is because it’s impossible to achieve both complete freedom and full control simultaneously; one must make a choice, whether in real estate investments, business ventures, or personal life.

We manage a Facebook group with nearly 50,000 landlords and active investors, and when we discuss more hands-off investment strategies, there is often considerable resistance. The central objection is always the same: “I want to maintain full control over my investments.” Although I no longer engage in online debates, I would paraphrase Ellie from Jurassic Park if I did: “You never truly have control; it’s an illusion.”

My own personal journey of balancing control and freedom has unfolded in ways that I hope will help others reflect on their own decisions moving forward.

The Decision to Move Abroad Without a Clear Plan

In early 2015, my fiancée suggested moving overseas. Knowing I had a desire to travel, she was also interested in the experience of living abroad. She enrolled with an international recruiting agency, and we made a commitment to the idea. We attended a job fair in Boston in February, confident that she would secure a job by the end of the weekend.

Within 24 hours, she received offers from multiple schools across the globe, and we chose a position at a school in Abu Dhabi. Our initial plan was to have a two-year adventure before returning to Baltimore and resuming our lives. Fast forward nearly 10 years and three countries later—we spent four years in Abu Dhabi, four years in Brasilia, and almost two years in Lima, Peru, with short stints in Genoa, Prague, and Patagonia.

Each move involved uncertainty; we had to make significant decisions without knowing exactly where we would end up.

The Challenge of Letting Go of Control as a Real Estate Investor

When we moved to Abu Dhabi, I still owned 15 rental properties. It quickly became clear that I had been subsidizing these properties with my own labor. Despite employing a property manager, I was still handling contractor coordination, city inspections, tenant communications, and bookkeeping. I was managing the manager, as well.

I had convinced myself that I was earning 5% to 8% annually from these properties, but once I factored in the cost of my time, I realized I was actually losing money. In contrast, my stock investments, which were entirely passive, earned an average of 10% annually.

This prompted me to sell all my rental properties. But my passion for real estate remained, so I sought a different way to invest.

Transitioning to Passive Real Estate Investments

I explored public Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), but the volatility and connection to stock markets didn’t suit me. I then turned to real estate crowdfunding, experimenting with several platforms. I quickly realized that public investments always deliver market returns—they are bought and sold at market prices, and you earn whatever the market allows.

The game-changer came when I discovered private, passive real estate investments. These included private notes, partnerships, syndications, equity funds, and debt funds. These investments are not widely known, and they offer a competitive edge, as many investors aren’t familiar with how they work.

However, the high minimum investment requirement of $50,000 to $100,000 was a barrier. At SparkRental, we decided to test this model by allowing members of our course and later our investment club to pool resources, allowing each person to invest as little as $5,000. We now vet a new passive investment every month, with members contributing and sitting back as distributions or interest flow back to them. These investments require no hands-on management from me, and my returns have reached new heights.

Letting Go of Control as an Entrepreneur

As an employee, the question you ask is: “How can I create enough value for my employer so that they’ll pay me more to keep me?” As an entrepreneur, the question changes: “How can I create value for my customers to ensure they keep coming back?”

Initially, as a business founder, one must wear many hats and juggle various tasks to get the business off the ground. But if you want to grow and serve more people, you must remove yourself as the bottleneck.

Reframe the question once more: “How can I create a self-sustaining business that continually provides value to customers?” The goal is to make yourself replaceable—exactly the opposite of what you aim for as an employee. This is a difficult shift, even once you understand it intellectually.

After eight years in business, I began to internalize this lesson. My cofounder and I spent this year systematizing and professionalizing SparkRental, enabling it to function without us for extended periods. This allowed us to keep operating smoothly when my cofounder had surgery, and when my family and I traveled through Uruguay.

Now, I have more freedom in my business than ever before, as I’ve delegated much of the “control” to others.

Action Brings Clarity and Confidence

If you wait until everything is perfectly figured out, you will never take action. You’ll remain stagnant. But by making moves, even when unsure of the exact outcome, you can begin heading in the right direction. Roadblocks will arise, and you may need to adjust your course—but the key is to keep moving forward.

Control Versus Freedom

I had more control over my rental properties than I do with my current passive investments, but that control didn’t yield the results I expected.

Today, I delegate the day-to-day management and decision-making for these investments to trusted operators, ensuring strong returns despite inevitable challenges. In my business, I delegate entire projects and goals to employees, freelancers, and virtual assistants.

By sacrificing control, I’ve gained freedom. This includes not only time freedom—being able to work when and where I choose—but also location freedom. I can work from anywhere in the world.

Increasingly, this approach is propelling me toward financial independence. My passive investments now earn more than my direct property investments ever did, and my business thrives because I’ve let go of control and entrusted others with important tasks.

Although many grasp the concept of letting go of control, it remains a challenge to implement. For me, it took considerable time and effort to embrace this shift, but the progress I’ve made has been invaluable. By taking the initial steps, I’m becoming more comfortable with less control and more freedom.

As you reflect on your own life, consider where you might need more freedom—and how letting go of some control could help you achieve that.

In the previous post: “Is Now a Better Time to Invest in Real Estate Debt or Equity?“