From Homeless to Millionaire: Jermaine Jones’ Blueprint for Success | Triggs Table Talks S2 EP #1

In this episode of Trigs Table Talks, host Trig welcomes entrepreneur and real estate investor Germaine Jones, who shares his inspiring journey from humble beginnings in Orlando to success in the tax business. Germaine discusses overcoming challenges, such as financial struggles and personal setbacks, to build a thriving business empire. He emphasizes the importance of perseverance, self-belief, and strategic decision-making in achieving success. Germaine also highlights the benefits of the tax industry, offering mentorship opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs. Throughout the conversation, he underscores the value of resilience and maintaining a clear vision for the future.

• Jermaine Jones is a native of Orlando, Florida, born and raised in a large, close-knit family with seven siblings.
• He grew up in a loving environment and attributes much of his success to his family's support.
• Jermaine attended Florida State University (FSU), where he earned degrees in marketing and finance.

"I'm from Orlando, born and raised... grew up in the hood like most of us do... my family was very, very loving... we're very, very close."

• Jermaine's upbringing in Orlando and his close family ties provided a strong foundation for his future endeavors.

• After college, Jermaine interviewed for a sales job with Coca-Cola but was not ready to enter the workforce, leading to a missed opportunity.
• He realized he had already completed his degree but was unaware due to his enjoyment of college life.
• Jermaine returned to Orlando and worked in the service industry while pursuing a career in music.

"I actually interviewed with Coca-Cola... got offered the job but I hadn't graduated yet... that caused me to go and to the registrar... brother, you've been done."

• This quote highlights Jermaine's initial career path and the realization of his academic completion, which marked a turning point in his life.

• Jermaine's entrepreneurial spirit was evident from a young age, selling golf balls to buy personal items.
• He began promoting parties as a means to make money and promote his music, guided by a family mentor.

"I always been a hustler... as a kid, I was hustling... me and my little brother... would go and wash them... sell them to the golfers."

• This quote reflects Jermaine's early entrepreneurial mindset and his ability to identify opportunities for income.

• Jermaine worked at Sprint in various roles but realized he was underpaid compared to new hires, prompting a career change.
• He observed successful individuals in the club scene who were involved in the tax business, which sparked his interest.

"I remember one day I was talking to a new hire... her base salary is like $10,000 higher than mine... that's when I realized that wow, these people don't love me."

• This realization about workplace inequality motivated Jermaine to seek opportunities where he could control his financial destiny.

• Jermaine faced significant challenges, including quitting his job, cashing in his 401k, and dealing with eviction to pursue a career in taxes.
• He moved to Atlanta to manage a tax office, living in sparse conditions and facing personal hardships.

"I cashed in my 401k... I got an eviction on my credit... nobody will rent to you... unless you get a private owner."

• Despite severe personal and financial risks, Jermaine was determined to succeed in the tax business, showcasing his resilience and commitment.

• Jermaine dealt with personal issues, including family pressures and a strained relationship with his daughter's mother, leading to a long separation from his daughter.
• He persevered through loneliness and doubt while establishing himself in a new city with limited resources.

"I cried... my parents were on me... you're messing up your life... I didn't see my daughter for six years."

• This quote underscores the emotional and personal sacrifices Jermaine made in pursuit of his entrepreneurial dreams, highlighting his resilience and determination.

• The speaker faced significant financial and personal challenges, including being scammed and losing all savings, which led to feelings of shame and embarrassment.
• Despite these struggles, the speaker found value in resilience and character building, using these experiences as a source of personal growth.
• The speaker had to resort to living in difficult conditions, such as sleeping in a car and using a storage unit to keep up appearances.

"I was too embarrassed to go back to my parents... I had everything they said was going to happen happen and it was worse, you know, so I was ashamed."

• The speaker discusses the shame and embarrassment of having to return home after financial failure, highlighting the impact of pride and societal expectations on personal decisions.

"What kept me going through that time was a quote... successful people are comfortable being uncomfortable."

• This quote served as a motivational anchor for the speaker, emphasizing the importance of embracing discomfort as a path to eventual success.

• After returning home, the speaker took a customer service job and saved money to start a business, demonstrating resourcefulness and determination.
• The speaker's strategy involved renting a hotel room to start a business, showing a willingness to take risks and invest in their future despite limited resources.
• The speaker emphasized the importance of preparing for growth by making room for potential employees and opportunities.

"I put another table in there just in case God brought me an employee or somebody that believed in me... I was always making sure I was prepared for growth."

• The speaker highlights the importance of being prepared for future opportunities, which reflects a mindset geared towards expansion and success.

• The speaker engaged in "fake it till you make it" strategies, such as purchasing a fake Rolex and taking pictures with rented cars to create an image of success.
• This approach was used to build credibility and attract clients, illustrating the role of perception in business success.

"I bought a fake Rolex, fake chain... and started taking pictures with both cars and telling people I made it big when in reality I didn't."

• The speaker discusses using deception to create an image of success, which was crucial in establishing credibility and attracting initial business.

• The speaker's business grew gradually through strategic reinvestments and smart financial decisions.
• Initial profits were modest, but the speaker reinvested earnings into the business, eventually leading to substantial growth and the ability to scale operations.

"Every year I would double down... I would put it all back into the business to the point to where I would only leave myself enough money for me to eat and live."

• The speaker's strategy of reinvesting profits back into the business highlights a disciplined approach to growth and long-term success.

• The speaker maintained a relentless work ethic, engaging in various side hustles to support the business during off-seasons.
• This included working long hours, distributing flyers, and taking on additional jobs, showcasing a commitment to success.

"I was working 16-hour days, seven days a week... I'm taking flyers and I'm going outside and I'm tagging cars and I'm standing outside the clubs."

• The speaker's description of their work ethic underscores the importance of hustle and persistence in achieving business success.

• The speaker eventually scaled the business by opening multiple locations and leveraging financial instruments like lines of credit.
• A strategic approach was taken to secure favorable terms by creating a bidding war among financial companies, illustrating savvy financial management.

"I created a bidding war between the companies until I got what I wanted... the interest rate I wanted."

• The speaker's financial strategy demonstrates an understanding of leveraging competition among lenders to secure advantageous terms for business expansion.

• The speaker discusses their journey from financial struggles to success, highlighting the importance of perseverance and vision.
• Initially faced with financial difficulties, including using a borrowed car and living modestly despite having significant savings.
• Emphasizes the importance of staying grounded and focused on long-term goals, even when success begins to manifest.

"I took that line of credit, I opened up two more tax offices, I paid that back in 30 days, and then from there I never looked back."

• Demonstrates the strategic use of credit to expand business operations and achieve rapid financial success.

"I stayed down until I came up. By the time I popped out and got a nice condo, got a nice car, everything, I was a millionaire already."

• Illustrates the importance of maintaining a low profile and reinvesting in the business until reaching a stable financial position.

• The speaker describes how their vision evolved over time, starting with a single tax office and expanding to multiple locations.
• Emphasizes the role of overcoming mental blocks and the realization that scaling up is feasible and manageable.

"In the beginning, I didn't see myself owning a bunch of tax offices. I just wanted one. Then once I got the one, I'm like, oh, I could probably do two or three."

• Reflects on the natural growth of business ambitions as initial goals are achieved and surpassed.

"As you're walking towards your vision and you get closer to it, the vision grows. It gets bigger and bigger and bigger."

• Highlights the dynamic nature of vision and how it can expand beyond initial expectations with progress.

• Discusses the appealing lifestyle afforded by the tax business, including significant free time and flexibility.
• Highlights the ability to work on the business rather than in it, allowing for remote management and personal freedom.

"The tax business will give you the best lifestyle you could ever ask for. We work for four months, and then we're done for the year."

• Describes the unique work-life balance provided by the tax business, with concentrated work periods followed by extended breaks.

"I don't miss a moment with my kids. I get to be at every parade at school, every brunch with daddy."

• Emphasizes the personal benefits of the business model, allowing for active family involvement and personal pursuits.

• The speaker discusses using profits from the tax business to diversify into other ventures, such as real estate and private investments.
• Mentions successful collaborations and investments, highlighting the importance of networking and partnerships.

"It gives you seed money that you can use to do other things like develop. I build real estate, right? I build new houses, new construction."

• Shows how initial business success can provide capital for further investment opportunities in different sectors.

"I've become an accredited investor... he's literally a money printing machine. I have never lost with him."

• Indicates successful investment strategies and the value of trusted partnerships in the investment world.

• Offers advice to young entrepreneurs, emphasizing the importance of starting early and taking action despite uncertainties.
• Recommends focusing on a high-margin industry or skill and mastering it before diversifying income streams.

"Start afraid. Start not knowing. Start when you're second-guessing it. Start before things are perfect. Start now."

• Encourages taking the first step in entrepreneurship despite fear and uncertainty, with the assurance that improvement will follow.

"Pick a high margin industry or a high value skill and stick with that one thing until you master it."

• Advises concentrating on one profitable area to build a strong foundation before exploring additional ventures.

• The speaker outlines their mentorship and business opportunities, including an affiliate program for starting tax businesses.
• Describes various levels of involvement, from independent contracting to full-scale brick-and-mortar operations.

"I created an affiliate program five years ago... I've helped several people make millions of dollars."

• Highlights the success and growth of the mentorship program, providing evidence of its effectiveness.

"You can make 40,000 to 160,000 in a couple of months... it's really on how hard you want to go."

• Details the financial potential of participating in the tax business program, emphasizing the flexibility and earning potential.

• Briefly touches on tax law topics, including the deductibility of plastic surgery and the influence of social media on tax perceptions.
• Discusses the importance of legitimate case law in supporting tax deductions and avoiding misinformation.

"There was one case... where she fought the IRS because she said that it was a business purchase."

• Provides an example of a unique tax case, illustrating the complexities and nuances of tax law.

"There's a lot of new age tax law that's being made up on social media... I would say no."

• Warns against relying on unverified tax advice from social media, stressing the need for proper legal backing.

• The speaker reflects on past spending habits, noting a shift from luxury items to more strategic investments.
• Current investment strategy focuses on preserving the principal while generating returns through interest and life insurance policies.

"Before, I spent it on jewelry and cars, right, and clothing. Right now, I would invest it, probably spend it on building some houses or put it in an interest-bearing savings, you know, a high-yield interest account."

• The speaker emphasizes the importance of not touching the principal amount and instead using interest earnings for further investments.

"I would put it in like in interest-bearing savings, you know, a high-yield interest account and take the money that I make off of interest and invest that in like a life insurance policy."

• This approach ensures financial growth without depleting the original amount, highlighting a shift towards financial prudence.

• Physical attraction is deemed essential, with a preference for natural beauty over artificial enhancements.
• Emphasizes the importance of loyalty, exclusivity, and a focus on health and fitness.

"Rule number one in the 10 rules of dating is there must be physical attraction. I like natural beauty—real eyebrows, real edges, skin the same color everywhere, real teeth."

• The speaker values a woman who is desired but not easily accessible, suggesting a preference for exclusivity and loyalty.

"A girl who is like not just having a lot of men, you know what I'm saying, one that everybody wants but nobody can have."

• A focus on health and fitness is important to ensure ongoing attraction and mutual lifestyle compatibility.

"A woman who is like health and fitness focused... I know she's always going to be working on it whether it be in the gym or having a good healthy diet."

• Disapproves of women who seek excessive attention or rely heavily on makeup.
• Prefers women who are comfortable in their own skin and not seeking external validation.

"I can't, I don't like when women need to wear makeup to go everywhere... you're not comfortable in your own skin."

• Attention-seeking behavior, especially on social media, is a significant turn-off.

"If I go to your social media and you're just, you got your ass facing the camera every picture and you're working... for what?"

• The speaker emphasizes the importance of authenticity and self-confidence in a partner.

• Observes that naturally beautiful women tend to be more calm, patient, and self-assured.
• Women with multiple surgeries might seek more external validation and attention.

"Women who are naturally beautiful are like calm and patient... whereas the ones who have got surgery, they need everybody to see it."

• This distinction highlights the perceived impact of physical appearance on personality and behavior.

• The speaker enjoys spending on luxury items, particularly cars, and describes having owned numerous high-end vehicles.
• Favorite cars are chosen for their presence, uniqueness, and driving experience.

"I've had 13, 14 cars in the last four years... Rolls-Royces, Lamborghinis... my favorite one was my Wrangler."

• The speaker also invests in luxury watches, influenced by social interactions and a desire to match peers.

"I got it from a dealer in New York... You're actually the reason why I got it because you showed up with that watch."

• The speaker has made substantial purchases for women, including luxury items and experiences.
• A memorable expenditure was a $50,000 trip to Greece with two women, highlighting the value placed on experiences.

"A trip that I took two women on... a $50,000 trip to Greece... we rented a yacht for the day."

• The speaker also values enabling others' independence through entrepreneurship, funding a business for a woman to free her from a 9-to-5 job.

"Starting a business for a woman... I wanted to see her free from her 9-to-5 obligations."

• The speaker runs a successful business with around 30 locations, spanning from Miami to Chicago and DC.
• Emphasizes the satisfaction of helping affiliates achieve financial success and independence.

"We cover all the territory from Miami all the way up to Chicago and DC... watching these people that I've created this opportunity for succeed."

• The business's growth and impact on others' lives are a source of personal fulfillment and pride.

• The speaker is beginning to focus on personal branding and content creation, aiming to share wisdom and experiences.
• Encourages early followers to trust in the journey and promises valuable content in the future.

"I'm just getting into this whole journey of posting content... I have all of the data and all of the case studies to prove that what I've been doing is great."

• The speaker sees social media as a platform to connect, share stories, and potentially collaborate with others.