You probably know The Avengers Endgame is the culmination of a 22-film decade-long extravaganza of EPIC story-telling.
What you may not know is how many great real estate investing lessons surround The Avengers Endgame.
Here are just a few … and don’t worry, there are no spoilers!
Lesson 1: Businesses and their jobs will move to seek a better environment.
The Avengers Endgame was filmed at Pinewood Studios in Atlanta, Georgia … and NOT in Hollywood, California.
The Pinewood Studios website says Georgia is “the number one filming location in the world” according to this industry report by Film LA.
One of the reasons is ” … the highly competitive nature of tax credits …”
Over five years ago, the Los Angeles Daily News reported this trend …
Why TV, Film Production is Running Away from Hollywood
“ … they’re running away from here … primarily due to tax incentives offered in … states with rich tax credits such as Georgia …”
But it’s not just taxes, though they’re a BIG part.
As New York discovered when Amazon abruptly backed out of plans to bring 25,000 jobs to Long Island city for their much sought after HQ2 …
“ … it came down to a long-term environment that Amazon did not care to work in …”
And they’re not talking weather. It’s the political environment.
So while YOU may or may not agree with Amazon’s or Disney’s politics or business practices … it’s important to remember how the businesses feel.
Learn to look at markets the way employers do … even if you disagree.
Lesson 2: Get rich in a niche.
This is where LOCAL knowledge really helps.
As you might guess, creating a blockbuster film like The Avengers Endgame requires hundreds … perhaps thousands … of talented, highly-paid people.
While some workers are local to the studio, many come to town temporarily during production … which can last months.
These folks aren’t going to live in a hotel room or a trailer all that time, which means they need nice, local housing. But they aren’t buying. They’re renting.
Some investors we know figured this out … and developed an entire business model catering to the unique temporary housing needs of the film producers.
“What? You didn’t see that coming?”
– Hawkeye to Quicksilver in The Avengers – Age of Ultron
We learned about it during an Atlanta field trip years ago … and it made perfect sense then … and it still does.
After all, when a producer is driving hard and fast to execute on a high-stakes timeline to get a 9-figure film over the line …
… they’re deploying a LOT of capital really fast … and they need to get things off their checklist quickly.
Focus on the REAL needs of your customer and you don’t need to compete on price.
Lesson 3: Primary drivers create secondary and tertiary jobs.
Even if you’re unable to get into the primary path of cash, there’s still a lot of opportunity to get in on the action … a little downstream.
When money is being drawn into a geography by a large enterprise or industry … the money flows through the primary driver to the locals.
So even though not all real estate investors are renting directly to members of The Avengers Endgame production team …
… there are plenty of employees of secondary local vendors who are also being paid out of the fat production budget.
Of course, it’s not just The Avengers Endgame budget, which is temporary.
The real driver is the CONSISTENT stream of production budgets drawn to Pinewood Studios.
But whether you’re deriving rental income directly tied to those production budgets via primary and secondary employees … there’s yet a third tier.
Even your tenants who don’t get paid directly from the production are working for the restaurants, shops, and other local businesses who serve those who are.
Just remember … it all starts with the PRIMARY drivers.
Pay attention to primary drivers and the rest will usually follow.
Lesson 4: Always begin with the end in mind.
You may recognize this adage as one of The Seven Habits of Highly Successful People by Stephen Covey. It’s a powerful concept.
The Avengers Endgame is the capstone of a world-class case study in what “beginning with the end in mind” looks like in the real world.
Every film over a decade painstakingly added new characters and story-lines carefully woven together into a powerful tapestry of cinematography.
It’s a testament to thinking ahead.
Of course, there’s probably been many course adjustments along the way … as talent, opportunity, and even adversity, all manifested on the road to success.
In that regard, The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a lot like life and investing.
Yet very few folks we know are thinking that far ahead. But perhaps they should be.
In the Create Your Future Goals Retreat, one important outcome is to define your personal mission, vision, values and most important goals … for ALL areas of your life.
With clarity of vision, you can make better small decisions about how you want to live and fund a life you’ll be pleased with when you put you head on the pillow for that very last time.
Take time to plan a happy ending for YOUR endgame.
Lesson 5: Big dreams take time to build.
In the 22 films from Iron Man to The Avengers Endgame, Marvel Studios patiently constructed an entire “cinematic universe”.
It made the concept of a trilogy seem tiny. It was (and is) a BIG vision … and it took over a decade to develop.
In real estate, whether you’re assembling a powerful portfolio of properties or building a mega-million-dollar master planned development, it takes time and consistency to get it done.
Most people can’t think that big … and still pay attention to details at the same time. And many that do, can’t stay the course.
But when you do, you have a chance to accomplish something extraordinary.
Think big. Plan small. Stay the course.
Lesson 6: Together Everyone Achieve More.
TEAM is a huge theme both inside and outside The Avengers Endgame story line.
From the first Avengers film, where a self-absorbed Tony Stark transforms into someone willing to make the ultimate sacrifice …
… to the violently divisive Captain America – Civil War and The Avengers – Age of Ultron where division nearly destroys the team …
… The Avengers discover time and again their best chance for success is teamwork.
Of course, out in the real world, it took teams of writers, directors, actors, special effects, stunt people, production and marketing staff …
… all working together with diverse skills, backgrounds, personalities and perspectives …
… to make The Avengers Endgame the BIGGEST box-office success in history.
If you have aspirations to build a great real estate investing business or portfolio … ESPECIALLY if you’re syndicating, you’ll need a team.
Build a great team.
Finally, to paraphrase Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow when she unleashed The Hulk to smash the baddies … Go be an investing hero.
Until next time … good investing!
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