What happens when you walk away from a lucrative career, get knocked out in front of thousands of people and lose your fortune — not once, but twice?
On this episode of Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered, James Dwiggins and Keith Robinson sit down with Lawrence Dunning, a former professional MMA fighter, financial trader and real estate broker at Fulton Grace Realty, to explore an unconventional journey through wealth, failure and rebuilding.
After making significant money trading derivatives, Lawrence left finance to pursue professional fighting. But when his trading career was no longer an option, he had to start over in real estate. Years later, a failed development partnership cost him approximately $1 million and led to years of litigation.
Lawrence shares how fighting taught him to confront fear, why making money and keeping money require completely different skills, and how real estate investing can contribute to long-term financial freedom.
They also discuss inflation, Bitcoin, the importance of daily discipline and why building genuine relationships remains one of the most valuable skills in real estate.
Highlights
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- How an MMA knockout changed Lawrence’s perspective on fear and failure
- Why making money and keeping money require different skills
- How real estate investing can support long-term wealth building
- Why discipline and consistency matter more than shortcuts
- How relationships create lasting success in real estate
Lawrence also explains why financial freedom through real estate requires understanding investing, risk and the impact of inflation on purchasing power.
Drawing from his experience in trading, professional fighting and property development, he shares how setbacks can become opportunities for personal and professional growth.
For anyone pursuing financial freedom through real estate, this conversation offers a perspective on resilience, investing and the importance of staying optimistic during difficult markets.
Discover why financial freedom through real estate isn’t just about accumulating wealth. It’s about developing the knowledge, habits and relationships to sustain it.
Connect with Lawrence Dunningon LinkedIn, Linktr.ee and online at teamdunning.com.
Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered is now exclusively on Inman. Tune in for agent- and team-focused content on Mondays and leadership interviews on Wednesdays each week. Listen on Apple or Spotify.
James Dwiggins is the president of NextHome, Inc. and co-host of Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered.
Keith Robinson is the president of strategy at NextHome, Inc. and co-host of Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered.
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The views and opinions expressed on Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered are those of the hosts and guests in their personal capacities and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of AGNT, Inc., eXp Realty, LLC, NextHome, Inc., or any of their respective affiliates, subsidiaries, officers, or directors.
