Business

From Barrel Rolls to Flipping Houses: Bill Allen Shares His 7-Figure Secrets

Published

5 years ago

October 14, 2020

When was the last time you felt in control of defining your journey? One of the biggest lessons we’ve learned this past year is that nothing is guaranteed. Still, even in unpredictable times, preparation is the key to overcoming challenges and becoming the hero of your journey.

For Bill Allen, CEO of 7-Figure Flipping, his journey began when he received his ROTC scholarship for the Navy. He traded in his soccer uniform for a military one. There are two vital consistent elements to life in the military that have been transformative for him: The unpredictability of where he’d be headed to next and being surrounded by a community no matter where he went.

If there’s one thing Bill Allen knows, it’s consistently turning uncertainty into opportunity. An entrepreneur at heart, he used the frequent moves during his military service to carve out a new path in real estate.

At first, Bill bought and rented a few houses, mainly in Pensacola, Florida. It took him ten properties to decide that he needed to change his investment strategy. In 2014, Allen sold one of his properties to make a serious profit. That is when he decided to add flipping houses to his real estate investing portfolio. It was around that time that he came upon a community of experienced investors that offered mentorship, business advice, and networking opportunities.

“It’s important to surround yourself with the right people who know and do more than you do. I don’t want to be the person in the room who knows the most,” says Bill.

For Bill, it’s essential to be around those who will not only motivate you but push you to challenge yourself to reach the next level, and he’s no stranger to pushing beyond the limits. When it comes to success in every aspect of his life, determination and preparation have been constant.

However, preparation can only take you so far if you are not ready to act.

He did not wait until he was “fully prepared” to leap into his real estate career. Bill remained in the Navy full-time while he jumped into a new venture because acting was the best way to stay ready while building flexibility into his regimented life. That flexibility has helped him navigate life’s uncertainties, from military moves to his son James’s heart surgeries, to an unprecedented pandemic sweeping the globe.

No amount of preparation can prepare a parent to deal with their child having to have multiple heart surgeries within the first few years of his life. For Bill Allen, although community has always been important in life and business, his son’s surgeries were pivotal in making one thing clear:

Surrounding yourself with the right community can make all the difference in the world when overcoming the highs and lows during your journey.

Community as strength

Those who come to Bill for advice on real estate investing know that they can expect to receive practical strategies rooted in real experiences by someone who’s whole-heartedly invested in his community. Bill doesn’t shy away from sharing with his community the struggles and vulnerabilities he faced in his personal life. For him, what started as another business venture grew into a supportive community where he continues to pay it forward by sharing his system to others learning how to be the hero of their journey.

That’s why Bill is excited to bring this year’s Flip Hacking Live, the flagship 3-day event for house flippers and wholesalers, right into his community’s homes. It was the 7-Figure Flipping mastermind group that changed his mindset and approach to life and business, leading him to create a successful real estate company. Blackjack Real Estate ranked #206 on the INC 500 awards of America’s fastest-growing private companies and #6 in real estate, with a whopping three-year revenue growth of 2,081%. Bill has always been devoted to sharing his knowledge with others. He decided to turn the uncertainty of this year into an opportunity to create a brand-new experience.

This is more than just another virtual event. It’s a community coming together in a safe environment where they will be with others who have similar vulnerabilities and fears, working on building a successful business in uncertain times. There is no fluff in the 7-Figure Flipping mastermind group. It’s real people sharing real advice in a supportive environment, helping you overcome your struggles.

Why learn about house flipping now? Because when genuine opportunities come, you can join the wave of people learning them, or you can already be in a position to succeed. Flip Hacking Live will help ensure that you’re part of the latter group.

So, are you ready to give yourself permission to succeed at the next level, learning Bill’s house flipping secrets from the comfort of your own home? You can register today and use the promo code FLIP5 to get exclusive bonus recordings from previous events. For more information, or to claim a ticket now, visit: https://fliphackinglive.com/virtual2020.

Business

Scaling Strategies for Bootstrapped Founders: Why Smart Startup Entrepreneurs are Ditching Traditional Agencies for Leaner Growth Machines

Published

2 days ago

September 4, 2025

Matthew Wiles

Today’s startups need to scale at top speed. Conventional methods for achieving business growth and revenue early are under fire. That’s why more and more savvy founders are abandoning the traditional marketing agency business model. They realize that the rules of the game have changed.

Leading this shift is Pablo Gerboles Parrilla, founder of Pabs Marketing. He’s a techpreneur and CEO whose unique perspective marries technological insight and marketing expertise.

For today’s founders, Gerboles believes the message is clear: cash flow and profitability don’t depend on VC funding. It’s time to ditch old-school agencies and turn to leaner, more flexible growth machines.

The age of scaling a bootstrapped startup: Why founders choose to scale without external funding or venture capital

“Startups are nothing like the established corporations traditional agencies are built to serve,” Gerboles says. “They need to be nimble and conserve their resources. The last things they need are bloated services with hidden fees and lengthy contracts. They need results, and they needed them yesterday.”

Traditional agencies position themselves as one-stop shops for marketing and growth, offering extensive teams and shiny presentations, but their campaigns come with a hefty price tag. Those structures work well for Fortune 500 companies needing big-budget omnichannel campaigns. For startups? They often translate to high retainers and little flexibility.

“If you’re a startup founder, wasting time and resources on presentations that don’t lead to actionable growth isn’t an option,” Gerboles explains. “You have to be data-driven and relentless in finding what works. Traditional agencies are just too slow and cumbersome to deliver.”

Successful bootstrapping can lead to sustainable growth: Lean growth machines for lean operations

Gerboles spent the last six years helping founders to scale their businesses quickly and sustainably. His background in technology and marketing enables these founders to break free from outdated agency models in favor of smarter alternatives. He combines lean growth machines built on systems and sophisticated AI-powered tools with the power of micro-agencies and niche contractors.

“Agility is everything,” Gerboles shares. “The best founders today aren’t looking for creativity for its own sake. They want to see scalable solutions.”

The foundation of Gerboles’s philosophy lies in automating human-driven processes through software. Whether automating lead generation and funnel tracking, optimizing campaigns for performance with AI, or streamlining day-to-day operational tasks, smart automation reduces costs and enables companies to scale faster.

Take marketing strategy, for example. Instead of handing over control to a traditional large-scale agency, modern founders can engage niche micro-agencies with expertise in specific domains like paid media, SEO, or influencer campaigns. These smaller, hyper-focused teams are far more nimble, deliver measurable ROI, and cost a fraction of the price.

“When you combine these micro-agencies with contractors and automation, you’ve bypassed a lot of unnecessary overhead,” Gerboles explains.

The importance of accountability, transparency, and results in scaling strategies for bootstrapped founders

For Gerboles, one major shortfall of traditional agencies is the lack of true accountability. “You don’t want vague creative promises or KPIs that could mean anything,” he says. “You want sharp goals and clear deliverables. Most of all, you want systems that let you track performance in real time. Nothing builds trust and drives results faster than data-driven accountability.”

The shift away from agencies is primarily driven by concerns over transparency and reliability. By leveraging smaller, specialized teams or AI-powered tools, startups can maintain a tighter grasp on their marketing and growth. When they find what works, they can iterate quickly based on live campaign data.

“Smart founders don’t have time to wait weeks for an update,” Gerboles quips. “When you build lean growth machines, you’re always connected to your performance metrics. You can pivot instantly. This model rewards consistency and strategic risk-taking.”

When Gerboles designs systems for startups, he emphasizes performance certainty. He eliminates guesswork and sticks to systems that work. It’s a philosophy that resonates with modern entrepreneurs who value clarity and efficiency above all else.

Scaling strategies for bootstrapped founders who don’t consider external funding: a blend of technology and micro-agencies

The evolution Gerboles champions is already well underway. The rise of AI, no-code platforms, and automation tools means startups can do more with less — and faster — than ever. Solutions like automated campaign optimization, predictive analytics, and content creation tools enable startups to scale their output without hiring a large team or committing to an agency’s payroll.

Meanwhile, on-demand contractors and micro-agencies provide laser-focused expertise on an as-needed basis. Whether it’s bringing in a TikTok ads expert for a short-term boost, hiring a conversion copywriter for a product launch, or testing AI-powered chatbots for lead management, lean growth machines are redefining the agility game.

“An expert contractor or a micro-agency specializing in your exact need will always be faster and better than the ‘generalist’ vibes you get from old-school agencies,” Gerboles notes. “Specialization and precision are the name of the game now.”

Founders who want to lead in the new era of business are increasingly following the path Pablo Gerboles lays out. They are choosing smarter systems, investing in the right tech stack, prioritizing accountability, and embracing speed at every level.

“Business isn’t a time to play safe,” Pablo says. “It’s about innovation and pushing edges within a clear strategy. Surround yourself with agile partners, hold processes to results, and find the tools that help you stay lean. That’s how you win in today’s game.”

Gerboles is a thoughtful entrepreneur committed to helping business leaders reinvent their approach to growth. From ideation to execution, his advice rings true: leave the bloated bureaucracy of yesterday’s agencies behind and build lean growth machines fueled by agility and results.