The Vault View: Buying Back Your Time & Growing Smarter
We love getting our hands dirty.
From fixing a leaky faucet to swapping out flooring, the do-it-yourself mindset is part of our DNA. Growing up, we watched our parents repair and renovate their own homes and rentals — it was just the way things were done.
But as we’ve grown Vault Ventures, one truth has become more and more clear:
Sometimes, the smartest thing you can do is pay someone else to do the work.
The $150 Lawn Mower Lesson
A couple weekends ago, we decided to change the belt and blades on our riding mower. After four trips to Tractor Supply, seven hours of wrestling with the deck, a few scrapes and bruises, and a whole lot of creative language… the mower ran perfectly again.
We “saved” maybe $100–$150.
But we spent seven hours doing it.
Seven hours we could have used for:
- Taking the family on an adventure
- Casting a line for lunch along the lake
- Working through a sales file or meeting new clients
- Tackling rental repairs that only we can do
- Or simply recharging for the week ahead
Will we remember how to do it three years from now when it needs replacing again? Probably not. And that’s exactly where the lesson hit home.
The Real Value of Time
The book Buy Back Your Time put it simply:
If someone can do a task better and faster than you, and your time could be spent on higher-value work, hire them.
In rentals and real estate, this isn’t just about dollars per hour — it’s about momentum. Every hour we spend on something someone else could do better is an hour we’re not building relationships, finding opportunities, or improving our properties in meaningful ways.
Growing Vault Ventures the Smart Way
Since COVID pushed us to rethink our business, we’ve grown from 4 properties and 12 doors to 8 properties and 30 doors — including two more properties and three more doors in progress this year. Our portfolio now includes:
- Long-term rentals to help address local housing needs
- Furnished monthly rentals for traveling nurses, doctors, contractors, professors, and more
- Vacation rentals on lakes and trails for visitors to enjoy the UP
- Laundromat and vending services for guests and the community
- Garage storage rentals for boats, ATVs, and other seasonal needs
We’ve also found a passion for reviving empty properties — turning neglected homes into livable spaces and converting commercial units into much-needed apartments.
Growing People Alongside Properties
As we expand, we want to grow people just as much as properties. We’d love to bring on motivated, self-driven individuals who want to own their work, grow their skills, and help us build new branches of Vault Ventures.
Know someone handy with appliances?
We could keep them busy while building a repair service that they could grow into their own income stream. The same goes for:
- Plowing
- Yard maintenance
- Cleaning
- Renovations
If you know someone who thrives on independence, wants to bring value to their community, and is ready to grow with us, have them reach out. Between our properties and our connections, we can build out all kinds of opportunities — and we’d love to discuss ideas with the right people.
Because in the end, buying back our time isn’t about doing less — it’s about doing more of what matters most, with the right people by our side.