What if the condo you house-hacked during the Great Recession could snowball into an 8-figure flipping machine? Elisa Covington left a cushy Silicon-Valley tech job, survived a DIY disaster that almost broke her relationship, and now sells up to 20 homes a year across the Bay Area—all while mentoring newcomers and planning a nonprofit to educate girls in Asia. If you’re stuck between a boring W-2 and your first deal, this episode hands you the blueprint.

👤 Guest Bio

Elisa Covington is a Bay-Area–based real-estate investor, coach, author, and YouTuber behind Transform Real Estate. A Chinese immigrant with an MBA from Northwestern Kellogg, she has completed 80 + projects and grown an eight-figure flipping business by systemizing teams and partnerships. Her mission: prove that anyone—especially women and immigrants—can build wealth by turning neglected houses into opportunity.

🔑 Key Insights

💡 House hacking can seed your first flip—no angel investors required

💡 A painful DIY remodel often triggers the “hire pros” mindset shift

💡 Vet contractors first; Craigslist “deals” cost far more later

💡 Mentors mitigate risk and confidence gaps on nightmare projects

💡 Scaling = delegating: agents find deals, crews run sites, you steer vision

💡 Time freedom appears when you visit a project just 3–4 times total

💡 Mindset plateaus kill growth; aim higher to add 50 % revenue in a year

💡 Giving back (nonprofits, coaching) sustains long-term purpose

🕒 Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome to The Immi Wealth Builder

00:45 – From Google Beijing to Kellogg MBA & Corporate Burnout

03:07 – Buying First Condo at the Market Bottom as a Single Woman

04:29 – House-Hack & HELOC: Leverage that Funded Rental #1

05:58 – DIY Remodel That Almost Broke the Relationship

08:26 – The Flip Realization: “Wait, This is Flipping!”

12:48 – Flip Nightmare: Wrong Contractor, Victorian Money Pit

17:49 – Quitting 9-to-5 → 8 Flips → 15–20 a Year

21:45 – Building a Plug-and-Play Team (Agents, Crews, Stagers)

27:10 – Redefining Success: Freedom, Impact, and Fulfillment

29:19 – Future Nonprofit & ‘Building Education’ Charity Shout-Out

30:58 – Connect With Elisa

💛 Charity Spotlight

Building Education

– empowering rural communities through education, sustainable development, and leadership training to end poverty

Website: https://www.bebuildingeducation.org

Facebook: https://facebook.com/buildingeducation

Instagram: https://instagram.com/buildingeducation

YouTube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCDNC1fU-nJ9_1BqRYAp4f_w

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/buildingeducation

🤝 Connect With Our Guest

Elisa Covington

Founder, Transform Flipper Academy

Facebook: https://facebook.com/TransformRealEstate

Instagram: https://instagram.com/transformrealestate

YouTube: https://youtube.com/c/TransformRealEstate

👋 Connect with Your Host

Giang Nguyen

Founder, One River Capital

Multifamily Investor

Commercial Mortgage Broker

Website: https://onerivercapital.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/thatsalsainvestor

Facebook: https://facebook.com/thatsalsainvestor

FREE Discovery Call: https://links.onerivercapital.com/lets-connect

FREE Guide: https://links.onerivercapital.com/multifamily-syndication-guide

⭐ Enjoyed this episode?

💬 Send it to a friend who needs to hear this

🌟 Leave a quick review — it helps more immigrants find these stories

🎤 Got a story to share? Apply here: https://ig.onerivercapital.com/theimmiwealthbuilder