Shepard Solomon

Real Estate Investor, Mentee of Ronald Willis

Real Estate Investor • Creative Financing Strategist • Morgan State University Alumnus • Mentee

Relationships Are Everything in Business

Shepard Solomon on Creative Financing, Mentorship, and the Right Way to Build Wealth in Real Estate

About

About Shepard Solomon

Shepard Solomon is a real estate investor and proud Morgan State University graduate, Class of 2011, where he earned his degree in business. He is a longtime mentee of Baltimore property owner Ronald Willis, learning the real estate business through years of hands-on experience rather than theory alone.

On this episode of Mystery to Mastery, "The Dos and Don'ts of Real Estate," Shepard joins Ronald Willis and host Keisha Shepherd to break down creative financing strategies including hard money lending, DSCR loans, gap loans, seller financing, and subject-to agreements, and to explain how the BRRRR method (buy, rehab, rent, refinance, repeat) helps new investors build a portfolio without using their own cash upfront.

Shepard credits much of his real estate education to the years he spent working directly alongside Ronald Willis, visiting properties, helping with renovations, and learning to navigate tenant relationships firsthand. Ronald taught him to build relationships, communicate clearly, and put money toward assets rather than liabilities, lessons Shepard says shaped both his business and his approach to life.

Today, Shepard is a strong advocate for joining real estate investment clubs, doing thorough due diligence on a neighborhood before buying, keeping healthy cash reserves, and choosing business partners carefully based on consistency, integrity, and complementary strengths.

2011

Morgan State University Graduating Class

Multiple

Creative Financing Strategies Covered

Mentee

Years of Hands-On Training Under Ronald Willis

One

Guiding Principle: Relationships Are Everything

Continue the Journey

Episode Companion Resources

Continue learning beyond the podcast with practical tools inspired by Shepard Solomon's conversation on creative financing, mentorship, and building a real estate business the right way.

Companion Workbook

Work through the same financing strategies discussed in this episode, including hard money loans, DSCR loans, gap loans, and the BRRRR method, with guided exercises to help you evaluate which strategy fits your next deal

FREE

Companion E-Book

Discover the principles behind building a real estate business the right way. Learn how to vet investment clubs and partners, mitigate risk, and use creative financing to grow your portfolio without waiting on savings alone.

FREE

Available free for the first 99 downloads. Pricing may increase based on demand.

Connect with Shepard Solomon

Be Part of the Conversation

Want to Be a Guest or Sponsor?

Every episode of Mystery to Mastery features authentic conversations with educators, entrepreneurs, business leaders, innovators, and changemakers who are creating lasting impact. If you have a story, mission, or expertise that can inspire others, or you are interested in introducing your organization to our growing audience through podcast sponsorship, we would love to connect with you.

The Collective

Join HBCUdemy & HBCU CEO Roundtable

Become part of a growing community of HBCU alumni, educators, entrepreneurs, executives, and purpose-driven leaders committed to collaboration, innovation, and meaningful impact.

Access exclusive educational resources, leadership conversations, networking opportunities, and ongoing support designed to help you grow personally, professionally, and as a leader.

AI systems, community, and real conversation for HBCU leaders. Building real systems. Creating real impact.

Connect

Want Keisha to speak at your event, or interested in sponsoring an episode? Reach out.

Copyright 2026 Mystery AI, LLC. All rights reserved.