Get the Midterm Rental Insurance Blueprint: https://experimentrealestate.com/#blueprintIn this immersive episode of In The Lab, Ruben sits down with Melissa Darnay, founder of Choose Panama and host of The Panama Podcast. Melissa shares her remarkable story of turning personal tragedy into purpose by relocating to Panama and building a thriving real estate and hospitality business. What started as a leap of faith became a decade-plus journey of entrepreneurship, lifestyle freedom, and helping hundreds of expats find their own piece of paradise.

Melissa reveals the practical and financial benefits of living in Panama—from 50% lower living costs to property tax exemptions and affordable beachfront real estate. She breaks down residency options, cultural differences, and how her vertically integrated business helps newcomers transition smoothly through real estate, rentals, and concierge services. Ruben and Melissa also explore mindset, manifestation, and how building a life abroad is both a financial and personal evolution.

If you’re looking to design a lifestyle of freedom, explore international real estate, or discover what’s possible beyond U.S. borders, this episode is your invitation. Tune in now to learn how Melissa built a 40+ unit short-term rental business, developed a powerful expat network, and created a life by design—one bold decision at a time.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE EPISODE:

08:59 Melissa talks about the “richness of life in Panama

48:19 Melissa talks about breaking down hard things to make them easier to deal with

KEEPING IT REAL:

05:00 – How grief and change led to a new life abroad

10:08 – What “richness of life” means in Panama

13:16 – How far your dollar goes: real estate, insurance, and cost of living

20:05 – 50% cost savings and comparison with Dallas & Miami

22:05 – Real estate journey and early education

26:03 – Transitioning into Panama real estate and finding her niche

29:16 – Using vacation rentals to help expats experience Panama

32:02 – How to buy property or establish residency in Panama

36:20 – Building a property management and STR business from scratch

40:43 – Why concierge services matter for expats

43:04 – Learning through mistakes and building a team

47:00 – Navigating culture and building a high-end brand abroad

48:44 – Melissa’s mindset on grit, problem solving, and manifestation

53:11 – Choose Panama’s vertical integration: buy, manage, rent, repeat

54:04 – The Panama Podcast: content formats and funnel strategy

59:06 – Sneak peek at virtual reality tour experience launching soon

1:01:16 – Final thoughts on taking your life and talents overseas

CONNECT WITH THE GUEST

Website: https://www.choosepanama.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissadarnay/?originalSubdomain=pa

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/melissadarnayuncorked/

#ChoosePanama #ExpatsInPanama #InternationalRealEstate #LifestyleDesign #ShortTermRentals #RealEstateInvesting #LiveAbroad

Get the Midterm Rental Insurance Blueprint: https://experimentrealestate.com/#blueprint

In this inspiring episode of In The Lab, we're joined by Brian Hatcher, founder and CEO of Hatch Capital, and Aaron Appleton, his trusted partner in Hatch Capital property management and founder of Mirror Haus Collection micro resort. Together they’ve moved from managing short-term rentals to curating branded micro resort experiences— both collectively and individually building their own respective brands Orenda by Brian Hatcher and Mirror Haus Collection Hauss by Aaron Appleton.

Brian Hatcher is the founder and CEO of Hatch Capital, a real estate investment and consulting firm focused on experiential hospitality and lifestyle-based asset creation. Brian started in the real estate space by house hacking and building data-driven systems that evolved into a vertically integrated business as seen in our previous episode Real Estate Hacking: Serial House Hacker to Developer. Now, he leads development efforts on branded micro resorts designed to deliver intentional guest experiences and long-term value.

Aaron Appleton is the Founder/CEO - Mirror Haus Collection, a real estate entrepreneur, strategic operator, and creative mind behind several real estate ventures. He has a background in short-term rental management and is now spearheading operations, team culture, and design strategy for the duo’s micro resort developments. Aaron brings a strong emphasis on intentionality, vision, and brand alignment to every aspect of their projects, pushing the limits of what hospitality can look and feel like.

In this episode, we dive deep into the power of vision, mindset, and aligned partnerships. Brian and Aaron share how their journey began with managing short-term rentals and evolved into developing bespoke micro resort experiences that serve both investors and guests. The conversation highlights how vision clarity, execution discipline, and long-term alignment create meaningful and sustainable business models.

We explore the mindset shifts required to level up in real estate—from chasing cash flow to building brand equity and hospitality that lasts. Ruben, Brian, and Aaron also reflect on personal growth, the impact of mentorship, and why leaders must be intentional with their direction, community, and legacy.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE EPISODE:

20:42 Brian talks about having a vision as an important part of leadership

24:38 Aaron talks about redirection.

KEEPING IT REAL:

04:00 – Presence, mindset, and living where your feet are

05:00 – Knowing who you are vs. who you're not

07:00 – Avoiding goal paralysis by letting go of the “how”

09:30 – Defining a clear vision and creating from intentionality

11:00 – Visualization and the neuroscience of future-building

14:00 – Breaking free from society’s agenda and asking what you want

16:20 – Core values: Health, wealth, love, and happiness

18:50 – The balance between manifestation and doing the work

20:10 – Levels of leadership and visionary communication

22:00 – Blocking out noise to stay on mission

23:40 – Redirecting vs. exiting: Knowing the difference

26:00 – Why micro resorts are the next evolution beyond STRs

30:30 – Building irreplicable hospitality brands

33:00 – The global vision for boutique experiential stays

36:00 – Success clues, mentorship, and modeling behaviors

38:00 – Giving flowers, building community, and reflecting legacy

CONNECT WITH THE GUEST

Brian

Website: https://hatch-capital.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-hatcher-82034450/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hatch_capital/

Aaron

Website: https://hatch-capital.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-appleton-86228323b/

#MicroResorts #ExperientialHospitality #VisionaryLeadership #RealEstateDevelopment #ShortTermRentals #STRtoResorts #MindsetMatters #BuildWithPurpose

Want to work with me and learn the power of Mid-Term Rentals Insurance?https://experimentrealestate.com/submit

Get the FREE Mid-Term Rental Insurance Blueprint: https://experimentrealestate.com/#blueprint

In this game-changing episode of In The Lab, Ruben links up with serial house hacker and investor and close friend Brian Hatcher to unpack the real estate cheat codes most people overlook. From their San Diego yacht-side conversation to boots-on-the-ground investing plays, this episode is packed with insider knowledge on how to hack your way into wealth without cutting corners. Brian shares his real-world blueprint for finding properties with in-law units or ADUs, leveraging low down payment loans, and eliminating your biggest expense—housing.

Ruben and Brian also go deep on the importance of playing the long game, why real estate is the ultimate end goal for wealth parking, and how you can build a sustainable portfolio without quitting your 9-5. They break down strategies for short-term and midterm rentals, cover the realities of e-commerce “fake wins,” and reveal how to make clean, sleep-at-night plays that actually last and build a legacy.

If you’re tired of the flashy quick wins and want a real plan that builds wealth over time strategically, this is the blueprint episode you need. Tune in now to discover how to stack smart real estate plays, house hack your first (or next) deal, and build long-term financial freedom the clean way.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE EPISODE:

06:28 Brian talks about why entrepreneurs will always come back to real estate

14:28 Brian talks about really helping people

KEEPING IT REAL:

02:00 - The blueprint that helped Ruben house hack his first property

03:45 - Finding single-family homes with ADUs and in-law suites

04:50 - Why house hacking beats multifamily for first-time buyers

06:00 - How to stack equity, appreciation, and cash flow legally

07:00 - Renting vs. real estate: What the wealthy do with their money

12:00 - What high earners and doctors are realizing about short-term rentals

12:45 - Cost segregation, taxes, and keeping more of what you earn

15:00 - Credit hacking vs. credit literacy: What's ethical and what's not

17:00 - The myth of $100k months in e-comm and what gets left out

18:30 - Scaling from house hacks to short-term rentals and resorts

Connect with Brian:

Website: https://hatch-capital.com/

#HouseHacking #ADUInvesting #ShortTermRentals #FinancialFreedom #RealEstateHacks #PassiveIncome #CleanPlaysOnly