We’re looking forward to introducing you to Jim Fong. Check out our conversation below.
Good morning Jim, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
A recent moment that made me feel really proud was getting my YouTube plaque for 100,000 subscribers. When I started the channel, I figured it would be slow growth, maybe 10k or 20k in 2025 if I was consistent. I never saw myself as a “YouTuber,” just a real estate guy sharing what I wish I knew when I started. My marketing director said, “Let’s hit 100k in 2025” which I thought was maybe setting the bar too high. Later she admitted she wasn’t even sure, it was just something she needed us both to believe in. Apparently less than 1% of all channels ever reach that milestone, which makes it feel so surreal, and all the hours we’ve put in worth it.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Jim Fong, and I create YouTube content about real estate investing for everyday people who want to build real wealth. Everything I talk about comes from real experience. I’ve bought, held, refinanced, managed tenants, formed a property management company, lost money on deals, and made money on others. I walk viewers through the actual numbers, the mistakes, and the mindset behind why I make certain decisions. My channel, InvestwithJim, focuses on residential real estate strategies like long-term rentals, mid-term rentals, Airbnbs, house flipping and also market updates with some occasional deep dives on specific topics.
The feedback I hear the most from viewers is how they appreciate my direct, honest, and grounded advice in real scenarios. When I know something well, I show how I do it. When I don’t, I’ll openly share my research process and ask experts questions so everyone can learn with me. I think a lot of investors try to appear online like they know everything or act like they’ve never made a mistake. I’d rather show the entire journey, the ups and the downs; because that’s where people actually learn.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
Traveling abroad was one of the moments that really shaped how I see the world. I went to Hong Kong and China as a kid, and I gained a lot of perspective. Growing up in Idaho as an Asian kid, I always felt like an outsider. I thought that was just how life worked; that I was the odd one out no matter where I went. Then I got to Hong Kong and China and realized there are entire cities where people look like me, speak like me, and don’t see me as “different.” It was a culture shock in the best possible way.
That trip made me stop seeing myself as tied to one city, one state, or even one country. It gave me confidence early on to move, explore, start businesses, and take risks because I wasn’t carrying this mindset of being boxed in by geography or identity. It taught me that the world is much bigger than whatever environment you grew up in and that your perspective changes the moment you step outside of it.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
Something I would tell my younger self is to believe in your intuition. You don’t need everyone to validate the path you’re on. Take chances, try things, and understand that the best chapters come later, even if the early ones feel uncertain. I spent a lot of time second guessing myself and wondering if I was making the right moves, if people would approve, or if I should just play it safe. Looking back, every time I trusted my gut and kept showing up when it wasn’t necessarily easy, things worked out in ways better than I could predict.
There’s no perfect roadmap, there are so many different paths to success. You learn as you go, you adjust, and sometimes you fail. That’s fine. What matters is that you keep moving toward the life you want instead of settling into the one that feels comfortable. If I could talk to my younger self, I’d tell him: stop worrying about being behind or not having it all figured out. Keep working, keep asking questions, and don’t be afraid to bet on yourself. The best is always ahead of you, not behind.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
Something people get wrong about my industry is the idea that hitting certain numbers automatically means you’re making tons of money. After 3 million views and passing 180k subscribers, I had a lot of people asking, “So how much are you making from YouTube now?” as if crossing a milestone suddenly unlocks a passive, stable income stream. It doesn’t work like that. The algorithms change constantly, and you have to continuously work to keep your audience engaged. A channel can go stale fast if you stop producing quality content.
The truth is you have to keep earning people’s attention. You have to adapt, experiment, and ride the momentum when you have it. YouTube rewards relevance and consistency, not just past success. The work doesn’t stop when you grow, it actually gets harder.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Have you ever gotten what you wanted, and found it did not satisfy you?
Hitting 100k subscribers was exciting, but it wasn’t the “I made it” moment I thought it might be. There was no sudden feeling of arrival or relief. Instead, it gave me a different kind of clarity, it showed me that I was on the right track and that the work I’d been doing was actually resonating with people.
What surprised me was how quickly the feeling turned from celebration to responsibility. The milestone didn’t mean I could relax; it reminded me to double down on the habits and mindset that got me there in the first place.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jimmyfong.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/invest.with.jim/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejimfonggroup
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@investwithjim
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