#45: Aaron Hale

Aaron Hale is a former Army bomb disposal tech who, after being severely injured in Afghanistan and losing his sight and hearing, has gone on to run ultramarathons, start a successful confections company, and build a cash-flowing real estate portfolio. In this episode, you'll hear why Aaron left a cushy gig as a Navy chef to tackle one of the riskiest jobs in the world. He also shares a detailed account of his injury; exactly what it feels like to go blind and deaf; how he travels, cooks, climbs mountains, and leads teams; and the silver linings he's found along the way. Aaron also talks about:

- What it felt like to be blinded by an improvised explosive device and the immediate aftermath of the blast

- His recovery at Walter Reed, and going from "why did this happen to me" to "why is this happening for me"

- How not consuming TV or social media content has affected his productivity

- The role cooking played in his recovery and founding a successful fudge company

- Running a 135-mile race in Death Valley and kayaking through whitewater rapids while blind

- His first real estate deal, where nothing went according to plan 

- How he BRRRR'd a Short Term Rental

- His advice to his younger self  

- An epic quote that Brandon might steal

Books mentioned:

- The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership

- Man's Search for Meaning

- The Book on Managing Rental Properties by Brandon Turner

Aaron's charitable cause: Building Homes for Heroes, a 501(c)(3) that builds and modifies homes for gold star families and injured first responders. Aaron was a recipient of their work; see his story here.

Sponsor: BetterLife Tribe, our accountability mastermind dedicated to helping you build wealth without losing your soul

Connect with Aaron:

- Point of Impact Podcast

- Aaron's company, EODFudge

- EOD Fudge TikTok ("Cookin without Lookin")