How FOCUS Helped Me Raise 9 Figures in Capital

When I was 22 or 23 years old, I heard a piece of advice that changed my life. It came from none other than Robert Kiyosaki, author of Rich Dad Poor Dad. He said:

“Focus stands for Follow One Course Until Successful.”

At the time, I didn’t fully grasp how powerful those words were. But as I applied this principle over the years, I realized that focus isn’t just helpful—it’s absolutely essential for success, especially in raising capital.

Here’s how this lesson helped me go from learning the basics of capital raising to successfully securing over 9 figures in private capital and growing a thriving portfolio of deals.

Why Focus Matters in Raising Capital

Raising capital is one of the most challenging, yet rewarding, skills you can develop. But too many people make the mistake of spreading themselves too thin. They try to do it all—networking with everyone, chasing every lead, or using strategies that aren’t aligned with their strengths.

This leads to burnout, frustration, and a lack of real progress.

The truth is, success doesn’t come from doing everything. It comes from doing the right things—consistently and with intentionality—until you’ve mastered them.

When I first started, I knew nothing about raising capital. But I made a decision: if I was going to succeed, I would focus entirely on mastering this skill. I committed to:

• ✨Learning the psychology of investors
• ✨Building systems for outreach and follow-up
• ✨Developing trust-building strategies

This level of focus helped me refine my approach, build a network of trusted investors, and create systems that now make capital raising efficient and scalable.

Actionable Steps for Staying Focused

If you want to master focus and apply it to raising capital, follow these actionable steps:

4️⃣ Set a Clear Goal Start with a well-defined objective. Ask yourself:

• ✨ How much capital do I need to raise?
• ✨What types of investors am I targeting?
• ✨What’s my timeline to achieve this goal?

For example, instead of saying, “I want to raise capital,” your goal could be, “I want to raise $1 million in private capital within the next 6 months for a multifamily property.”

A clear goal keeps you aligned and prevents distractions.

4️⃣ Choose One Core Skill to Master Pick one skill at a time to focus on, such as perfecting your investor pitch or building trust through consistent follow-ups. Avoid trying to juggle multiple new strategies at once.

For example, if outreach is your focus, dedicate time to mastering platforms like LinkedIn or refining your email scripts until they consistently generate leads.

 4️⃣ Build a Repeatable System Success isn’t about effort alone—it’s about efficiency. Create systems that allow you to repeat successful actions without reinventing the wheel.

Success isn’t about effort alone—it’s about efficiency. Create systems that allow you to repeat successful actions without reinventing the wheel.

Start with these foundational systems:

• ✨ Investor Outreach: Create a process for identifying and contacting potential investors
• ✨Follow-Up Strategy: Use templates or tools like CRMs to track and nurture leads
• ✨Pitch Presentation: Develop a polished, reusable pitch deck that aligns with your investors’ goals

4️⃣Track and Optimize Your Actions Regularly review what’s working and what’s not. Ask yourself:

• ✨ Are my outreach strategies leading to meaningful conversations?
• ✨Are investors responding positively to my pitch?
• ✨ Where can I improve my process?

Tracking results ensures you’re focusing on actions that drive progress while cutting out those that don’t.

Eliminate Distractions Focus requires saying “no” to things that don’t align with your goals. This could mean reducing time spent on low-priority tasks or avoiding strategies that don’t resonate with your strengths.

For example, if cold calling isn’t yielding results but networking events are, double down on what works.

The Full-Circle Moment

Recently, I had the humbling opportunity to speak at a private event filled with 8- and 9-figure entrepreneurs. What made the experience even more incredible was that Robert Kiyosaki himself was in the audience.

It was a full-circle moment for me, reflecting on how his advice shaped my journey early on. It reminded me of the lasting power of focus—not just for raising capital but for building trust, creating value, and achieving long-term success.

Why FOCUS Works

Here’s why focus is such a game-changer in raising capital:

• ✨ It builds expertise. By dedicating yourself to one area, you become a master. Investors are drawn to people who know their craft inside and out. 
• ✨ It creates momentum. Small, consistent wins compound over time. Focus allows you to make progress and see tangible results. 
• ✨ It builds trust with investors. Investors want to work with people who are clear, intentional, and reliable. If you’re scattered or inconsistent, it’s hard to inspire confidence.

The Focus Framework for Capital Raisers

Here’s a simple framework to help you stay focused and make progress:

• ✨ Clarify Your Role: Decide how you want to be seen by investors—trusted advisor, expert in a specific asset class, or dealmaker with proven results. 
• ✨ Streamline Your Strategy: Simplify your approach. For example, focus on one method of attracting investors, like LinkedIn networking, and master it before trying others. 
• ✨ Measure Progress: Set benchmarks and regularly evaluate your actions. This could be the number of investors contacted each week or the total amount of capital raised each quarter. 
• ✨ Adapt When Necessary: Focus doesn’t mean rigidity. If something isn’t working, adjust your strategy—but only after giving it enough time to produce results.

Final Thoughts

Focus isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a mindset and a strategy.

If you’re struggling to grow your portfolio or attract more investors, take a step back. Are you trying to do too much? Are you chasing results instead of mastering the process?

The answer might not be to “do more.” It might be to FOCUS.

💡 This shift—from trying everything to focusing on what matters most—completely changed my trajectory. It’s the reason I’ve raised well into 9 figures in private capital and built a network of trusted investors.

Focus is what allows you to master one skill, build trust, and scale your success.

Follow me on: 

• LinkedIn: @MarcinDrozdz
• YouTube:  @MarcinDrozdz
• Instagram: @MarcinDrozdz
• Facebook:  @MarcinDrozdz
  
  

The information contained herein is for general guidance on matters of interest only. This information contained herein is not intended to provide you with any advice on financial planning, investment, insurance, legal, accounting, tax or similar matters and should not be relied upon for such purposes. Marcin Drozdz, M1 Real Capital Inc are not financial, legal or tax advisers. You should assess whether you require such advisers and additional information and, where appropriate, seek independent professional advice. You understand this to be an expression of opinions and not professional advice. You are solely responsible for any actions you take with the content and hold Marcin Drozdz and M1 Real Capital Inc or any of it's affiliates harmless in any event or claim.