WHY I SAY NO TO 90% OF DEALS (AND YOU SHOULD TOO)

Hey Team,

Saying “no” is your strongest investment strategy.

Most people think the key to becoming a successful investor is finding more deals.

It’s not.

It’s about building the confidence to say no to the wrong ones—fast.

The deeper I get into real estate, private lending, and alternative investments, the more I realize:

It’s not the yeses that define your returns. It’s the no’s that protect them.

I say no to 90% of the deals that come across my desk.

And that’s by design.

How I Filter Deals (and Avoid the Noise)

A few years ago, I came across a powerful framework from Justin Donald, author of The Lifestyle Investor. He introduced something called the TRIAD framework—and it changed how I vet every single deal.

I’ve since made it a core part of how I invest.

This isn’t just about investment metrics like IRR or cash-on-cash returns. It’s about alignment, integrity, and strategy. Here’s how it works:

The 3-Layer Filter I Use for Every Deal

Layer 1: Lifestyle Alignment

• Does this move me closer to time freedom?

• Does it support my long-term wealth and legacy goals?

• Is this something I’d feel proud owning and sharing with others?

If the answer is no, the deal doesn’t go any further.

Layer 2: The TRIADS Filter

(Shoutout to Justin Donald at The Lifestyle Investor for this game-changing framework)

• T – Time: Is this truly passive? Can I scale my time out of it?

• R – Risk: What’s the downside? Can I afford the worst-case scenario?

• I – Integrity: Is this something I believe in and feel good about?

• A – Allocation: Am I already overexposed in this category?

• D – Dollars: Is this the best use of my capital today?

• S – Start With No: Every deal starts as a “no” until proven otherwise.

This layer helps me separate flashy deals from strategic ones.

Layer 3: Deal Mechanics

Only after a deal passes the first two layers do I evaluate:

• Cash flow and return of capital timeline

• Sponsor track record and skin in the game

• Fees, waterfall structure, tax implications

• Liquidity and downside protection

The Real Flex? Discipline.

Anyone can say yes when a deal looks good on the surface.

But elite investors are disciplined enough to walk away when something doesn’t align.

If you’re serious about building long-term wealth and financial freedom, you need to protect your capital like it’s your most valuable asset—because it is.

Want to Vet Deals Like I Do?

I just put together a tool I use internally called the DK Investment Vetting Checklist. It’s built around the TRIAD framework from Justin Donald—and layered with my own criteria from nearly a decade of investing.

You can download it here for free →https://docs.google.com/document/d/11jiYCdzvqRdB1VkBJ9VlSTGmt-1-UoxyHPTRPpFGAo4/edit?usp=sharing

It’ll help you:

• Filter out bad deals in 5 minutes or less

• Clarify your investment philosophy

• Stop second-guessing every opportunity

Because at the end of the day, saying no is what creates space for the right yes.