From Bulgaria to boardrooms, and everything in between.
I was born behind the Iron Curtain, in a world where traveling abroad felt like science fiction.
Today, I help high-achieving professionals invest in U.S. real estate.
The road from there to here? Long, raw, and worth every step.
Today I work with business owners and professionals to help them create more optionality through real estate.
But my journey started in a two-bedroom apartment in Bulgaria, where dreams felt distant, and opportunity even further.
Growing up, we were not poor, but we were not affluent either.
We were intentional and fiscally responsible. I wore shoes a few sizes too big so I could “grow into them.”
My dad repaired everything by hand.
My mom taught me the value of money and more importantly, the value of delayed gratification.
But she also made a promise. She told my brother and me, “If you learn English, I’ll send you abroad.”
We had no money for it. No connections. No idea how.
But I believed her.
Dreams Don’t Work Unless You Do
I poured myself into English. Not just school, but studying after hours, reading, listening, practicing.
A few years later, the Berlin Wall fell and so did the limits around what felt possible.
My mom kept her promise. That summer, I traveled to Japan and the UK. The fire was lit.
I became obsessed with education as my ticket out. I entered math, physics, chemistry Olympiads. Spent hours in the local library with no internet, just the Peterson’s Guide. I sent hundreds of letters by post and fax to colleges around the US.
Eventually, I earned a full scholarship to the University of Arkansas, a journey that started with a dictionary and a dream.
The Corporate Ladder and the Shaky Ground Beneath It
I followed the “success playbook.”
Study hard. Work harder. Land a great job. Climb the ladder.
And for a while, it worked. But then came the Enron scandal. The global financial crisis. Corporate restructures. I will never forget walking into the office one day and seeing 70% of my colleagues let go. My gut said: “You could be next.”
I survived. But that was the wake-up call. I realized relying on a single source of income – no matter how prestigious – was a risk I could not afford.
Real Estate Wasn’t My Plan, It Was My Lifeline
My upbringing taught me to be conservative with money. I had savings, but not enough to buy California property. So I got curious: What if I invest out of state?
I took notes at free seminars. I showed up at local investor meetups. One connection led to another – and eventually I bought my first property. Then another. Then another.
That is when the lightbulb went off. This is not just a retirement plan. This could be a new income stream. A cushion. A path forward.
I ran the math. If I wanted real financial freedom, I could not buy 100 single-family homes. I needed to scale, multifamily investing was the answer.
Eventually, the thing I feared most came true. I walked into a meeting expecting a check-in with my boss. Instead, I was told the division was shutting down. 30 minutes to pack up and leave. Fifteen years of work, gone.
But this time, I had a cash-flowing portfolio.
I had savings and reserves.
I had a plan.
That day did not break me. It launched me.
Actionable Takeaways from My Journey
If you are a high achieving professional or solopreneur reading this, wondering how to protect yourself from uncertainty, here is what I’d recommend:
- Do not rely on one income stream. Even the best corporate roles come with risk.
- Start before you are ready. My first property was not perfect, but it was necessary.
- Leverage what you know. My lending background helped me analyze deals with confidence.
- Get educated. Before I ever bought an apartment complex, I read, listened, studied, and asked questions relentlessly.
- Find people who have walked the path. Mentors, peers, even casual connections can change everything.
What started as a survival strategy is now a calling. I help high-achieving professionals create more optionality in their lives through real estate. I coach new investors. I underwrite deals like a banker. I build partnerships rooted in trust and transparency. And I never forget where it all started: a promise from my mom, a stack of library catalogs, and a fire that said “maybe… just maybe… this is possible.”
Vessi Kapoulian
Founder, DBA Capital Group
PS: If you’re a business owner or professional ready to build a real estate portfolio or just want to learn more connect with me here on LinkedIn or visit dbacapitalgroup.com. Let’s build your safety net before you need it.