The 18 Million Dollar Mind
You’ve heard the name. You’ve heard the stories. But who is Rick Otton, really?
Listen to Podcast discussion about Rick Otton — the Dallas fluke, the cardboard box that became the We Buy Houses Global brand, the $18M fine that made headlines, lessons learned and resilience that followed.
The Dallas Fluke That Became a Global Brand
By the late 1980s, Rick had relocated to Dallas, Texas, during the collapse of the savings-and-loan industry. With banks failing and property values plummeting, he stumbled into his first house deal. The seller wanted $86,000; Rick had $1,000. Instead of walking away, he structured a $1,000-a-month payment plan — unknowingly creating a system that would change his life.
When 40 other people showed up later wanting the same house from Rick for $1,500, Rick realized he wasn’t short of opportunities — he was short 39 houses. Grabbing a cardboard box, he scrawled “We Buy Houses” with a phone number and stuck it on a tree. That moment birthed a phrase that became a global brand.
Revolutionary Strategies, Reluctant Markets
Rick’s methods — seller finance, various types of options, and structured transactions — were met with resistance. In the early days, industry gatekeepers dismissed them as “impossible” or “illegal.” But Rick remembered “It takes twenty years for new ideas to gain traction.” He persisted.
By the early 2000s, he had taken We Buy Houses to Australia and the UK. There, too, critics scoffed. Yet after the 2008 global financial crisis, those same strategies gained mainstream acceptance. Today, what was once considered radical is now routine in most parts of the world
Fingerprints on the Jar
Rick Otton’s unique business insights have seen him pivot — from performing the act to producing it, from property to beyond. For those familiar with his work, his name may not always be stamped boldly across the lid, but his fingerprints are unmistakably all over the jar. His influence has quietly shaped property markets, business strategies, and even legislative frameworks, leaving a legacy that is both seen and felt.
Ahead of the Curve: Influence on Policy
In 2007, as the GFC unfolded, mortgage insurers and bankers sought Rick’s perspective on foreclosures and defaults. He proposed a radical idea: allow “anyone to pay anyone else’s loan” so that debts could be kept performing rather than collapsing into delinquency. Four years later, reforms to the Australian Credit Code 2010-11 introduced provisions almost identical to his suggestion — a testament to how Rick’s thinking often outpaced regulators themselves.
The Rick Otton Experience
Rick is perhaps best known for his books “How to Get People to Give You Money” and ” How to sell without ever saying a word” both tributes to his 40 year mastery of Subliminal Science having started as an acknowledged contributor to the first book on “Body Language” selling over 19 million copies worldwide.
Rick’s events became legendary as part education, part theatre. His “entertrainer” mix of humour, analogies, and “Rickisms” gave students both technical tools and the confidence to use them. From the “buddy system” to the “what’s your second choice?” line, his unique language patterns and understanding of brain science provided a shorthand for a way of thinking about deals, persuasion, and possibility.
Legacy & Ongoing Influence
Today, Rick Otton a leading world entertrainer, and is in constant demand by business for his subliminal Science and real estate skill set developed over 40 years.
His journey proves that resilience, creativity, and revolutionary thinking can rewrite the rules of business and life. For some, Rick’s story is a warning; for others, it’s a spark and sign of hope.. But for anyone looking closely, it’s a reminder that the world doesn’t move forward by following instructions — it moves forward when someone dares to scribble a new idea on the side of a cardboard box. As Rick says,“ Things don’t change, people change things.”
Fast Facts & Milestones
- 1978 – Introduced to Subliminial sciences, body language movement and talk Language.
- 1989 – First Dallas deal → We Buy Houses brand born.
- 1990s–2000s – Expanded strategies into Australia the UK, Europe and Asia
- 2007 – GFC: consulted with banks/insurers; ideas echoed in later legislation.
- 2011 – How to Buy a House for a Dollar published → bestseller & controversy.
- Today – Entertrainer, mentor, and digital design build educator
Design with Rick
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