Business
Len Janson Shares the Strengths of Running a Family-Based Business

Hailing from Southwest Montana, Len Janson earned a petroleum engineering degree and worked in the oil business for 35 years. He retired in 2012 and started investing in real estate with his daughter Kaci and son Cory in 2019.
Together they formed A Boy and His Dog, Inc. with single-family rentals in Kansas City, Missouri, Indianapolis, Indiana, and Charlotte, North Carolina.
“We have a flipping JV in the Charlotte area. We also own 60 multi-family units in the Omaha, Nebraska area,” Len said.
Taking Pride in Family
Although the real estate industry has several stakeholders and firms, A Boy and His Dog Inc. stands out from the competition because they’re a family-based company that’s always looking for the perfect deals where everyone walks away from the table satisfied and successful.
Len shared that part of their success as a company comes from the unique circumstances where each of them brings a different skill set that complements the others in their team.
“I have an engineering degree and an MBA. So, naturally, I do the underwriting for all our deals. Cory also has an engineering degree. But, he spent over 10 years doing project management. So, he handles all our value-add projects. Kaci has her doctorate in physical therapy and spent years dealing with patients. So, she handles all tenant-related issues,” Len said.
They’re also unwilling to quit no matter, which is a significant factor in their company’s success in the real estate industry.
He added that apart from being a unique player in the market, the business is important to him because it allows him to work with his children as an equal, not as their father.
Bridging Gaps
Although A Boy and His Dog Inc. has successfully made a name in the real estate industry and plans to have 800 rental units within the next two years, their journey wasn’t without challenges.
Yet instead of seeing these gaps in knowledge and experience as roadblocks, Len saw them as opportunities to learn more about the industry.
“To address the lack of knowledge, we enrolled in education programs, joined masterminds, and surrounded ourselves with people who are doing what we want to do. To address the lack of deals, we hired a VA and put together a lead generation system. To address the lack of funds, we are building our brand so that we can attract higher-income investors,” he shared.
Len added that educating oneself is important to grow in any aspect of life.
Learn more about Len Janson on Facebook and Instagram or visit www.aboyandhisdoginc.com.
