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Episode Summary In this episode of Groundbreakers, Sean Graham, founder of Maven Cost Segregation, breaks down the most overlooked wealth-building tool in real estate: cost seg. After getting laid off in 2020, Sean transitioned into real estate full-timestarting with his own deals before launching a firm that now saves investors millions in taxes every year. He shares how one property generated $400K in tax savings, why ROI should be measured in depreciation, and what most syndicators miss when it comes to maximizing after-tax returns. Key Points Discussed From W2 to Wealth Builder: Sean’s corporate job disappeared during COVID. Rather than wait for the next one, he leaned into real estate-launching Maven to help others unlock the tax strategies he used himself. How Cost Seg Works (for Real): Sean demystifies cost segregation in plain English, from front-loaded depreciation to partial asset dispositions-and why even smaller sponsors can benefit. The $400K Case Study: One property. $400K in paper losses. Sean walks through the math behind a real example and what that meant for investor cash flow and yield. What Syndicators Get Wrong: Sean shares the biggest mistakes operators make when structuring their deals for tax efficiency-and how to fix them without needing a CPA. ROI Beyond the Deal: Why the best operators treat cost seg like a multiplier, not an afterthought and how to use it to attract high-net-worth LPs.