John McNellis

John McNellis is a Northern California-based real estate developer with 40+ years of experience. After walking away from a legal career at 28, he bootstrapped his own firm and built a successful commercial portfolio through multiple recessions.
Author of the popular book Making It in Real Estate (3rd edition – April 2026), John is known for his candid storytelling and practical advice on development, capital raising, property management, and surviving the inevitable mistakes that come with the business.
His mission is to share real-world lessons with the next generation of entrepreneurs and real estate professionals.