Special Guest: US Navy Vet, Real Estate Investor & Entrepreneur - Trevor Methena [Episode 27]

In this episode of The Dr. Virga Podcast, I sat down with Navy veteran, tech project manager, real estate investor, and franchise owner Trevor Methena—a guy who’s not only doing the most but doing it all strategically.

Trevor grew up in a small town in Southern Indiana, raised by two Navy parents, and eventually followed in their footsteps. He joined the Navy a little later than most, at age 22, after a few years of real-world struggles—apartment, car payments, and the whole adulting crash course. That delay, though? It turned out to be a superpower. His maturity gave him a “gray man” edge in boot camp and helped him stand out later as a mentor figure to younger sailors.

Image courtesy of Trevor Methena

He didn’t serve aboard ships like most ITs do—instead, he was assigned to maritime security in Singapore, and while his sea time was limited to three days on an Indonesian ship, the experience abroad shaped his worldview and future career path. After 11 years of active duty and 4 years in the Reserves (including a bureaucratic nightmare trying to get back in), Trevor transitioned into civilian life.

He started with entrepreneurship—launching a gym with a partner in Texas. But as many of us know, partnerships can be rough, especially when values and standards don’t align. So Trevor pivoted into IT project management at Dell, where his military-honed organizational skills paid off. But that entrepreneurial fire never went away.

Enter Real Estate.

After a nudge from a friend and a deep dive into research, Trevor built a successful single-family rental portfolio in Ohio. He now owns 20+ properties, and while he started off managing them himself (with the help of his dad and a solid realtor), he eventually partnered with a medical group that leases his homes for mid-term rentals—mainly for traveling nurses and hospice care staff.

What stood out was how strategic Trevor has been from day one: using VA loans smartly, reinvesting profits into more properties, and keeping operations lean. That same mindset led him to HomeSmiles, a franchise focused on preventative maintenance for both residential and commercial properties.

Why HomeSmiles? Because the mission resonated—protecting your assets, avoiding

Image courtesy of Trevor Methena

preventable disasters (like dryer vent fires or foundation damage from clogged gutters), and making life easier for busy people. Trevor and his wife, who now runs the day-to-day, offer services like:

• Pressure washing

• Window and solar panel cleaning

• Dryer vent and gutter cleaning

• Light handyman work

• Safety checks (like smoke and carbon monoxide detectors)

They’ve even built convenient tiered packages that allow customers to set it and forget it—with yearly maintenance reminders and all services bundled into one visit.

He shared what it’s like building a franchise from scratch (he owns the exclusive territory in Austin), what makes the franchise model a solid option for time-strapped professionals, and how veterans—who are used to structure, SOPs, and adapting fast—are perfect fits for business ownership.

If you’re thinking about diving into real estate, investing, or franchising—especially while balancing a full-time job or family—Trevor’s story is proof that with the right strategy, it’s all possible.

Want to connect with Trevor?

• 🏠 Visit: austin.homesmiles.com

• 📲 Instagram: @trevormethena_rei or @homesmilesaustin

He’s always open to talking real estate, franchising, or how to start something meaningful while juggling work, family, and life.

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