Lamè Kinikini grew up watching his father build a life from the ground up through grit, discipline, and faith. His dad never cut corners and never made excuses, but Lamè also saw the cost of that hard work: time away from family, sacrificed to make ends meet. That tension shaped how Lamè would come to think about success.
Raised to follow the traditional path of school, a good degree, and a safe career, he set out to become a doctor, drawn by the promise of stability and respect. Everything changed one summer when he earned over $100,000 in just a few months selling door-to-door. The number was so far outside what his family had ever seen that his own father struggled to believe it. For Lamè, it was a turning point. There were smarter, faster ways to build wealth than the grind he’d always been told to accept.
But that same opportunity carried a familiar cost. The work that gave him financial freedom pulled him away from his wife and kids, from the milestones, the family events, and the ordinary moments he could never get back. He refused to keep trading presence for income.
Real estate became the answer. Through creative financing and data-driven investing, Lamè built a portfolio that gave him back his time while creating real, long-term wealth. It was proof that providing for your family and being present with them don’t have to be mutually exclusive.
What started as a real estate strategy soon revealed something bigger. As Lamè dug deeper, he saw that short-term rentals weren’t only an income stream. They were one of the most powerful and legitimate tools available for people to keep more of what they earn. Through cost segregation, bonus depreciation, and material participation, STR investing offers a tax advantage that isn’t a loophole or a gray area, but a clear, intentional choice written into the tax code and protected by real estate. For earners watching a large share of their income disappear each year, it became a way to retain their income rather than surrender it.
He founded Elk Ridge Investments to make that same path available to everyone else. The company helps everyday people step into real estate without the stress of being a landlord or managing the chaos behind the scenes, focusing on deals that cash flow, appreciate in value, and deliver significant tax benefits. Through it all, family, faith, and service remain at the heart of everything the company builds.
If you’re ready to build something that works for you and the people you love, Lamè and his team are here to help.