This is my journey of finding personal finance and how it has shaped my life and this brand.
College
I went to college because it was the default path I had been presented with my whole life.
I went into Engineering primarily because I was good at math and believed that the "good" life was created by getting good grades and a stable job after graduation.
I was fortunate enough never to have to worry about money.
I was ignorant of how real wealth was built and managed.
First Job
I got a job straight out of school. It paid well (more than I had been expecting), and I thought I had hit the jackpot.
Though I didn't get any real enjoyment from my work, I was surrounded by people who had been there for 30+ years, so I assumed that that's just how it was. Work your entire life and retire at 70.
"It's called work for a reason," and other sayings were commonplace. I noticed my lack of fulfillment but ignored it. I also paid little to no attention to my finances. A good job should cover it, right?
First Stocks
I was first exposed to stocks by a couple of friends at work. I knew next to nothing and bought a couple of shares of AMC to hop on the bandwagon.
Long story short, they tanked. But I was hooked. I could see the power of investing.
In the beginning, I made the mistake of trying to invest actively. This led to a bunch of small losses, but my interest only grew.
I could see how making the right choices could build your wealth without having a second job.
Learning Finance
This exposure to finances opened up the floodgates. I started reading books like The 4-Hour Work Week, Rich Dad Poor Dad, Buy This Not That, and more.
Though I didn't agree with the philosophies of every book, it was clear that I had yet to be exposed to these "dangerous" ideas.
"The rich don't work for money", "Automate your income and only work a couple hours per week", and financial freedom were like dreams I hadn't vet had.
I poured into every personal finance & investing resource I could find.
Bettering Myself
I took all of my learnings and tried to apply them to my life. I saw improvements in my savings rate, investing performance, and long-term financial outlook. For the o first time, I could see a future of financial freedom and leaving the rate race.
I had solid budgeting plans, a better understanding of where I was, and wasn't willing to spend money, and I was passively investing
As most people periodically do, I got hooked on improving myself. Finances, fitness, work-life balance, and anything else I could do to squeeze out more happiness.
Building Something
Eventually, my learning led me to one inescapable fact:
The traditional way of living wouldn't give me the life I wanted. I needed to build something for myself. Something I could call mine, had no income ceiling, and could provide genuine fulfillment.
I started searching for what this could be and trying things. I tried video game streaming, website freelancing, and cooking YouTube videos. For different reasons, none of these panned out. But I still hungered for something that could allow me to create.
Sharing What I Learned
Many experts recommended building something based on knowledge you already have or want to gain.
Since I had been deep into personal finance & investing, I decided to share that knowledge.
Specifically, trying to help others skip the first pointless steps I took of active investing. I wanted to help others realize the power of passive investing and take simple steps to better their financial future. All with the end goal of financial freedom.
Still Learning
I am still learning and will make mistakes along the way. This page is dedicated to everything on that path.
My hope is that I can be a resource for you to better your finances and take action to set up wealth-building systems.
My only certainty is that to achieve my goals, I need to be consistent. I strive for consistency both in this business and in my own life.
If you resonate with this story and want to follow me on my journey of discovering my own financial freedom, check out my newsletter and other links (socials, freebies, resources, etc.).