Part of the reason I’ve been writing about distribution and the importance of eventually betting on yourself was to gear myself up for Y Combinator Demo Day. For those unfamiliar, YC is the largest and arguably the best startup accelerator in the world. And it happens to be based in my backyard in San Francisco. […]
Y Combinator Demo Day: The Quest To Invest In The Best Startups Read More »
Back in 2012, the year I left banking and three years after I started Financial Samurai, I had a choice: run a lifestyle business or build a venture-backed company. I chose the lifestyle business. After 13 years in equities I was burned out and just wanted to be free to enjoy the FIRE lifestyle. Writing
Distribution May Be The Last Moat: 17 Years Of Financial Samurai Read More »
I love startups and entrepreneurship. My obsession started when I was reselling Nerds candy in Taipei, purchased from the U.S. commissary store. To recognize and exploit a pricing arbitrage as a nine-year-old felt like winning the lottery every time a new batch arrived. In 1998, a year before graduating from William & Mary, I was
The Startup Grind Will Make You An AI Maximalist Read More »
In 2020, during the heart of the COVID pandemic, I remember listening to a FIRE-focused podcast hosted by two people who claimed to be financially independent and retired early. Even though it’s been over 16 years since I first started writing about FIRE, the topic still fascinates me. The journey toward financial independence is full
Being Truly FIRE Is Terrible For Entrepreneurship, But That’s OK Read More »
One of the reasons I left my job at Credit Suisse was that I no longer felt I was being paid based on merit. After the global financial crisis, the firm—like many others—faced tough times, and overall compensation steadily declined for years. As a top-three ranked producer, I expected to be compensated accordingly. But I
Rewarding Based on Merit Alone: Great in Theory, Tough in Reality Read More »
As the economy slows thanks to a Fed-induced recession, anger against anybody who is perceived to have more wealth or success will go up. As a result, it’s important to practice Stealth Wealth to stay safe and happy. I know anger has increased since the bear market began because I run a personal finance website
A Stealth Wealth Case Study On What Not To Do To Blend In Read More »
So you want to write a book but aren’t sure if it’s worth your time. As a published author of both an ebook and a traditional hardcover book, let me share with you the pros and cons of being an author. Given the success of my Wall Street Journal bestseller, Buy This, Not That, I’ve
Should You Write A Book? Pros And Cons Of Being An Author Read More »
Sometimes you take a leap of faith with and your dreams don’t come true. That’s OK because at least you won’t regret never trying! In this article, taking a leap of faith means trying your hand at entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship means leaving the comfort of a steady paycheck and benefits to make money from an idea.
What If You Take A Leap Of Faith And Your Dreams Don’t Come True Read More »
One of the main reasons why I wrote my WSJ bestseller, Buy This, Not That was to help readers feel less regret by making wiser choices. Regret is one of the worst feelings, especially if it is a type of regret that could have been prevented through knowledge. The easiest way to stop saying, “If
Conduct A Regret Minimization Exercise To Help You Move Forward Read More »
Here in the San Francisco tech startup scene, we have a term called “the trough of sorrow.” The trough of sorrow refers to the sadness that comes after a setback or a big win. After a setback, you’re tasked with finding product-market fit to survive given your company has a limited runway of cash. You
Overcoming The Trough Of Sorrow: Defeating An Emptiness Inside Read More »
