My Journey

I achieved Financial Freedom (FF) without realizing I was on that journey, and it might sound unusual, but I'll clarify. In my upbringing, I belonged to a single-parent household with two siblings, living in the lower-middle class. My mother worked in textiles, and while it was beneficial for her, supporting three kids could be challenging. However, I never felt the financial strain because my mom was a master at making every dollar count. Despite having no formal financial education, she possessed something many overlook or neglect—common sense. She understood the importance of avoiding credit card debt, refraining from unnecessary purchases, and prioritizing essentials when money was tight. Additionally, she recognized the wisdom of not trying to keep up with others financially.  

My mom made strategic choices, such as foregoing a car for years and opting not to invest in expensive, quickly outgrown name-brand clothes or shoes. While we did have nice, new clothes, she purchased them on clearance and consistently found excellent deals. Even during my high school years when I attended prom, she skillfully crafted my prom dresses. Remarkably, I still receive compliments on those dresses when people peruse old photo albums. These choices proved wise, as my mom's frugality allowed her to buy our first house when I was in middle school, and she built it on land she had previously acquired. This achievement was significant given our modest income and my mom being the sole breadwinner.

While my mom demonstrated a keen understanding of managing money through practical decisions, if you asked her for a written plan, she wouldn't be able to provide one. Her approach was straightforward: don't spend what you don't have on things you don't need. Though simple and direct, implementing such wisdom is challenging for many, especially those unfamiliar with financial management. This was precisely my situation when I graduated from college in December 1995 and entered the corporate world. With a higher income than anyone in my family had ever experienced, I found myself without guidance on managing it.

Furthermore, as I embarked on this new job, I faced the challenge of starting with only the clothes in my suitcase and around $300 in cash. With no car and no place to live, I had to begin my new life 1,100 miles away in a city where I had no acquaintances. Like many others, I made what seemed like reasonable decisions at the time. I rented an apartment that needed to be fully furnished and purchased a brand-new $30,000 car, immediately accumulating debt. While I genuinely needed a car, opting for a brand-new 1996 purple Ford Mustang GT was an unnecessary choice. Fortunately, I didn't have student loan debt as I had been on a Pell Grant and scholarships throughout my four years of undergraduate education. Moreover, when I pursued graduate school later on, my employer covered the expenses, making it a cost-free endeavor also.

In the early stages of my career, I made some wise choices regarding retirement planning, including enrolling in the company's 401k plan, despite initially having little knowledge about it. Fortunately, I found a helpful mentor in my manager who guided me through the process. This decision, made over two decades ago, has proven to be rewarding, contributing significantly to my current financial net worth. After spending four years with my initial employer, which included a 7-month international stay in Manchester, England, I opted to move back to the East Coast to be closer to family and friends. By this time, I had successfully paid off my overly expensive car and was debt-free until I made the decision to purchase my first house. Although this introduced me to a 30-year mortgage—knowledge I now recognize should have led me to opt for a 15-year mortgage—I ensured that I didn't exceed my budget when buying the house. Additionally, I refrained from acquiring new furniture, utilizing the pieces I had purchased for my previous apartment since I would be the sole occupant.

This also marked the resurgence of my entrepreneurial spirit. I first dabbled in entrepreneurship during college after participating in a manufacturing class that required us to create and sell a product on campus. The knowledge gained from that class contributed to the development of my inaugural product in 2005, which secured placement on the shelves of Hobby Lobby for an impressive 2.5 years. Today, I continue to sell the same product as a private label on Amazon, discovering the intricacies of selling through Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) and Fulfillment by Merchant (FBM) in 2017. It's worth noting that I maintained a full-time position in Corporate America during this period and initially hesitated to take on extra work at home. Eventually, I committed approximately 3-5 hours a week, primarily on weekends, and dedicated an entire month to watching YouTube videos to grasp the fundamentals of being an FBA seller. In that first year, with only 3-5 hours weekly, I generated $17,000 in six months. The following year, 2018, I doubled my time investment to about 10 hours per week over the weekends, resulting in a profit of $30,000. While this amount might not appear substantial to some, it translates to an hourly rate of $58, and if extrapolated to a full-time commitment instead of 10 hours, it would equate to an annual income of $120,640!

The joy in my venture was evident; it wasn't a grueling 10 hours a week, and the process was enjoyable rather than stressful. This triumph on Amazon fueled my determination to explore other avenues of generating passive income. Undoubtedly, not every attempt yielded success, but setbacks didn't dissuade me from persisting. Instead, I extracted valuable lessons from both successes and failures, fortifying my position on the path to Financial Independence. As I began sharing my experiences with others, their enthusiasm surpassed even mine. Encouraged by their response, they urged me to guide others through the learning process. Initially hesitant about being heard or believed, I realized that if I could assist just one person with my knowledge, it would be worthwhile. This realization led me to create this blog. I am living proof that success is attainable, and I am eager to share my journey to help others navigate their paths. If you're interested in learning more about my experiences, join my Youtube channel as I continue to post videos each week!