Most people spend their entire careers chasing higher salaries. I used to be one of them—until I realized I was playing the wrong game. Wealth isn’t built through salary alone. It’s built through equity.

In this episode, I’ll share the wealth strategy no one talks about—but that transformed my life. Through smart use of equity compensation, I built a $6 million net worth, retired early, and created the freedom to truly live life on my terms.

I break it all down with real-world examples. You’ll meet Sarah, who focused on maximizing her salary, and Jessica, who played the equity game. Even though Jessica earned less in salary, she ended up nearly $1 million ahead—because she understood how stock grants and equity refreshes compound over time.

This isn’t just for tech executives or startup founders. Whether you're an engineer, a product manager, or anyone with access to stock-based compensation, this could be your most powerful wealth-building tool.

So if you’ve ever asked yourself, “How do people actually get rich without starting a company?”—this is the video for you. I’ll walk you through how equity works, how to negotiate for it, and why it might be more valuable than your paycheck.

Did you know that you might already qualify as an accredited investor—but no one ever told you what that actually means or how to take advantage of it?

I used to think that growing wealth meant sticking to index funds and stock options. But once I discovered how Rule 506(b) and Rule 506(c) work, it unlocked a completely different financial world. A world filled with exclusive investment opportunities—private equity, hedge funds, commercial real estate syndications, and high-yield alternative assets—that most people never get to see.

In this walkthrough, I break down the key differences between 506(b) and 506(c). I explain how each rule affects your access to unregistered securities, what kind of documentation is required, and how to verify your status with minimal friction—whether through tax returns or a simple letter from your CPA or attorney.

Being accredited isn’t just a legal status. It’s a gateway to strategic wealth building. I learned this firsthand after an IPO left most of my net worth tied to one volatile stock. I started diversifying into private investments that generated consistent, tax-advantaged income—independent of the stock market’s daily swings.

But access alone doesn’t guarantee results. That’s why I also share the risks: limited liquidity, less regulation, and the importance of having a clear allocation strategy. I talk about what separates successful accredited investors from those who just have access. Hint: it’s not complexity—it’s clarity, structure, and education.

I also go a step further and explore the next level: becoming a qualified purchaser with $5 million+ in investable assets, and how that changes the game entirely. This knowledge helped me design my micro family office, plan for the next 10 years, and shift from just making money to actually managing and growing it.

If you're a high-earning tech professional or entrepreneur, this is exactly the kind of financial architecture you need to build. Because accredited investing is just one piece of a much bigger strategy—one that treats your portfolio like a business and puts your wealth to work.

Most people talk about passive income like it's a magic solution: do something once, and money just keeps rolling in. But the reality is a lot more complex — especially when it comes to how different types of income are taxed.

What many don't realize is that there’s a huge difference between portfolio income (like dividends or capital gains) and what the IRS truly considers passive income (like rental income). Misunderstanding these terms can lead to overpaying taxes — sometimes by tens of thousands of dollars.

In this breakdown, I walk through how the IRS classifies income, what truly counts as passive, and why some “passive income” strategies are actually active businesses in disguise — and taxed accordingly. That course that teaches you to build a digital product and call it passive? It might actually be a high-tax hustle if you’re not careful.

I also share some practical insights on how to build income streams that are not only sustainable but also tax-efficient. Whether you’re looking at rental properties, investments, digital products, or royalties, understanding how income is taxed is just as important as generating it.

By the end, you'll have a clear understanding of:

• What truly counts as passive income
• How portfolio income is taxed differently
• How to avoid common mistakes in income classification
• Legal strategies to reduce your tax burden with smarter planning

This is the kind of foundational knowledge that can transform how you approach financial freedom — not just how you earn, but how much you actually get to keep.