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I'm an operator documenting what I've learned building revenue engines over the past decade.

CEO @ MSP Sales Partners. Managing Partner @ Repeatable Revenue. Former PE-backed CEO. Former Managing Director at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Spent six years building sales systems for Robin Robins (TMT, sold to PE). Built revenue engines for 100+ service businesses.

I write about what I've learned: how sales systems actually scale, the difference between activity and productivity, why hard choices matter more than hard hours, building a business without burning out.

This isn't guru content. It's lessons from the work... what I got wrong, what finally clicked, patterns I see across businesses, frameworks that actually held up under pressure.

I write for three types of people: Strategists thinking about exits and scale. business owners stuck at a plateau trying to break through. Thinkers who want to build intentional lives, not just businesses.

If you're one of those (or all 3), follow along.

Ray J. Green

"I do have to tell you, Ray, there is a small chance of sudden death."

My cardiologist. 

About a year-and-half-ago following a chance diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). 

I initially reacted the way you'd expect. 

"WTF am I supposed to do with that?!?!"

And, "Why in the hell is this happening to me?"

After all, I do 2 hours of cardio a day. 

In fact, my last echocardiogram shows I have 'athlete's heart.' My heart has literally grown because I've exercised it so much--in a good way. 

So how do I end up with a heart condition? 

But I had it wrong. This wasn't happening TO me. 
It was happening FOR me. 

That reframe changed how I look at this. Even with a couple ER visits in recent weeks. (Which ended up perfectly fine and just more awareness.) 

And it's reframed how I see every hardship in general. 

I break it all down in 10 min podcast here: https://lnkd.in/e3FKQD-m

CEO @ MSP Sales Partners | Man. Partner @ Repeatable Revenue | Ex-PE Backed CEO | Former U.S. Chamber Man. Director

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6 years ago I started posting on LinkedIn because I actually enjoyed creating content. 

I also had a decent amount experience turning around sales teams & businesses using some unorthodox practices. 

So, I wrote about it. 

And wrote about leaving the C-Suite, moving my family to Cabo, and figuring out how to generate income from a Mexican beach. 

My wife and a couple friends were the only people who liked my posts. Sometimes not even them. 

But I actually enjoyed the process. And I wrote just about every day. It was easy. It was light. It was enjoyable. 

With just 3 or 4 likes per post (I don't have many friends), I even managed to get a couple clients from content. They saw a post, looked at my half-assed "optimized" profile, and hired me to give them advice. 

Shortly after that, creating content became a task. Something I had to do every day to be seen and known. To generate some business. 

Sit down. 
Think of something to write. 
Hammer out a post. 
Make it look pretty with descending lines. 
Post. 
Every day at the same time. 

It started to consume every morning. 

Then I learned that commenting on everyone else's posts helped my posts get more reach. So I'd block time every day to "engage" with people's content. A couple hours a day... on a slow day. 

Then I decided to start "batching" content, sitting down and hammering out 6 or 7 posts in one setting and scheduling them all out in advance. 

Then I started recycling content, taking old stuff, refreshing it, and adding it to a second publishing slot for the day. 

Before long, I was cranking out 21 posts a week and racking up who knows how many hours of commenting. 

For all intents and purposes, I was a machine. 

And that's before AI got added to the mix. 

But along the way, I stopped enjoying the process. 

I managed to systematize the joy out of writing. 

Content was forced. Engagement was forced. 

I wasn't sharing a viewpoint I felt strongly about. I wasn't enjoying the process. I was just "building an audience" and generating leads. 

And to some extent, that's perfectly fine. It's LinkedIn. We're all here to do business in one way or another. Myself included. We all gotta eat. 

But today I made a decision: I'm going to start spending more time doing things I genuinely love doing. And one of those things is writing for the sake of writing. 

Not for leads. Not to check a box. Not at a specific time. Not on a schedule. Not in conjunction with 7 hours of commenting on other people's posts. 

But for the joy of it. 

And hoping it adds value in one way or another to someone else here. Even if it's back to 3 or 4 likes per post. 

This post is the first stab at that. And I'm already enjoying this process a hell of a lot more. 

If you want to follow along, comment "WRITING" to receive my.... kidding. 

You'll never see another handraiser post like that from me again. But that's a post for anther day. Maybe tomorrow. But then again, maybe not. 

See you around.

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OCAS 2.0

It took me 40 months to break $40k/month as an independent consultant. If I started again, I'd do it in a fraction of the time. I created this course - and share it for FREE - to help others do exactly that: https://www.rayjgreen.com/digital-course

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Join my email list for practical advice on sales, strategy, and self-mastery from an operator, not a guru: https://rayjgreen.beehiiv.com 

Chief Executive Officer

Managing Partner

Writer & Podcaster 

Expert In Residence: Sales & Sales Management

When people say, “just stay consistent” or “it’s about volume,” what I hear is: work hard, cross your fingers, and hope you get lucky. 

Just read a post from a popular ghostwriter on how to go viral. His hack? Just have to keep posting. 

Over the weekend watched a YouTube video from a popular business guru on how to find the right growth strategy. Solution? You just have to keep trying new things until it works. 

But if you take this advice literally, and completely, you’re essentially saying “Just keep doing shit until you get lucky.”

And if you’re wired anything like me, that’s not going to fly. Not is it going to be sustainable. 

Volume does matter. Consistency does matter. 

But just like driving to the office everyday doesn’t train you to be an F1 race car driver, volume and consistency aren’t enough. 

It’s intentional volume. Combined with focused reflection and aggressive iteration. 

A critical mass of effort done on purpose. Then regularly reflected on to discern what’s working and what isn’t. And adjusting accordingly. 

Volume without intentionality and iteration is wasted energy. Or lottery ticket-type betting. 

And a good way to burn out.

The thing you're most certain about in your business is probably the exact thing keeping you capped.

Just took my kids to a Museum of Illusions in Utah. Your brain swears things are true that aren't—by design.

Same thing happens in business. 

I've spent a lot of time this past year with founders of $200M businesses. And founders of $2M businesses. 

Biggest difference between them? 

A few simple beliefs. 

I break down what this looks like in a 10 min podcast. 

Tune in to listen here: https://lnkd.in/eCpt5-i7

My inner critic is a loud SOB.

Good workout? 
You could've gone harder. 

Eating okay? 
Could be cleaner. 

Time with your kids? 
Could be more present. 

Productive at work? 
Could've done more.

It never stops.

I used to fight it. Try to quiet it. Tell myself that I should be easier on myself, like everyone says you should.

And you know what happened?

It made things worse.

Because then I had the critic AND a voice criticizing the critic. 

Layering noise on top of noise.

So I stopped fighting.

I realized my inner critic is a feature. Not a bug.

That voice... the one constantly pushing me... is what I credit for jumping literal generations for my family.

Growing up with divorce. Absent father. Broken homes. In a foster home at one point. Not a lot of money. Or formal education. And layers of other challenges. 

Today? Happily married. Two healthy boys who know nothing of that instability. MBA from a top school. Living in Cabo. Traveling the world.

That tough critic that pushed me said "This is not for you. You can do better. You will do better."

And I did.

Here's the nuance though.

I've learned to allow the critic to push my actions. My habits. My standards.

Without allowing it to define my worth.

I can accept that my actions will never be "enough" while also knowing that I am enough as a person.

And that's a big effing difference.

One keeps you sharp. 

The other keeps you whole.

Dropped a podcast expanding on this a bit if you're interested: https://lnkd.in/eAm7GyPn

Most salespeople treat discovery like a podcast interview.

"Tell me about your business. How many users? What's your current setup? Walk me through your IT history."

Like you're only there to gather information and collect facts.

And I promise you it's costing you deals. 

Something that's helped the hundreds of consultative sellers I've coached: 

Discovery isn't information gathering.
It's the first step of a strategic close. 

Run a bad discovery and the rest of the process is going to pay the price. 

Example for IT companies:

Bad discovery: "How many servers do you have?"

Good discovery: "How is IT accelerating your growth or holding it back right now?"

One gets you data. The other gets you business impact—the ammunition you need when you're actually trying to close the deal 3 weeks later.

The same thing happens in assessments.

Example for IT companies: 

You find cracked passwords. You find too many O365 admins. You document the vulnerabilities.

Then you present them like a checklist: "You have X problems."

But the MSPs who close? They explain why that matters: "You have cracked passwords on essential systems. Let me tell you what happened to a company last month when a disgruntled employee knew they were leaving…"

Every step in your process—from first call to final proposal—has one job: move the deal forward.

Not educate. Not inform. Not "let them think about it."

Move. The deal. Forward.

I shared a podcast on this, and why despite the stigma attached to it, it really is Always Be Closing. 

I explain why and how here: https://lnkd.in/e7SVFiVx

I wish there were more 'right' and 'wrong' calls in business. But what I've learned from 20 years of leading teams, divisions, and businesses? 

It's a lot more "good bet vs bad bet' and a lot less 'right decision vs wrong decision.' 

Regardless of whether you're running $500K business or a $500M business, when you're making high level decisions about where the business should go, you're operating with uncertainty. 

You may be 55% sure on some days. 90% sure on a good day. But that's the job description. 

The problem is, I see this crush a lot of founders. 

They go this direction. Then that direction, Start this project. Change to that project. Pick this priority. Then that priority. 

It's exhausting just to watch. 

Even more exhausting to do. I know from experience. 

I recorded a 10 min podcast for any founder or business leader that's felt overwhelmed by uncertainty. And anyone that's let that uncertainty lead to perpetual pivots and indecision. 

You can tun in here: https://lnkd.in/eVNUZDuY

One of the biggest challenges with digital marketing is remembering that the people in your feed aren’t the people buying your stuff. 

(Unless you sell products and services to online creators.) 

I’m guilty of forgetting this myself. 

I scroll here and see a bunch of people using AI in really cool, new ways. 

That gets baked into my head when creating a podcast or YouTube video on AI. 

Then I go to an event and talk to my actual customers and prospects and realize, they’re not using AI in their sales process in some of the simplest ways. 

But it’s not just with AI. It’s with all our messaging. 

We have what’s called “the curse of knowledge.” 

When we forget what it’s like to not know what we know so well. It’s a trap a lot of experts fall into. 

So, reminder (to myself as much as anyone) to spend a little more time creating for the people we want to listen. 

Not other creators.

Years ago I gave my wife terrible business advice.

Not because it didn't work.

But because it did.

She had a custom baby bedding business doing $25K/month on Etsy. Six-month waiting list. Countless 5-star reviews. People literally begging her to make "just one more."

She asked for my input.

I looked at all the indicators and told her what any business advisor would say: "It's time to scale."

She had some resistance. "Yeah, but I love sewing."

But she pushed on.

She hired people. Built systems. Went from spending her days doing what she loved—talking to customers, designing patterns, creating with her hands—to managing quality control and dealing with employee issues.

The advice worked. The business scaled.

And she fucking hated it.

Her initial resistance? That gut instinct she had?

Spot on.

She didn't want to build a business. She wanted to do the thing she loved and get paid well for it. Those are two completely different games.

My advice was biased by what I believed a business should be. Not what her business could be for her.

I see this happen quite a bit. And I'm more aware of it having gone through my wife's experience with her. 

I recorded a podcast breaking down: 

→ Why you should pick advisors carefully (even if you love them)
→ Why product-market pull doesn't mean you should scale
→ How to filter advice so you build the right thing (for you, not for them)

Listen in here: https://lnkd.in/eCtMPwpn

Our 4th graders were begging for cell phones. 

Parents made a pact: rewind the clock & meet 'em halfway. 

No smartphones... 

But they were genuinely thrilled to get these retro beauties instead. 📞✨

You know why so many salespeople waste 10 minutes talking about the weather?

Because they think being liked is the same as being trusted.

It's not.

Here's how I think about it:

If I needed brain surgery, I wouldn't pick the surgeon who makes great small talk.

I'd pick the one who asked questions that prove they've seen my exact condition 50 times before.

Likability gets you in the door. Credibility gets you the deal.

(If you are selling anything of high importance.) 

But there's the psychological trap a lot of reps fall into:

Small talk feels safer. It's comfortable. It doesn't require you to demonstrate expertise or challenge assumptions or risk saying something that might make the prospect uncomfortable.

So you hide behind it.

You talk about dogs and football teams instead of asking the question that might make them think: "Wait, maybe our current IT setup isn't as solid as we thought."

Real rapport is built on confidence, not comfort. 

Confidence that you know their industry. That you've done your homework. That you're not afraid to respectfully push back when they tell you something that's not accurate.

I recorded a podcast breaking down: 

→ Why people confuse likability with trust (and how to fix it)
→ The preparation work that builds real credibility
→ How to show up as an expert, not an order taker

Listen to the whole thing here: https://lnkd.in/eDs2mfSZ

There's a name for what happens in a business when leaders have no spine. 

You know what I'm talking about. When the people responsible for making the tough calls... just don't. 

They ignore underperformance. 
Avoid difficult conversations. 
Procrastinate making hard decisions. 
Or just never make them at all. 

From a business standpoint, it's called 'management debt.' 

'Management debt' compounds just like financial debt. 

It destroys cultures. And it can stunt growth just as much as irresponsible financial debt can. 

I recorded a quick podcast breaking down: 

→ What management debt is (vs. real leadership)

→ The compounding impact it has on companies 

→ How to keep it from accumulating in yours 

Tune in here: https://lnkd.in/eT3aBrt2

We all have beliefs that aren’t true. Every single one of us. 

The question is: How much are those beliefs holding us (or our business) back? 

Last week we took our beach kids on a ski trip to Utah for a few days. 

(“Dad, is that real SNOW?!?!) 

We had an unexpected delay in Salt Lake City and stopped by the Museum of Illusions—which is basically an hour and a half of mind bending experiences. 

It’s display after display of, “How in the hell is that happening?” 

And what it comes down to is your brain creates shortcuts with limited data. It stitches information together in a way that makes sense… but isn’t true. 

Like this picture. 

The tops of both of these boxes are the same size. Hard to see. But they even give you a block to hold over it to confirm. 

It’s harmless in this controlled environment. 

But what if the tops of these boxes represented a critical belief you held about something of importance that was holding you back. 

You know, the belief that: 

— “This business just doesn’t have the potential.”

— “That idea will never work.”

— “I’ve got to have [money, experience, connections, etc]  before I can do that.”

— “I’m too [young, old] to do this.” 

— “That channel doesn’t work anymore.” 

And what if it was just completely… wrong? 

An illusion that was holding you back from a monumental shift and achieving what you wanted. 

I've spent a lot of time this past year with entrepreneurs who've built $50M, $100M, $200M businesses.

I've also spent a lot of time with entrepreneurs who are struggling to get there. 

And the biggest difference I see is their belief systems. 

Founders who struggle to get to the next level typically have a belief that’s holding them back. Something they know to be true… that simply isn’t.  

A common one being that they are more essential to day-to-day operations than they really are. 

The question I’m asking myself today: What am I dead certain is true… that isn’t?

How about you?

I'm on Facebook the other day and see an ad: "Every sales expert is telling you the same lie—you need to build rapport before you sell."

The pitch? Buy my $37 course to learn how to sell without rapport.

If you read on, you'll see this supposed sales expert was making a common mistake: 

Confusing rapport with small talk. 

Rapport = trust & credibility. 

Small talk = likability. 

Talking about the weather. The local football team. The family pictures on the desk.

That might make you likable. But it doesn't make you credible.

And if you're selling anything of real importance to someone, likability only goes so far.

Think of it this way: If you need brain surgery, are you going with the doctor you like most, or the one you trust to get the job done? 

I recorded a podcast breaking down the common misconception. 

In it, I break down:

→ Why small talk doesn't equal rapport (and what does)

→ How to establish credibility in the first 5 minutes

→ The questions that prove you're an expert, not just likable

→ Why rapport is an ongoing process, not a one-time event

Listen now: https://lnkd.in/eDs2mfSZ

We glorify the benefits of entrepreneurship like independence, ownership, optionality. 

But those are the very things that crush entrepreneurs once they get going. 

Having an infinite number of options. 
Virtually no certainty while making huge decisions. 
But owning the outcome entirely. 

It's the freedom people think they want. 

But it drives a lot of entrepreneurs crazy once they get it. 

They can't make decisions. And when they do, the immediately doubt themselves and change directions. 

Which basically makes only one thing certain: they won't move forward.

I watched an entrepreneur change their mind on lead gen strategies 8 times recently. 

And I recorded a 10 min podcast breaking down why this happens (from experience). And how we can flip the script on uncertainty. 

Listen in here: https://lnkd.in/eujidhhV

The MSP owner on the phone with me sounded defeated.

His sales rep had just spent three weeks and 20+ hours on what looked like a perfect fit.

Discovery had uncovered real pain points. The assessment was thorough. The proposal meeting went well—good questions, engagement, positive energy.

Then... nothing.

Not a “no thanks.”
Not a “we’re going with someone else.”
Not even a “we need more time.”

Just complete radio silence after weeks of investment.

“This keeps happening,” he told me. “How do we stop bleeding time on deals that were never going to close?”

This was my response:

Open article: Stop Chasing Dead Deals: How to Read Your MSP Prospects Before They Ghost You by mspsuccess.com

Stop Chasing Dead Deals: How to Read Your MSP Prospects Before They Ghost You

Financial planning and education (without the jargon) I Creating blueprints for high-earning sales executives and business owners

I left the financial industry because I saw a problem.

People wanted to work with a planner, but they ended up becoming a number on a spreadsheet.

I had to leave to start something new.

And now?

I'm a fee-only planner who helps salespeople & equity compensated employees under 45 give a purpose to their paycheck.

I left the large financial institutions to start my own independent company. I did it so people could pay for real planning and not just an agenda to sell a hidden product. 

As a true fiduciary, Pashman Financial, LLC was built on that promise by focusing on you and you only.

🔵 Why people hire me? 

Well, people have come to me with the following problems:

- They want peace of mind with their money
- Their old advisor barely communicates with them
- They want an answer tailored to them, not from Google
- They felt pressured to buy a product that wasn't a right fit
- They are great at making money but struggle to keep it
- They want a simple plan that's easy to understand
- They want someone to hold them accountable
- They want someone they can trust

🔵 What are my services?

I help identify your goals, craft a financial blueprint that lays out action items to hit them, and monitor your progress. 

💵 Cash Flow Management  
📈 Equity Compensation
🏡 Real Estate Planning
📊 Investment Planning
📍 Retirement Planning
🛡 Insurance Planning
📚 Education Planning
💲 Tax Management
💳 Debt Repayment
📃 Estate Planning

🔵 Who do I serve?

Age: Individuals and families between 30-50 years old
Target: Sales pros, tech employees, other millennial families
Location: Virtually anywhere in the U.S.

But I love working with people that are driven to make a change. So even if you don’t fit these criteria, feel free to reach out. Your personality is everything. 

🔵 Why I'm different?

1) My model is primarily a flat fee service. No time trap. 

2) I do not require you to hand over your investments nor require a minimum to work with. Managing your assets is optional and I'll still assist you if you do it yourself. My focus is ongoing financial planning. 

3) I focus on how to increase your cash flow, not just your assets. I work with you to ensure your systems are set and consistently educate you on how your finances work. I get paid to truly keep you accountable over time.

You can find my pricing in my "featured" section on the website. 

Stop delaying action. Shoot me a message to schedule a complimentary intro.

Max Pashman, CFP®

70% of millionaires currently work with a financial advisor. 

Here's why many end up hiring one. 

They realize that financial planning is more than just a return. 

They also realize they have limited time on their hands. 

Like business owners, they outsource their skills

But there's so much than "what do i invest":

It's about:

- Goal Planning
- Debt Repayment
- Ongoing Education
- Emergency Fund Building
- Cash Flow Management
- Equity Comp. Planning
- Charitable Strategies
- Investment Planning
- Education Planning
- Insurance Planning
- Estate Planning
- Exit Planning
- Tax Planning
- Etc. 

And if your financial planner isn't addressing these properly with you?

It may be time to find a new one.

Helping Founders and Executives Plan for Early Retirement and Exit

If you have less than $100k, you shouldn't focus on returns.

In fact, it's a waste of your time. Here's why:

Charlie Munger once said:

"The first $100,000 is a b****.... but you gotta do it"

He wasn't talking about just returns, though. 

He was talking about your income. 

How quickly can you get it up there with your paycheck? 

In other words, what you save versus what you return. 

Just look at this example:

A 100% return on $1,000 is $1,000.

But a 10% return on $100,000 is $10,000.

10X less the return, yet 10x the dollar amount. 

And here's the best part about this. 

It's much easier to do the latter. 

In other words, it's much easier to save to $100,000 than trying to get a 1,000% return on an investment.

Not easy, but not impossible either. 

So if you haven't hit that number?

Focus on your savings rate. 

Not just your returns.

The market can wait.

75% of Americans regret not investing earlier. 
 
Here is the power of starting early (and the cost of waiting):
 
What you see in the illustration are 4 people: 
 
- 20 year old 
- 30 year old 
- 40 year old 
- 50 year old 
 
Now, as you get older, your income increases. 
 
Therefore, each generation can contribute more. 
 
So I ran a quick calculation. 
 
For ever 10 years, double the contributions. 
 
You can contribute more, but have less time to invest. 
 
Assuming an average return of 7%? 
 
The results are simply remarkable. 
 
A 20-year-old who is dedicated to starting early can outperform those with higher contributions. 
 
That doesn't mean high contributions don't matter. 
 
They absolutely do! 
Especially early on your journey. 
The difference, though, is returns helped. 
 
Over time, those returns made a difference thanks to time. 
 
It's really simple, but holds a huge lesson. 
 
There is power getting off to a good start. 

You should have started sooner. 

But you aren't too late.
 
Don't wait any longer!

Most don't realize they could put up to $72,000 in a Roth. 

Here's the "Mega Backdoor Roth" explained:

Compared to the IRA, the 401 k) has a couple of advantages, including: 
 
- Larger contribution limitations 
- Matching contributions 
- No income limitation 
 
In addition, it still offers a Roth component. 
 
But the part people overlook? 
 
The total contribution limit. 
 
On the employee side, it's $24,500 (2026).
 
Combined with the employer side it's $72,000. 
 
But there is another secret in it. 
 
If your employer allows it, they may permit additional after-tax contributions. 
 
This is taking additional income that has already been taxed and contributing it to a 401(k). 
 
For example: 
 
If the employee contributes $24,500 and the match is $7,500, that's $32,000. 
 
$72,000-$32,000 = $40,000
 
The employee can contribute an extra amount into there. 
 
But that's not where the magic happens. 
 
The magic is what you can do after. 
 
These contributions can be converted to a Roth account. 
 
This can happen in two ways: 
 
1) In-Service Distribution: Make an after-tax contribution + transfer it to an outside Roth IRA 
 
Or 
 
2) In-Plan Roth Conversion: Make after-tax contribution + transfer funds to the Roth 401k of plan 
 
Once again, your employer must allow both after-tax contributions and this type of transfer so check with them first. 
 
This strategy make large contributions to a tax-free account of this size is well known as a "Mega BackDoor Roth". 
 
It's a complicated process so always be sure to coordinate this with a financial professional. 
 
If you're looking to make great strides towards building your future, this is an option you shouldn't overlook. 
 
It's a great vehicle for financial independence.

Note: This is purely educational and should not be considered financial or tax advice. Consult with a professional on your situation before implementing this.

A $300,000+ earner with less than $15,000.

As a financial planner, I've seen more of these inquiries over the last year.

I can't stress this simple message to you all enough:

High income will take you to the next stage of your life. 

Zero planning around it will reverse that.

So when you get a bump in income…

What’s your game plan?

Let’s hear it.

Cutting your Netflix subscription will make you a millionaire.

Here's how you can do it in a year:

- Cut the $18
- Take the $18 and invest it
- Get a return of 5,555,456%

Boom. You've got $1 million

Why aren't more Millennials doing this?

Them: The 401(k) is a scam! 
 
Me: Why do you think that?
 
Them: It's locked until you are 60! 
 
Me: You can get it out early with strategies like 72(t), Rule of 55, Roth Conversion Ladder, and many other reasons. 
 
Them: Well it has high fees! 
 
Me: New 401k providers offer low-cost plans + low-cost funds and you can roll it out later if you really don't like it when you leave. 
 
Them: Well it has limitations! 
 
Me: Yeah but you're talking about $24,500 (2026) for a year, not including the match you get. 
 
Them: Well, the match has a vesting period! 
 
Me: So does equity. It's an incentive and still FREE money in the end. 
 
Them: Well, it was created to supplement your retirement, not fully fund it. 
 
Me: I agree. That's why you don't put all your wealth into a single vehicle and utilize multiple to your advantage.
 
Them: Yeah, well, it's taxed as income at retirement! 
 
Me: Yeah, that's precisely why you get a deduction upfront, and your funds grow tax-deferred, which helps retain wealth over time rather than tax sales and income each year. 
 
Them: Yeah well.... it still sucks! 
 
 
 
Not as many as the excuses made against the 401(k). 
 
It ain't all that bad as people make it to be. 
 
No one claims it will solve all your problems. 
 
But it's not a scam.

80% of their thoughts are on things they can’t control.

Here's why it's a losing choice:

If you spend all your time focusing on the things you can't control, you're investing in a losing strategy.

We see it all the time with money:

You can't control return rates.
But you can control savings rates.

You can't control tax laws.
But you can control tax planning.

You can't control interest rates.
But you can control your credit score.

You can't control contribution limits.
But you can control diversifying accounts.

You can't control risk of an asset.
But you can control your asset allocation.

You can't control when an emergency will happen.
But you can control the management of your short-term reserves.

You can't control tuition prices.
But you can control which vehicles to choose.

You can't control social security reserves.
But you can control your retirement vehicles.

You can't control inflation.
But you can control where your cash gets parked.

You can't control your death.
But you can control your estate plan.



Want to know why we do financial planning?

Because life is usually out of our control.

Your plan gives you the steering wheel.

Up to you how you steer with it.

Don't sleep on the wheel.

Make too much income for a Roth IRA? 
 
Here's how to get around it legally (Updated for 2026!)
 
First, what's the problem? 
 
The Roth IRA is a great vehicle for tax-free growth. 
 
But there are income limitations. 
 
For 2026, those limitations are as follows: 
 
- $153,000 for single filers 
- $242,000 for married filing jointly 
- $0 married filing separately
 
Make above these amounts? 
 
They get phased out or entirely ineligible. 
 
So what to do? 
 
Instead, you could contribute to the Traditional IRA. 
 
But are you contributing to a 401k? 
 
Those deductions might also phase out! 
 
This seems like a lose-lose scenario. 
 
But it opens for an opportunity. 
 
The good news is that you can use the IRA to fund a Roth IRA. 
 
This is known as a Backdoor Roth IRA. 
 
Here's what you could do: 

FIRST: Move all existing IRA money into an employer plan like a 401k. 
 
1) Open a Traditional IRA & Roth IRA 
2) Fund the Traditional IRA 
3) Do NOT invest the funds 
4) Initiate a Roth Conversion into the New Roth IRA 
5) Elect not to withhold taxes 
6) Invest in the Roth IRA 
7) File Form 8606 to show non-deduction in Traditional IRA 
 
This process is why having a Roth 401k is pretty handy: you can make any contribution with no income limitations. 

Remember, this is purely educational and is shown here for simplicity.
 
This is not financial or tax advice, so please consult with a financial and tax professional first.
 
But the door is open for tax-free money!

You've gotta find the right key.

Note: This is purely educational and not financial or tax advice. Seek a professional before acting on any of the information.

Let's normalize not having everything figured out by your 30s.

Purchasing a home without running the numbers is a coin flip. 

Yet, this is exactly how 99% of people do it.

They'll just look at what the bank will allow them to get.

But they don't look at your numbers:

- Your goals
- Your expenses
- Your future maintenance
- Your potential new furniture
- Your phantom costs not disclosed

And no, going with the notion that "it will pay off later" is not a good strategy. 

Please run the numbers before executing on a home purchase. 

You'd be surprised how unprepared some are for it.

It's not like you can change your mind very easily.

After all, it's only 30 years you are stuck with it...

If your business goes to zero, you close your doors.

If the stock you own goes to zero, they close their doors. 

If the index fund you own goes to zero, money is no longer a problem. 

Now take a look at these three and answer one question:

Which of the downsides is more likely to occur?

High reward comes with high risk. 

It's not about not taking risk. 

It's about managing it.

Welcome to Risk 101.

You can make 7 figures of income. 
 
But it's all useless without this: 
 
"The art is not in making money, but keeping it" 
 
This is especially true with HENRY's. 
 
What is a HENRY? 
 
→ H-igh 
→ E-arner 
→ N-ot 
→ R-ich 
→ Y-et 
 
I've seen this with many cases of successful business owners and tech executives. 
 
Lots of talented people making fantastic revenue and income. 
 
But not many of them without a game plan to keep it. 
 
The culprit is usually simple: 
 
Lack of financial planning. 
 
Without clarity, you don't know what to do with what you earn. 
 
You worked hard to earn your income. 
 
Now make it work harder for you to grow. 
 
But you don't have to struggle at it alone. 
 
If you do, you might need help at it.

I don't know who needs to hear this, but just because you can afford the down payment for a home doesn't mean you can afford the mortgage payments. 

☝ Read that again

"My commissions are taxed at a higher rate"

Not true always. Why is it wrong?

Let's look at an example here.

Selling Sally works hard at her job.

She typically gets half in salary and half in commissions.

She’s hit her quota and is excited for those commissions to kick in.

But when she checks her paycheck, she notices something…

Her commissions were "taxed" at a lower rate than her salary.

At first, this seems great, more money in her bank account!

But then, tax season arrives.

After filing her taxes, her accountant lets her know she owes a massive tax bill!

Now she's frustrated that she has to write a big check and wonders:

Did something go wrong with her return?
Did she get taxed more than expected?
Did she get hit with some penalty?
Nope.

She owes more because her employer withheld less than she actually owed.

And that's the key word here: withheld.

Whenever you have monthly income like a salary, it’s considered “regular,” which gets taxed progressively like usual.

But whenever you have irregular income like:

Awards
Bonuses
Commissions
Equity Compensation
Or anything that doesn’t pay monthly
…it’s considered “supplemental.”

And these irregular forms of income are withheld at different flat rates by default.

For commissions, the default withholding is 22% for the first $1 million and 37% for any amount beyond that (Federal rate for 2025).

This is just withholding, not the actual tax owed.

Since Sally makes $500,000, her actual marginal tax rate is 35%.

But her commissions were only withheld at 22%, which wasn’t enough.

So instead of getting a refund, she ended up owing the difference at tax time.

She didn’t pay more for her commissions.

She just had less withheld than owed.

Big difference!

(Sally is a hypothetical example, but you get the point)

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A guy tweeted he put $50K in a Roth IRA.

Said it was one of the worst decisions he ever made.

And that’s great! A big reason:

Because if he contributed a total of $50k over the years, he could take out $50k of contributions penalty-free whenever he wanted.

“bUt yOu cAn’T tAkE oUt rEtIrEmEnT mOnEy dUdE”

Well…

This is actually a little secret hidden inside Roth IRAs.

Your earnings are distributed tax-free if certain conditions are met, most commonly being age 59½ and having held the account for at least 5 years.

But your contributions can be withdrawn at any time.

Roth withdrawals generally come out in this order:

1) Contributions 👉 can be taken out anytime
2) Conversions 👉 generally subject to a 5-year clock
3) Earnings 👉 usually require 59½ + 5 years

This means you don’t have to wait years to access your contributions.

However, once you take that money out, you permanently lose that Roth space, so this is best viewed as an emergency option, not a primary strategy.

But if you needed funds before 59½, you could access the contributions early.

Why is this a big deal?

It gives people pursuing financial independence a potential Plan B source of cash alongside other strategies.

So thank you, angry Twitter guy, for the lesson.

Note: Purely educational, not financial advice.

For the love of g*d, stop using absolutes with your finances:

You don't need to max your 401(k).
But don't leave your match behind.

You don't always need life insurance.
But you should get coverage for your family.

You don't need live on the edge.
But you should know your limits.

You don't need to invest everything.
But you should understand your timeline.

You don't need to open a 529 for your kid.
But you should prepare to support them eventually.

You don't need to have a strict budget.
But you don't have to live a Ramsey life either.

You don't have to pay off all your debt now.
But you don't have to completely avoid it either.

You don’t need to own a home.
But you should have a housing plan.

You don’t need to pick individual stocks.
But you should understand what you own.

You don’t need to retire and quit work all together.
But you should build the option to choose your path.

You don’t need multiple income streams.
But you should protect against a single point of failure.

Read what you want and take advice from whoever. 

But your situation is not black-and-white. 

Stop thinking like it too.

Your child can borrow to pay their tuition costs. 

But you cannot borrow to pay your retirement costs. 

Remember this as you prioritize where your wealth goes.

Friendly Reminder: Robinhood is not meant for you to create a strategic means of creating wealth. 

It's a place to mess around with your "F*** You" money.

Big difference.

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