?????? Build assets, not just wages (3 examples)

In this issue:

• ?? Why assets > careers
• ??? Investing in your brand as an asset
• ?? Why owning the source of your cash flows matters
• ?? Low risk REI – an asset you can touch
• ?? Link to a podcast episode that dives deeper

A mentor of mine gave words to what I subconsciously knew to be true. He said, “Assets over careers.”

If you love your job, that’s awesome. (We spend 90,000 hours of our lives at work, so I hope you do love what you do.)

If your job is more of a means to an end (provision), and you wish you could be doing something else with your time and energy, that’s unfortunately, kinda normal.

Either way, if you’re not building assets outside of your day job – assets that you own and can leverage how you see fit – you’re missing a key to freedom and greater impact.

Your wages should fuel your asset-building. ??

Earning a high wage from your job is a great thing – but if you want financial freedom, use those wages to build assets that you own.

If career is your exclusive focus, you're more likely to reach financial freedom at average retirement age (mid 60s).

But if assets are your primary focus, you're more likely to reach financial freedom much faster. In your 30s or 40s even, depending on when you start.

By all means, optimize the income from your day job (a future issue will outline my favorite ways to position for higher salary).

?? But be strategic – use those high wages as the fuel for your asset-building.

Building assets outside my day job is what created the freedom my family enjoys today.

Those assets created stability and optionality so I could launch new ventures that aligned with the calling God placed in my heart.

We were able to move closer to family and start doing life on our own terms as we stewarded those assets with more energy and attention.

And even if I didn’t leave my day job, those assets simply created a new sense of freedom – I didn’t feel as beholden to a single employer and felt I could take smart risk.

In other words, building assets is an absolute game changer. And as long as you're still crushing it for them, the right employer should appreciate and celebrate this for you. ????

Three examples of assets you can build while working a normal job:

→ Personal brand. ????♂?

This actually helps your employer because you amplify the message and serve as a trusted ambassador … plus, it’s an asset that carries with YOU and opens future opportunities.

If you don’t know where to start here, start small: spruce up your LinkedIn and make a post about some insight or point of view you have that’s relevant professionally.

It doesn’t have to be an earth shattering insight – so few people do this that the mere act of doing so sends an immediate signal to people at your company that you’re sharp and passionate about your craft. Plus, if you do this every so often, you’ll build a reputation outside your organization as well.

→ High Yield Side Hustle. ??

The right side hustle will build skills that make you more effective in your day job, plus give you an opportunity to start owning the SOURCE of your cash flows.

Even $500 you generate from a side hustle can be game changing. Two reasons:

1) it gives you a sense of confidence that’s invaluable, the moment you create value “out in the wild” with your skills, and

2) it’s worth a lot more than $500 in your paycheck.

You can choose and figure out how to scale or even sell an asset like this once you get traction. And this unlocks a sense of freedom that’s hard to have when you’re solely dependent on a W2 paycheck.

→ Small real estate portfolio. ??????

How much additional freedom would you feel if you had a few rental units passively throwing off cash flow and building equity for you? A good employer should celebrate this.

The first rental property is usually the toughest because you don’t know what you don’t know, and the risks feel huge. I remember being super intimidated by the thought of buying real estate. So much can go wrong… but when I figured out a solid game plan to limit my risk and stack the odds in my favor, I finally felt more comfortable to pull the trigger on that first investment.

And then it became increasingly demystified from there. (see below for a live session where I’m diving deeper on this one ????)

The bottom line: a great career can be very fulfilling. But until you start owning some of the source of your cash flow, it’s hard not to feel beholden. ??

Your career should fuel asset-building. Assets YOU own. Assets you can steward with and for your family + the benefit of others.

It’s not about leaving your day job … though you may choose to do that some day down the road.

It’s about about building assets outside of your day job that create optionality ... so you feel a greater sense of freedom + earn the chance to bless your family and others in new ways.

And when done right, your employer gets the best version of you too.

Win-win.

???? In the next email lesson, I’ll teach you how to build a small real estate portfolio in today’s market ... and the issue after that, I'll teach you how get MORE wages out of your day job to fuel your asset building.

In your corner,

Blake Bozarth

P.S. Want to go deeper on this stuff? I dive into more depth in this 15 minute podcast episode … follow that show for more content like this.

When you're ready, here are 3 ways I can help you:

1. Free Live Session: upcoming topics include The HYSH: how to choose a High Yield Side Hustle, Low Risk REI: how to build a small real estate portfolio in today’s market, and Getting a Raise: positioning for more comp in your day job. It’s a closed session with Q&A, ask me anything – submit this form to get calendar invite (usually on a Friday afternoon).

3. Entrusted Mastermind: mastermind community for men earning 150K+ (in a job they may or may not want to leave one day). Faith. Family. Wealth Building.