When I was about ten, a neighbor told me her parents had a million dollars saved for retirement. I didn’t believe her—a million dollars felt like an impossible number. Whether it was true or not, knowing that information didn't help me one bit. It just felt awkward. This highlights a tricky part of child financial education: knowing what to share and what to keep to yourself.
It’s easy to dismiss remote work by saying it chips away at the camaraderie that makes a company run smoothly. The argument goes that without those casual office friendships, everything falls apart. But that’s not quite the full story.
For anyone interested in digital entrepreneurship, the idea of writing and selling a book is often a major goal. Getting started with a platform like Amazon's CreateSpace is surprisingly straightforward. It all begins with a simple sign-up form where you’ll create a username and password. Once you're in, you get access to a suite of free writing tools, digital proofing, and a massive distribution network across the United States and Europe, all backed by 24/7 support.
Getting an online business off the ground, especially on a platform like Amazon, involves more than just picking a product. You're building a network of partners and services that handle everything from logistics to branding. Let's break down who you'll be working with and what it really takes to get started.
So many of us get into the game of starting a side business while employed. The initial goal is usually simple: make a little extra cash, pay down some debt, or save up for a big purchase. But what if the real goal isn't just about earning more money, but about earning money differently? What if the endgame is breaking the link between the hours you work and the money you make?
Most people who want to make more money ask the wrong question. They ask, “How can I make more money?” but a far more powerful question is, “How can I create recurring money?” How can you get paid over and over again for something you did once? That’s the kind of thinking that shifts your hour’s worth from $100 to $10,000.
If you're trading hours for dollars, you're on a treadmill, not a path to wealth. It's a simple, direct trade: the moment you stop working, the money stops coming in. I grew up hearing the phrase, “You don’t work, you don’t eat,” and it perfectly captures this trap. This kind of time-based income is a dead end if your goal is real financial freedom. It's linear and can't build wealth quickly. Sure, there are exceptions, like a top NBA draft pick with a $12 million signing bonus, but if that’s you, you probably aren't reading this.
It was one of those simple ideas that hits you so hard you can't believe you missed it. "So you’re saying all I need to do is become a controller?" I asked, a light bulb switching on in my head.
Most people think of a side hustle as just a way to make extra cash—driving for Uber, delivering food, or picking up a few freelance gigs. But what if that’s the wrong way to look at it? A true side hustle business isn't about getting a second job; it's about building an asset that can eventually replace your first job. The key isn't just working more, but building something that can grow without you.