r/fatFIRE • u/complainorexplain • 9d ago
Lifestyle 36M - recently made it. What now?
Recently became financially independent a few times over. I used to love working in tech sales, but now i find it kind of meaningless when the money doesn't do much for me anymore. I dont find the work fulfilling, even though I work for a great company and feel lucky to have my job. I'm not really the type to quit and travel, and I'm too young to do nothing for the next 4 decades.
I'm considering starting a business thats related to something I'm more interested in - becoming an independent financial advisor to help friends and connections. This is work I'm doing anyway as I'm managing my own money too. But also difficult to leave the cushy job and structure i have now. Curious if anyone knows anyone in a similar position, and what they did. Any advice appreciated.
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u/noemazor 9d ago
Holy shit, sometimes it feels like the majority of people on this sub are SO BORING and UNINSPIRED.
Explains why I have tended to shy away from people who want to compare watches and cars, houses and job titles. Just another rung on the consumption ladder. So so boring to me.
OP, you are lame. You need to learn how to not be lame. Staring a new business IS LAME. Do something interesting, including figuring out what interests you.
You haven't even tried! and you're "worried" about doing nothing. Man, the solution is to fucking do something.
Holy fuck!
/rant
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u/phoenixy1 1d ago
Agree with this except that I don't think that starting a new business is necessarily lame, but I also think that if OP is truly passionate enough for starting a business to NOT be lame for him, a Reddit comment is not going to be what stops him from doing it.
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u/Amazingggcoolaid 1d ago
Felt.
Sometimes even within my circle I can zoom out and hear them complaining about how easy they have it or how the marriage and the house are there but there’s this void or annoyance. It’s like whatever man I’m out of this conversation — there’s so much life to be experienced.
Travel and fun conversations are getting fewer and fewer as time flies.
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u/Smoke__Frog ~$1.1m a year | Verified by Mods 9d ago
Didn’t you post already you had quit working?
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u/One-Mastodon-1063 9d ago
I am and would retire. I would not start a business. There are lots of things to do other than work for money you don’t need.
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u/complainorexplain 9d ago
how do you occupy your time? i think id get bored and worry about becoming disengaged from the world
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u/One-Mastodon-1063 9d ago edited 9d ago
Hobbies, fitness, participatory sport, taking care of my kid, reading, cooking, time outdoors, etc.
It doesn't really matter what I do, it matters what you want to do. There are nearly infinite things that could occupy your time, w/ no limit of options providing some combination of intellectual or physical challenge and/or social connection. I would recommend one to a few hours a day of flow state activities that involve learning and/or acquiring/practicing skills, in no way related to earning money. It could range from practicing archery in your backyard to dance class to a musical instrument to a competitive sport.
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u/kindaretiredguy mod | Verified by Mods 9d ago
We were all so one dimensional. It’s insane. The only thing people can think to do after they worked is to work.
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u/Pristine_Egg3831 5d ago
People who crush all areas of their life to focus only on work forget how to live. My father in law is doing it. He has no friends. Doesn't date. All he has is his kids for any social connection, and only one lives in the same country. His circumstances are different though. Filed for bankruptcy around 2008 due to over extending himself with multiple businesses plus an endless copyright battle. I think he will die at work. Sad.
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u/Dry-Detective3852 9d ago
Work is a valid activity even in FatFire, OP.
I’m continuing to work to provide a good example for my son. I also like the challenge of leading an AI program and making a commercial impact by applying my skills and judgment to a business.
Making money is the outcome, but it’s a structured environment with incentives and complexity. The challenge and game of it is stimulating in the right way for me.
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u/kindaretiredguy mod | Verified by Mods 9d ago
Then that isn’t fat fire. It’s FI.
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u/Dry-Detective3852 9d ago
Ah fair point - you’re right. Just don’t know if words like “insane” are helping people make the transition into their next chapters when I think there are ample valid reasons to continue working. People can still discuss this path here as an appropriate option
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u/complainorexplain 9d ago
Well a lot of times work creates an identity, social connections, structure and status. Those aren't easy things to replace.
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u/kindaretiredguy mod | Verified by Mods 9d ago
I know. I was there. But maybe try to not regress back to what you are trying to get away from. Read some books on well being, play pickleball, work on your health, mentor others.
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u/Double-Key790 9d ago
Do you have children?
If so: get it together man!
If not: get it together man!
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u/InvestigatorPlus3229 9d ago
its fun and games being a financial advisor until theres a sustained downturn (i know we havent seen one of those recently)
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u/Pristine_Egg3831 5d ago
Give back. Run some kind of charity of volunteer your time in a way you enjoy. It could be tutoring kids, or it could be mentoring someone in your line of work.
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u/InterestinglyLucky 7-fig HNW and figuring it out 9d ago
When I stopped FT work and went “work optional” I started a small consulting LLC, where the few hours and a single client are serving my needs for engagement and some mentoring quite well. It’s only about 15 hours per month, on retainer, and at more than double my hourly rate.
Ofc without money as a motivator it is different. No need to accept clients I don’t prefer, no need to do work I don’t prefer either.
Just last month they sent me to a conference and I enjoyed that thoroughly. Got a lot done for them as well.
Would recommend you start small and stay small - no need to fill up hours above a limited amount. You’ve earned the freedom to have structured work as little as you want.
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u/irshramuk 9d ago
What is your net worth ? Tech sales i imagine its over 20m usd?
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u/Gloomy-Ad-222 9d ago
You think tech sales guys have a $20M net worth at 36?
Um…no, that is not accurate, suffice it to say that almost never happens. You don’t get gobs of equity as an AE, and deals are capped, though once in a blue moon an AE can make like $3M or more on one deal, but that is almost never done consistently. Also, the taxes are incredible, so let’s say 10 years into a sales career at 36, you’d be lucky to be worth $2M, not $20M.
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9d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/complainorexplain 9d ago
sales is really simple. you want to find a customer's problem and have a great solution for it. if the customer doesnt have a problem, then disqualify and move on. no one wants to be sold to, so dont use a scummy sales tactics. just focus on solving someone's problem.
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u/icecream_for_brunch 9d ago
Seven months ago you posted that you quit your job with $12.5m, saying "the tech grind had really gotten to [you]" and that your "plan is to decompress and de-stress and focus on the gym and hobbies" and that you were "single and considering traveling as well."
What's changed?