The Financial Samurai Podcast

In this episode, I catch up with Ben Miller, Co-founder and CEO of Fundrise about artificial intelligence and the latest investments by the  Innovation Fund. We discuss how company valuations are calculated in the fund, a defense AI investment, and so much more.  The Innovation Fund is an open-ended venture capital fund with only a $10 minimum. You can see what the fund is investing in before you decide to invest and how much. Unlike traditional closed-end venture capital funds, you can gain liquidity if you want in one quarter. Check out the Innovation Fund here. Financial Samurai is an investor in Fundrise and Fundrise is a long-time sponsor of Financial Samurai.  Personally, I'm bullish on artificial intelligence and will be building $500,000 worth of exposure to AI companies and funds that invest in artificial intelligence over the next five years. In 20 years, I don't want my children asking me why I didn't invest in AI near the beginning.  Related post: Artificial Intelligence: How To Protect Yourself And Benefit Financially  Subscribe To Financial Samurai To achieve financial independence sooner, Join 60,000+ others and subscribe to the free Financial Samurai newsletter. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, rate, and review. Every review means a lot as each episode takes hours to produce. 

I speak with Colleen Kong-Savage about becoming a children's book illustrator and author, as well as a freelance graphic designer while living in expensive New York City. Colleen has a new book out entitled Piano Wants To Play. It is a wonderful book for children and adults of all ages who appreciate music. It is also a touching story about rekindling the joy we had as children. Colleen has been a long-time illustrator for Financial Samurai, creating all of the custom Samurai-themed graphics, including the logo and the Financial Samurai mask. As you may know, it can be challenging to make a living as a creative professional. Therefore, I'm proud to support Colleen's endeavors. If you're looking to support artists, the best way to do so is to purchase their work and hiring them. Please consider purchasing a copy of Piano Wants To Play and visiting Colleen's website at ckongsavage.com. If you want to learn more about being a children's author and illustrator, you can check out the resources at www.highlightsfoundation.org and www.scbwi.org. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd appreciate a review and a share! To Your Financial Freedom, Sam

Every residential real estate investor and homeowner is richer after the National Association Of Realtors settled its price fixing lawsuit. I know many real estate agents, realtors, and brokerages are upset with the ruling. However, the decision was decided quickly by a jury of our peers. The money that would have went into the real estate industry's pockets are now going back into the homeowners' and investors' pockets.  See: Why Every Residential Real Estate Investor And Homeowner Is Richer Busting The Real Estate Cartel With Attorney Mike Ketchmark Recommendations Check out Fundrise, my favorite private real estate platform with over $3.3 billion under management for 500,000+ investors. With mortgage rates coming down and the stock market strong, the demand for real estate is building.  Fundrise predominantly invests in residential and industrial real estate in the Sunbelt region, where valuations are lower and yields are higher. I believe there is a multi-decade demographic shift towards lower-cost areas of the country thanks to technology.  Financial Samurai is an investor in Fundrise funds and Fundrise is a long-time sponsor of Financial Samurai.  Subscribe To Financial Samurai To achieve financial freedom sooner, join 60,000+ others and subscribe to the free Financial Samurai newsletter. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, rate, and review. Every review means a lot as each episode takes hours to produce. 

The most expensive cities in America include cities like New York City, San Francisco, and San Jose. However, these expensive cities could actually be the cheapest due to all the income and investment opportunities. Let's explore the reasons why. Related post: Income Required To Afford A Typical Home In The Top 50 Cities Recommendations 1) Check out Fundrise, my favorite private real estate platform with over $3.3 billion under management for 500,000+ investors. With mortgage rates coming down and the stock market strong, the demand for real estate is building.  2) To invest in artificial intelligence and other private growth companies, check out the open-ended Innovation Fund. You can see what the fund invests in before you invest and how much. The investment minimum is only $10.  Financial Samurai is an investor in Fundrise funds and Fundrise is a long-time sponsor of Financial Samurai.  Subscribe To Financial Samurai To achieve financial freedom sooner, join 60,000+ others and subscribe to the free Financial Samurai newsletter. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, rate, and review. Every review means a lot as each episode takes hours to produce. 

In this episode, I talk to my wife about what it's nice to own the nicest home we can afford five months after moving in. Although I am no happier, I do feel more satisfied.  Related post: Climbed To The Top Of The Property Ladder  Recommendations 1) Check out Fundrise, my favorite private real estate platform with over $3.3 billion under management for 500,000+ investors. With mortgage rates coming down and the stock market strong, the demand for real estate is building.  2) To invest in artificial intelligence and other private growth companies, check out the open-ended Innovation Fund. You can see what the fund invests in before you invest and how much. The investment minimum is only $10.  Subscribe To Financial Samurai Join 60,000+ others and subscribe to the free Financial Samurai newsletter. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, rate, and review. Every review means a lot as each episode takes hours to produce. 

In this episode, I speak with Kathy Fang, star of the Food Network's Chef Dynasty, as well as owner of Fang Restaurant, one of my favorite Chinese restaurants in San Francisco.  We talk about what it was like making a reality TV show, running a restaurant, expansion potential, and raising a family in San Francisco on chef hours.  You can find Kathy on Instagram @ChefKathyFang and on her website at KathyFang.com.  If you enjoyed this episode, I'd appreciate a review, share, and subscribe. Every episode takes hours to produce. To achieve financial freedom sooner, join 60,000+ others and subscribe to the Financial Samurai newsletter here. Financial Samurai began in 2009 and is one of the largest independently-owned personal finance sites with one million pageviews a month. Visit the site here. 

Since 2009, when I began Financial Samurai, I've noticed some people are too afraid to invest or get easily shaken out whenever there is economic or stock market turbulence. Then, these investors get left behind as the economyc, stock market, real estate market, and other markets eventually recovery. To help you overcome your fear of investing, I suggest coming up with an investment thesis. An investment thesis is your north star and will help you hold strong during difficult times. For more details, see the post: An Investment Thesis Is The Key To Making More Money Long Term Investing Thesis For 2024 And Beyond 1) A recovery in the real estate market as it plays catchup to the stock market. Check out Fundrise, my favorite private real estate platform with over $3.3 billion under management for 500,000+ investors.  2) A boom in artificial intelligence that will boost profits and economic growth. To invest in AI and other private growth companies, check out the open-ended Innovation Fund. You can see what the fund invests in before you invest and how much. Subscribe To Financial Samurai Join 60,000+ others and subscribe to the free Financial Samurai newsletter. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, rate, and review. Every review means a lot as each episode takes hours to produce.   

I talk to Emily Luk, Co-Founder and CEO of Plenty, a wealth platform for today's modern couples. Due to career aspirations, higher education, and the rising cost of living, couples are taking longer to get married and have children. In addition, couples are also building more wealth on their own before getting married.  Plenty is based in San Francisco, California and will launch its platform by April 1, 2024. You can get on the waitlist or join now, depending on when you listen to this episode.  You can also subscribe to the Plenty newsletter and read the Plenty blog if you care about couples issues such as getting married, buying a house, starting a family, saving for college and more.  If you've enjoyed this episode, please leave a review. Every episode takes hours to produce and every review means a lot. Thanks! Sam

I speak with Noah Kagan about being one of the first employees at Facebook and Mint, not making the megabucks, and then turning into a successful entrepreneur with AppSumo.  Noah's new book is called Million Dollar Weekend by my same publisher, Portfolio Penguin. You can find Noah on Twitter and YouTube.  Related posts on entrepreneurship: How Much Entrepreneurship Income Is Needed To Replace Your Day Job Income What If You Take A Leap Of Faith And Your Dreams Don't Come True The Lifestyle Business Or The Big Payout Support Financial Samurai If you enjoyed this episode, I'd appreciate a subscribe, share, and review. Every review counts! You can join 60,000+ others and subscribe to the Financial Samurai newsletter here. 

In this episode, I speak to Ben Miller, CEO of Fundrise about his change in outlook for the real estate market in 2024 and beyond. He believes October 2023 was the bottom and we're going up from here.  In this episode we explore several key topics: The reasoning behind Ben's belief that October 2023 marked the bottom, and the less obvious indicators supporting this perspective. The motivation behind selling during this period, just after reaching the presumed bottom. The possibility of using one fund's cash to support a deal in which another fund is investing. Ben's insights on investing in office properties at significant discounts. Drawing parallels between e-commerce and the work-from-home trend, highlighting the potential permanent increase in the value of residential properties. Emphasizing the importance of investing in alignment with macroeconomic tailwinds, not headwinds. Discussing the anticipated percentage upside in institutional real estate prices for 2024. Exploring the methodology for calculating the Net Asset Value (NAV) of specific properties within the fund. Recognizing the non-linear nature of significant changes and the importance of staying invested to benefit from high catalyst moments. Reflecting on Ray Dalio's perspective – "I'd rather be approximately right than precisely wrong" – especially in the context of predicting year-end interest rates. Considering the viewpoint that a recession might be bullish for real estate due to the potential rapid and extensive decline in interest rates. If you want to dollar-cost-average into a Fundrise fund, you can do so by clicking here. The investment minimum is $10. Financial Samurai is an investor in Fundrise and Fundrise is a long-time sponsor of Financial Samurai. 

Happy 2024 everyone! Here are some of our goals and financial predictions for 2024. Overall, we're optimistic about the year. Related posts: 2024 S&P 500 Forecasts 2024 Housing Price Forecasts 2024 Financial Samurai Goals Explaining All The Surprise Capital Calls Investing In 2024 If you'd like to invest in the rebound in real estate in 2024, check out Fundrise, my favorite private real estate platform with over $3.3 billion under management for 500,000+ investors.  To invest in AI and other private growth companies, check out the open-ended Innovation Fund. You can see what the fund invests in before you invest and how much.  

Sydney and I review 2023 and discuss the importance of intrinsic motivation to keep going. Be aware of only chasing extrinsic motivators, like money, fame, and promotions, to achieve your results. If you do, chances are high you'll burn out quicker than expected. We'd love a share and a review of the podcast. Each episode takes at least two hours to produce.  Related post: 2023 Financial Samurai Year In Review: More Failes Than Wins The Best Posts And Podcasts On Financial Samurai 2023 To Succeed, Intrinsic Rewards Must Dominate Extrinsic Rewards Subscribe To Financial Samurai Join 60,000+ others and subscribe to my free weekly newsletter. This way you always stay on top of the most important events in the stock market, real estate market, and everything personal finance.  Pick up a copy of my WSJ bestseller, Buy This Not That. As a first edition, first print with some typos, it could be a valuable collector's item in the future.   

I speak to Sydney, my wife, about the idea of sending our children to Community College instead of directly to a four-year state or private university. The benefits are many, including less stress and more fun! If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe! Posts mentioned: Community College May Be The Way: How I Plan To Spend $1.5 Million Median Income Earned By Ivy League Graduates Keep In Touch With Financial Samurai Join 60,000+ others and subscribe to my free weekly newsletter. This way you always stay on top of the most important events in the stock market, real estate market, and everything personal finance. 

This episode is sponsored by Danielson Legal, which provides top tier intellectual property legal services for the greatest value proposition available in the market. Their attorneys have formidable experience and expertise from practicing at the highest levels of the profession—from the top law firms in Boston to publicly traded corporate legal departments. Episode Synopsis If you retire early, chances are high you will have an itch to return to work within a year or two. Only after publishing my post, Why It's So Hard To Stay Retired After Retiring Early, did I discover the one solution that will help folks continue to stay out of the work force. I then went deeper and wrote the post, Why It's So Hard To Leave San Francisco Now. When there's so much going on in the city by the bay today, you can't help but want to stay.  If you enjoyed this episode please rate, review, share, and subscribe! Every review counts.  Suggestions If you're looking to invest in artificial intelligence companies, take a look at the Fundrise Innovation Fund. It has democratized access to investing in private growth companies with only a $10 minimum.  Join 60,000+ others and subscribe to the Financial Samurai newsletter. 

I speak to my friend and 4-time NBA champ, Shaun Livingston about his journey from high school basketball prodigy to winning multiple championships with the Golden State Warriors.  If you're an NBA fan or a professional sports fan, you're going to love this episode. Please rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast. Every review means a lot! Related Financial Samurai posts: Where Are All The Adult Athletes? Sports And Your Career The Secret To Your Success: 10 Years Of Unwavering Commitment  Subscribe To Financial Samurai Join 60,000+ others and subscribe to my free weekly newsletter. This way you always stay on top of the most important events in the stock market, real estate market, and everything personal finance. 

This episode is sponsored by Danielson Legal, which provides top tier intellectual property legal services for the greatest value proposition available in the market. Their attorneys have formidable experience and expertise from practicing at the highest levels of the profession—from the top law firms in Boston to publicly traded corporate legal departments. Episode Synopsis Supposedly by the time our children turn 19, we will have spent 80% - 90% of the time we will ever spend with them. But that statistic is ridiculous if we make the effort. Let's talk about something absurd, like relocating to where our adult children are once we are retired.  Posts mentioned: Having Absurd Dreams Is OK Because Sometimes They Come True The Pandemic Was An Experience In Hedging Your Life Keep In Touch With Financial Samurai Pick up a copy of How To Engineer Your Layoff. It will teach you how to negotiate a severance package so you can spend more time with your children or do what you want. Use the code “saveten” at checkout to save $10. Join 60,000+ others and subscribe to my free weekly newsletter. This way you always stay on top of the most important events in the stock market, real estate market, and everything personal finance. 

After the real estate industry was found guilty of collusion by a Missouri jury, I spoke to lead trial lawyer, Mike Ketchmark about how the entire process came about.  If you're into real estate, thinking of selling or buying a home, or are curious about how lawyers get compensated, you're going to love this episode! Related posts: Real Estate Collusion Revealed! Misaligned Commission Incentives Real Estate Alternative If you're looking to invest in private growth companies, take a look at the Fundrise Innovation Fund. Roughly 35% of its investments are currently in AI-related companies, which is likely the revolutionary technology over the coming decade. 

This episode is sponsored by Danielson Legal, which provides top tier intellectual property legal services for the greatest value proposition available in the market. Their attorneys have formidable experience and expertise from practicing at the highest levels of the profession—from the top law firms in Boston to publicly traded corporate legal departments. Show notes: We know the median American household has a net worth of about $193,000 and the average American household has a net worth of $1.06 million. But what about the top 1% of American households?  If you want to beat out 99% of Americans, this is how large your net worth should be by age, at a minimum! Is the grind worth it since 99% will fail? I’m not sure that it is. Let's discuss. Related post: Top 1% Net Worth By Age Keep In Touch With Financial Samurai Join 60,000+ others and subscribe to my free weekly newsletter. This way you always stay on top of the most important events in the stock market, real estate market, and everything personal finance. 

After a couple of months, I was able to successfully convince my wife to upgrade homes! But now that she's on board, I'm afraid to move forward.  I'm afraid because it's scarier to buy a home when demand is down. There's a comfort in buying when everybody else wants to buy. But I think I'm mostly afraid of buying because I had to convince my wife. As a result, if anything unfortunate happens after we move, I will feel guilty and to blame.  If you are thinking of making a big move where you and your partner are not 100% alilgned, perhaps this episode will spur you to communicate more about your fears and worries.  Posts mentioned: 5 Ways To Overcome Emotional Attachment To Buy A New Home 30/30/3-5 Rule For Home Buying Income And Net Worth Requirements To Buy A Home At All Price Points Recommendations To invest in real estate more strategically and passively, check out Fundrise. Fundrise manages over $3.3 billion, mostly in residential and industrial real estate in the Sunbelt. The spreading out of America is going to be a multi-decade trend. FS is an investor and affiliate partner of Fundrise.  Join 60,000+ others and subscribe to my free weekly newsletter. This way you always stay on top of the most important events in the stock market, real estate market, and everything personal finance. 

Congrats! The average American household is now a millionaire according to the latest Federal Reserve Consumer Finance Survey. It's good to be average! Alas, the median American household is not a millionaire, which is a better reflection of the average American!  Related posts:  The Average American Household Is Now A Millionaire The 30/30/3-5 Homebuying Rule What Millionaires Do: 1) Invest in stocks  2) Participate in their retirement plans 3) Invest in real estate 4) Start and invest in private companies Investment mention: The Fundrise Innovation Fund that invests in private growth companies in AI, fintech, proptech, and more.  If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe! Every review makes a difference. Join 60,000+ others and sign up for my free weekly newsletter so you never miss a thing. You can also get every post I publish immediately in your inbox by signing up here.