the good old days

I’m late on this one. Not a couple days late, almost two weeks late. Life got loud all at once and I’d rather be honest about that than pretend it didn’t happen.

My birthday was September 20th. The week before it, I moved into a new house. Boxes everywhere, cleaning nonstop, trying to make a new place feel like home before I turned a year older. So no, I wasn’t sitting on this newsletter. I was building the actual life this newsletter is supposed to be about.

So here’s what’s actually been on my mind while I was away.

My hunger is building. I caught myself in tears this week, just sitting with how far I’ve come. It’s a blessing. Still doesn’t feel real some days. I wouldn’t have imagined I’d be right here, right now, doing what I’m doing.

But that realization did something to me. It made me want to go further, not out of pressure, out of gratitude. I want all of it. Freedom, health, knowledge, wealth, the whole climb. I’m aligned with my purpose and I can feel it pulling me forward.

So I’m putting more into everything. Reading more. Building more. Taking care of my body. Praying more. Not because I have something to prove. Because I finally see what’s possible, and I’m not looking away from it. I’m becoming the man who can hold the life I’ve always wanted.

Been putting real work into a new solo-operator business. Truth is, this isn’t the destination. It’s a stepping stone. A way to bring in additional income and build relationships with decision makers across a few different industries.

Here’s the actual play. That money builds a bigger savings, funds some investing, and eventually goes toward buying or building something bigger. Equity is the real key. Grow the value of what you own and your whole life looks different. Takes time. Takes real work. But honestly, what else am I doing with my time.

Where things stand right now. Domain’s locked in. My DBA got approved under the LLC. Still deciding on a bank, leaning digital. Landing page is in progress, aiming to have it live by mid-October. Got the Google Workspace set up too.

The goal is $10k to $15k a month from this thing. After taxes, that money goes straight into the war chest. And what comes out of that war chest is what actually changes things for me and my family.

Not much music this time. I took this stretch to reset and recharge instead. What’s actually been on repeat is simpler than a playlist. My sunroom. My backyard. I smoked a cigar the other day and just sat in the sun. Grounding in the grass. Felt the breeze. Listened to the birds. Said a prayer. Moments like that are the ones that mean everything.

I finally realized I’m living in the good old days right now. If I’m not present for it, I’ll miss it. Then years from now I’ll be missing these exact days without even knowing it. This life thing is interesting. I’m grateful for the experience.

Been deep in finance articles lately. Private equity firms, AI’s impact on the economy, growth in the tech sector, that kind of research. Trying to actually understand where the money is moving, not just talk about it.

On the watching side, I finally got to Season 2 of The Gentlemen on Netflix. Great storylines. It exceeded every expectation I had going in. Also caught up on the newest episodes of Mobland Season 2 on Paramount+. Told you back in September it was dropping. It didn’t disappoint.

Still working on a small batch of whipped tallow balms. Might do a small batch of unscented hand-poured candles too. More on both soon.

Been looking at watches lately. Vintage Rolexes specifically. I want an old school two tone, probably starting with a Datejust. I’ll keep you updated on that hunt.

Also picked up a new humidor for my cigars. I don’t smoke them often, but it’s smarter to buy in bulk when I do, so now I’ve got proper storage. It comes with three varieties to sample, a lighter, and a cutter. Package should be here soon, you’ll probably see it on my IG.

If you’re into cigars, vintage Rolexes, anything like that, reply to this email or hit me up on Instagram and tell me what you’re looking into. I read everything. Talk soon.