About

Given that the tech industry compensates people more with equity, I also dive deep into the world of RSUs and other forms of equity compensation.

Now, let me tell you a little about myself.

I’m married and have two teenage daughters.

I currently live in the beautiful city of Seattle, and I’m a passionate supporter of the FIRE movement and fat FIRE in particular.

While I consider myself a fan of minimalism, I must admit I’m not the best at putting it into practice.

My background is diverse – I’ve worked as an engineer, in financial services, and as a tech industry consultant.

I’m also trained in investment management, having earned the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. However, I strongly believe that wealth creation is primarily a function of saving, investing, and time, rather than just selecting the best investments.

In 2010, I left the corporate world to become an entrepreneur, and I’ve since created multiple online businesses.

Some of these were side hustles, while others were full-time businesses. I’ve shut down a few along the way, sold one, and I’m constantly working on improving the rest.

When I’m not working, I love to travel and have visited around 35 different countries. And, not to brag, but I cook up some pretty killer dishes.

Why I started this website

This blog came about because I realized that there were few personal finance websites specifically tailored to tech industry employees.

Given that tech compensation is often heavily weighted towards equity, I wanted to create a platform that would help people maximize their earnings, save smartly, and invest wisely.

So, if you’re a tech employee looking to achieve financial freedom, you’ve come to the right place.

We know that the tech industry can be fast-paced and ever-changing, but our mission is to provide you with practical and effective financial advice that’s both serious and playful. We believe that managing your money should be fun and empowering, and we’re here to help you make the most of your hard-earned cash.

You’ll learn how to make savvy financial decisions that can boost your earning potential, optimize your savings strategies, and make your investments work harder for you. Our comprehensive resources cover everything from budgeting basics to advanced investing techniques, all tailored to the unique needs of tech employees like you.

But it’s not all about the numbers! We also believe that financial well-being is about living a balanced life. That’s why we sprinkle in a touch of playfulness in our approach, with engaging articles, interactive tools, and even some lighthearted humor to make your financial journey enjoyable and empowering.

So, whether you’re a coding whiz or a tech newbie, our website is your go-to resource for all things personal finance.

Let us help you navigate the complex world of money management with confidence and style, so you can achieve your financial goals, retire in comfort, and maybe even have a little fun along the way.

Start reading and let’s embark on this exciting financial adventure together!

Why Wealth⁴⁵ — What’s the “45” all about?

This site is about building wealth, but why did I add the number 45 to the name?

To be completely transparent, there really isn’t any good reason.

I needed a URL and “wealth dot com” was obviously already taken. So why not add a number to the end?

I landed on 45, as opposed to some other random number, simply to highlight the following:

     1.) By age 45 most people have seriously started to think about retirement and have accumulate some wealth.

     2.) We focus on employees of tech firms— 45 is the GICS sector code for information technology (is that investment geeky enough for y’all?)

Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS) ®

10          Energy
15          Materials
20          Industrials
25          Consumer Disc.
30          Consumer Staples
35          Health Care
40          Financials
45          Information Tech
50          Comm. Services
55          Utilities
60          Real Estate

Standard & Poor’s (S&P) categorizes all major public companies into one of these GICS sectors.

Information Technology—sector 45—includes companies like Apple, Microsoft, Adobe, Intel, Cisco Systems, F5 Networks, etc.

So sit back, relax, and let’s get started!