- Author
- Investor
- Editor
- Philosopher
- Husband
- Father
- Financial Analyst
- Reformed Corporate Banker
- Acolyte of Austrian Economics
Joe Withrow is just an average, hardworking American who did everything by the ‘American Dream’ handbook.
He took advanced classes in a public high school and graduated with good grades. He then went on to earn a finance degree from a public university.
Upon graduation, Joe moved to a major banking hub and played the corporate game… Climbing the ladder at two different mega-banks.
He worked in loss mitigation in aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis… He worked as a credit risk analyst in commercial lending… And he went on to manage a multi-million portfolio of special assets.
Throughout the process, Joe bought a starter home… Met his wife… And settled down to live the American Dream – just as he had been educated to do.
He contributed the match rate to his 401(k). And he maxed out his contributions to a traditional IRA – just as he had been educated to do.
Joe was doing everything the “right” way and a storybook life appeared to be unfolding before him.
But then something strange happened.
Joe started to see that the corporate rat-race had no light at the end of the tunnel and no rewards worth reaping.
He began to realize that the American Dream was not what it used to be. The rules had changed…
Then Joe spent two years studying Austrian economics non-stop. He began to understand how the monetary system worked… And he saw how it worked against those who played by the old rules.
That’s when Joe decided to seek financial freedom.
Over a period of time, Joe was able to eliminate debt and redirect his income to a carefully constructed asset allocation model. This enabled him to walk away from corporate banking to become an entrepreneur.