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Why did I start a wealth-building blog?

In 2003, I regaled a friend with tales of long-term disability insurance (LTD). Yep. I had re-read Personal Finance for Dummies by Eric Tyson: My most valuable asset was my ability to work! Its loss could be devastating.

Fast forward 10 years. My friend shared that he bought LTD soon after we spoke that day… and it’s a good thing. Two years later, he learned he had Parkinson’s disease. Now, he can no longer work (for pay). Our short conversation proved to be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars to him and his family.

That is the origin of my story. I have something important to say about money, investing, and business. And it has real value.

It’s taken me another 10 years of investing and entrepreneurial pursuits to gain the wisdom required of a great teacher. Finally, it’s time to share what I’ve learned.

Is fastfollowinvestor.com meant for you?

The answer is yes, if:

  • You have a foundational understanding of personal finance and money topics.
  • You desire “next level” education on investments and entrepreneurship.
  • You find yourself 5-10 years from reaching financial independence. (With the right approach, this applies to any of us!)

Here is a short post describing my typical reader.

What key ideas do I teach?

I teach an integrated wealth-creation strategy built on 3 key ideas. (You can click through to learn more about each one.)

My Idols Framework “Idols” is my thesis for most effectively growing personal wealth. I will help you successfully blend cash savings, two investment styles, and entrepreneurship to achieve your savings goal.

This post details the framework.

Fast Follow Investor (FFI) FFI is an investment strategy now available to individual investors like me (and you). It complements my buy & hold portfolio of passive indexing.

FFI is a style of quantitative, trend investing called tactical asset allocation (TAA) that manages market risk. Stock-like returns and protection against severe losses can help you reach financial freedom faster.

Monthly Date Night Idols and FFI persist through the life-changing magic of monthly date nights. Getting takeout (and a sitter) leads to greater wealth and a better life…by keeping you and your partner accountable!

What key principles do I stand for?

I believe in clear thinking and even clearer writing. No fluff. You will find that these 3 principles permeate what I share. (You can click through to learn more about each one.)

Stay Level-Headed We, humans, find it difficult to stay rational and emotionless when investing. Was investing designed to drive us mad?! I argue that good planning, practice, and social support can change our natural tendencies.

Think Again Famed investor Howard Marks describes first-level thinking as simplistic and superficial. Second-level thinking is deep, complex, and convoluted. It is harder than ever in this era of sound bites, clickbait, and dwindling attention spans.

But, second-level thinkers value going deeper to learn “why”. We are more comfortable with complicated and nuanced answers.

Have a Good Offense and a Good Defense In sports, the very best teams enjoy a strong offense and defense. Each need not be the absolute best. But, both must be top-notch to win championships.

We must be opportunistic and exploit our edge (good offense). We should bet on ourselves when we have the greatest chance to succeed. At the same time, we must use sound risk management (good defense). By always controlling the size of our “bet”, we cap any losses suffered.

How can you join the community?

If you and I are a match, I urge you to subscribe to my free monthly email. In it, I share my very best thinking for building wealth and living a well-intentioned life.

Plus, within an hour, I will send 3 free gifts to help you jump-start your journey:

  1. Ultimate Retirement Calculator and User Guide It’s the absolute best retirement calculator online. Plus, I’ll send a guide to use it to its fullest potential.
  2. My Idols Framework for Wealth Creation I will send a template to help you absorb, adopt, adapt, and apply “Idols” to your personal situation.
  3. Monthly Date Night Conversation Guide Get started on this incredible monthly habit. Use my conversation guide to deepen your relationship, get richer, and design a better life.

You may soon want to learn more about Fast Follow Investing. But, let’s wait on that for now. If you just have to know more, click Invest Like Me for details.

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Brian Herriot, Fast Follow Investor @brianh