Subscribe to the Red Pill Retirement podcast in iTunes

In Ian’s home, there is a simple, unassuming IKEA desk. The retail value of this desk is probably around $200, but Ian and his wife frequently refer to it as their “$2 Million IKEA desk.”

That’s because the activity that has taken place at that desk over the last few years has gotten them to a point where they are now generating $2 Million in annual revenue from the comfort of their home.

In this episode, we talk about what steps they took to build a location independent, seven-figure business that they can run from anywhere in the world. It certainly didn’t happen overnight, but with the right combination of planning and persistence, it is an outcome that anyone can replicate.

If you’re interested in learning about how to acquire or start an online business that can help you make progress toward your own $2 Million IKEA desk, you should definitely give it a listen.

We cover the details of Ian’s relocation from the U.S. to Dubai and the decision that had to be made when his wife and children came to join him indefinitely. Together, they decided that it would be better to acquire an existing business than for his wife to enter the local job market.

We talk about the thought process behind their decision and the steps they took to identify, validate, and eventually acquire a profitable eCommerce business. We also talk about some of the mistakes they made and lessons they learned on their way to growing the business to $2 Million in annual revenue.

We emphasize that building or acquiring an online business is not a foolproof investment. It is important to only use capital you are willing to lose and to diversify your investment by building or purchasing multiple smaller properties rather than one large site.

Additionally, it is important to understand that simply acquiring a profitable business is not enough. You need to apply a disciplined approach to expanding the business in order to recoup your initial investment and begin generating that outsized return.

While it is certainly a viable financial pursuit, you should not expect to reap the benefits without putting in the time, energy, and resources that are required to facilitate exponential growth.

Being an entrepreneur can feel lonely and isolating, but it doesn’t have to be. Most people who are ahead of you in the journey are more than willing to set aside time to coach or mentor you on how to make the most of your investment.

We talk about ways that you can reach out to these individuals and get the intellectual and emotional support you need to push through the challenging times and ul

Subscribe to the Red Pill Retirement podcast in iTunes

When it comes to retirement planning, most people default to the established model of putting their savings into traditional investment vehicles, crossing their fingers, and hoping for the best. One problem with this approach is that you are effectively putting your future in the hands of the market and/or your investment manager.

In this episode, we talk about an alternative retirement strategy that involves leveraging certain professional, cultural, and financial benefits that come with living and working outside of the U.S. In other words, we share some ideas around how you can accelerate your retirement timeline or extend your financial runway by becoming a U.S. expatriate.

We start by covering Ian’s personal transition from the U.S. to Dubai, which was initiated by an employment opportunity that required him to relocate indefinitely. Next, we talk about some of the benefits and sacrifices that come with expat lifestyle and share some resources for helping you determine whether retiring abroad is an attractive option for you. Finally, we discuss a few different ways to test the waters for retiring abroad and share an example from a real-world couple who is making the leap right now.

Relocating to another country can feel like an overwhelming proposition, but it also comes with a host of attractive benefits. For starters, you can move to a country where the exchange rate for the U.S. dollar is favorable, which can instantly multiply the value of your nest egg.

Additionally, you open yourself up to a whole new world of personal and professional networks, job opportunities, and cultural influences. Tune in to the episode to hear us discuss all of these benefits – and more!

Of course, moving abroad doesn’t come without its own set of challenges and sacrifices. Most people are worried about leaving behind their friends and family, but we talk about how technology and the global economy has made it easier than ever to maintain strong, long distance relationships and foster new relationships with people around the corner or around the globe.

There is a common misconception that retiring abroad has to be an “all or nothing” effort. While there are certainly people who are passionate about the expat lifestyle, there are many more who aren’t quite ready to make the leap. If you find yourself in the latter group, we share some advice and resources for testing the waters by exploring retirement opportunities in a temporary or part-time arrangement.

If you’re sitting there thinking, “This sounds great, but I could never make it happen,” then think again. We share the story of a real-world couple who has sold most of their physical assets and are relocatin

Subscribe to the Red Pill Retirement podcast in iTunes

Today, I want to talk to you about a common misconception that people have about life and work:

They think that just because they have a full-time job, they can’t be a business owner.

Based on my first-hand experience building Retirement Rehab while working full-time as a senior executive, I can assure you that this couldn’t be further from the truth.

You CAN be an outstanding employee and still have time to build an online business on the side. In fact, that’s one of the most popular strategies we teach for extending your career runway and financing the retirement lifestyle you’ve always dreamed of.

In this episode, we’ll dive deeper into the “why” and “how” of simultaneously being a high-performing employee and a successful business owner.

Here’s what we covered during our discussion:

We’re all given the same 24-hours each day – it’s how we spend them that makes the difference. If you’re going to honor your promise to your employer, that only leaves about 8 hours per day where you aren’t sleeping or working.

So, you’re going to have to sacrifice some recreational activities and stay disciplined to your long term goal of being a business owner. We talk about some of the ways to do that without burning out.

There are a handful of objections that are almost universally cited by people who want to start a side business, but are on the fence:

In this episode, we systematically debunk the myths around each of these objections and equip you with strategies for going around, over, or through the roadblocks that might be holding you back from getting started.

We’ll also dive deeper into my personal strategies for managing time and energy in a way that lets you simultaneously make progress at the office and at home.

You’ll walk away with strategies to get more value out of each day by doing things like segmenting roles and responsibilities, bucketing similar tasks, outsourcing low value activities, and scaling your efforts up or down as needed.

There are a lot of things that can hold you back from starting your side business, but one of the most commonly cited (and least justified) excuses is “I don’t know anything about starting or running a business.”

There is a common misconception that you have to have all of the answers on Day 1. The truth is, most people are just figuring things out as they go, and the primary difference between successful business owners and wantrepreneurs is simply that – taking action.

When you’re just starting out, you will probably make a mistake every day – and that’s okay! You’ll learn from the experience an

Subscribe to the Red Pill Retirement podcast in iTunes

I’ve got some bad news for you — traditional retirement planning is going the way of the dinosaur.

Whether we’re talking about employer-matched 401(k) plans, Social Security benefits, or corporate pensions, traditional retirement planning vehicles are being reduced or eliminated across the board. And, frankly, investing your savings in the market isn’t a guaranteed win either.

So, if you’re someone who isn’t comfortable with your current retirement plans and you’re ready to take back control of your financial future, we’re here to help.

Let me be the first to introduce you to The Red Pill Retirement Podcast. In our first episode, we talked all about how the retirement landscape is shifting and what you can to do prepare.

I also shared a little bit about my personal Retirement Rehab story and how I came to be the founder of Retirement Rehab and The Red Pill Retirement Podcast.

Here are the highlights:

I was betrayed by the “tried and true” model that is passed down from generation to generation: go to a good school, get a good job, work there for forty years, max out your 401k, and coast into retirement.

And I’m not alone. Lots of people are behind the 8-ball when it comes to retirement planning, whether it’s because of a market downturn, being laid off, suffering from an illness, or going through a nasty divorce.

In this episode, I share my personal story of how I came to run Retirement Rehab and started building tools and educational resources to help other people in my situation take control of their financial future in an unstable market.

If you’re relying exclusively on things like regular raises/bonuses, 401(k) plans, or brokerage accounts, you’re putting your future at risk.

Any time you rely heavily on a single source of income, you put yourself in serious jeopardy if that revenue is ever taken away. Additionally, traditional retirement vehicles give you little control over the inputs and almost no control over the outcomes.

Diversifying your revenue streams by learning how to build a business that can operate in parallel to your current job is the responsible choice for yourself and your family.

At Retirement Rehab, we help you be proactive and intentional about the retirement lifestyle you want and how you can reliably finance that lifestyle for 20-30 years or more.

Leveraging digital business models like coaching, consulting, or eCommerce not only generates additional revenue streams, it also helps you achieve location independence, uncaps your earning potential, and allows you to continue working longer than you would be able to at a traditional employer.

In short, it gives you the freedom and peace of mind to eventually leave your job knowing that you’ll be able to continue to provide for your family because you’ve taken step