[freedom_35]

How I reached Financial Independence at 35

From buying my first home in Canada at 23, to relocating to the US at 28 and reaching financial independence (FI) at 35 - here's my candid take on how I secured my financial future at such an early age.

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Achieving financial independence at 35 didn't happen by chance, it's a result of the decisions, discipline, and sacrifice exerted over an extended period of time (foregoing the present for the hope of a better future). Looking back at my 18-year old self, I didn't have a master plan, but I had an insatiable curiosity, a knack for solving problems, an affable personality, and most importantly, a sound home and good upbringing (thanks mom & dad).

This is my story - how someone raised in a middle class family from a small city in Southern Alberta was able to overcome the odds, take ownership of his life, and build meaningful financial security through living intentionally and letting time (and compound interest) do the heavy lifting. I didn't receive any handouts, I had a little luck, but most importantly, I put in the work, day-in and day-out, and the results (and grey hairs) are a testament to that. The peace that this brings is satisfying - I've reached a point where I work because I want to, not because I need to.

23 first home purchased

28

relocated to the US

35

financial independence

MILESTONE 01

My First Door: Purchasing a Property at 23

From the outside, I was an anomaly. At 23 while most of my peers were still living at home, I was in the process of purchasing my first property in Calgary, Alberta. From my perspective, being in a position to purchase a property at 23 was the result of several, deliberate steps starting at 18 - decisions that would set the direction of my life and financial future. I must acknowledge that I had the privilege of being raised in a strong, stable family that openly talked about finances, taxes, and real estate, but this alone wasn't a guarantee. Let's take a look.

• First - I enrolled in post secondary right after high school. In hindsight, I'm incredibly thankful I did, as this would afford me extra year(s) of compound growth, and more importantly, kept my mind engaged and prevented me from drifting.

• Second - I deliberately chose my field of study in STEM, eventually pursing a degree in MIS (Management Information Systems). I recognized the profound shift that technology had on my own life as a millennial, and I didn't see this trend changing.

• Third - I attended a local university and lived at home throughout. No residence fees, no meal plans, no lifestyle inflation. By the time I graduated, I had a sizable financial head start that most of my peers simply didn't - I was able to graduate a four year undergraduate program with minimal student loan debt. My salary from my first real job went straight to building wealth rather than servicing debt.

• Fourth - I approached university and the internship opportunities they provided pragmatically. I recognized that I may not have been the most impressive candidate on paper, but I was certain that I could win people over with a firm handshake and a genuine smile, and for the most part, I was right. I was the only student in my cohort to land a paid internship after year 2 - this was a big deal!

• Fifth - I intentionally extended my undergraduate degree by a full semester. Why? So I could take advantage of the internship program for my last year (only returning students were eligible for the program). I figured that securing an internship was much easier than finding a new grad job with little-no experience, and I was right.

• Sixth - I landed a high paying internship opportunity in the Oil & Gas sector in Calgary, Alberta. How? A combination of a few factors - 1) I went through several rounds of interview prep and mock interviews, 2) I spent days iterating on my cover letter and resume before submitting, ensuring that they were uniquely crafted for the specific company and position, and 3) I impressed the hiring manager. Normally, this company only offered telephone interviews, but I asked for an exception. I drove over four hours, round trip, to take it in-person instead. That decision made a strong first impression and signaled something fundamentally different about my character - I was hungry. Receiving that offer was one of the happiest moments of my life, my foot was in the door!

• Seventh - I was subsequently offered a full time position at the same company the following year, a rarity at the time. Out of 50+ interns, less than 10% received a return offer. This was a result of me working my ass off (volunteering for work, staying late, mastering the drudgery), and building relationships along the way (networking was key, I didn't miss a single social or team building activity). Securing a full time position with a generous total compensation structure (salary, bonus, and equity), and carrying minimal debt, enabled me to qualify for a mortgage.

I purchased a basic bungalow in Calgary, AB. Nothing glamorous, but a first step in building meaningful wealth. I recall looking at dozens of properties before deciding on this one. The reason? This house had a fully developed basement suite. I was able to rent it immediately, and that income covered a significant portion of my carrying costs. Buying a property with a rentable suite changed the math of early homeownership, it enabled me to continue investing aggressively.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
1) Start immediately - every deferred year is lost opportunity cost
2) Choose your field of study with intention. Explore then exploit. Mastery leads to interest.
3) Minimize education costs (local university, living at home, minimal debt); nobody questions where I went to school and what my GPA was
4) Chase paid internships. Take advantage of internship program services such as interview coaching, resume building, job matching, etc.
5) Avoid consumer debt. Don't buy a new car if you don't have a garage to park it in. Save and invest that money instead.
6) Purchase a property with income potential - living with roommates or rentable portion significantly changes the affordability equation
7) Persevere. You're young, you can handle it. It builds character. Better to sacrifice now when you have an abundance of time and limited responsibilities.

MILESTONE 02

The Move: Betting on America

My decision to relocate to the US wasn't happenstance - it was a direct result of the deliberate groundwork I laid in Canada. After a successful start in Oil & Gas, I pivoted to consulting. Consulting accelerated my career development faster than any conventional corporate role would have (a common axiom is 1 year of consulting = 3 years of industry, and I find this to be largely true). For young, driven individuals, I can't recommend consulting enough - it will force you to think, write, and speak differently; but to get the most out of it, you'll need to grind, relentlessly.

Consulting opened the door to international and US clients, and therefore, new employment opportunities. For over two years, I traveled weekly between Calgary and California, logging 70+ hour weeks for a major client engagement. I booked over 2,100 billable hours that first year (the most in my tech consulting group), in addition to client travel (airport commutes, prepping, packing, etc.), and firm building activities (recruitment, interviews, socials, etc.). I accepted the challenge, but recognized that it was unsustainable. Thankfully, my exit opportunity wasn't too far. I made a notable impression on my then client, and they offered me a full-time position - I took it. I recognized that I was operating at a level the Canadian market wasn't fully acknowledging or compensating for, but the US market would.

Moving to the US tripled my total compensation on a currency-adjusted basis in the first year. Not an incremental raise. Not a promotion. A complete recalibration of what my skills and work ethic were worth in a market that priced them accordingly. The Bay Area was the right move at the right time, but it wasn't my final landing spot. In early 2023, I relocated again - this time moving to Washington state. I was fortunate enough to be grandfathered into a fully remote role following COVID, allowing me to relocate to a city/state of my choosing. Moving to Washington State enabled to me drastically accelerate my financial goals through a lower cost of living, a lower cost of commuting (to/from Canada), and most importantly, lower taxes (no state income tax). As a result, I was able to double my savings and investment rate (not factoring in my retirement employer match, bonus, or equity). Brutal!

The complexities of moving aboard were immense, but the payoff was tremendous. Untangling Canadian residency ties, health care coverage, RRSPs, TFSAs, banks, pensions, property, etc. was complex and daunting. Working with a cross-border CPA helped ensure that I was compliant every step of the way.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
1) Consulting accelerates career trajectory faster than most corporate paths - temporary sacrifice for permanent gain
2) Delivering exceptional work can (and likely will) lead to direct employment pipelines - your clients become new opportunities
3) Moving from Canada to the US can result in a significant increase in total compensation; however, the tradeoffs (losing your social circle, distance from family, isolation, etc. must be weighed accordingly)
4) Location matters, even in the US. California and New York are incredibly expensive - you'll have a tough time getting ahead even with a high salary. Relocating to Washington State from California enabled me to double my savings rate.
5) Cross-border financial complexity is real - do your due diligence and invest in expert guidance before the move, not after 

MILESTONE 03

The Career Climb: Income is the Engine, Strategy is the Fuel

Personal finance literature (including the FIRE movement) often discuss FI as a frugality game. Pay off debt, spend less, invest the rest, repeat until you're retired. And yes, while frugality and spending habits matter, a more pragmatic approach is attacking the other side - income. Increasing your earning potential is a much faster path, ceteris paribus. Prioritizing both in parallel is transformational.

Between 2018 and 2026, my total compensation grew multiples. The drastic growth (including the initial 3x bump) was a result of several promotions with sizable total comp increases - not just a bigger base salary, but larger equity refreshes, and higher bonus targets. Each step up the ladder wasn't just a title change, it was a meaningful recalibration and reflection of the value I was creating.

Today, I lead a team of over 50 people spanning engineering and operational roles inside one of the world's largest technology companies. That scope didn't arrive on a silver platter, it was built through grit, deliberate bets, and personal growth - tackling increasingly difficult problems, building and managing higher-functioning teams, and consistently delivering excellence.

I've always believed that the best investment is an investment in oneself. The more valuable you are, the higher compensation you can command. What I've observed throughout my career is that individuals who advance quickly in the corporate world often share a few common traits, all of which I've tried to embody:

• 1 - they have an incredible work ethic, have mastered time management, and are passionate about what they do (mastery begets interest)

• 2 - they're great self-marketers, they make their work visible and can articulate why it matters to the bottom line (i.e., so what)

• 3 - they effectively manage expectations up-and-down the chain (communications and optics are critical)

• 4 - they're powerful storytellers that often excel at public speaking

• 5 - they understand the power of leverage (growth through delegation)

• 6 - they take ownership of their career and have clear 1/3/5 year objectives

Through personal development and career growth, I was able to significantly increase my savings rate and therefore my investable capital. This, compounded with greater knowledge of how to maximize my retirement plans and employer benefits (e.g., pre-tax, post-tax, Employee Stock Purchase Program, education/training reimbursement, etc.), were all additional acceleration levers.

However, as my income grew, the temptation to increase spending also grew. Getting ahead of this temptation was critical in helping to ensure that income raises were first allocated towards investing. Being human, I did splurge from time to time, including on a new car and a downpayment for a house, but this was after establishing a considerable asset base. The classic threat of lifestyle creep is real, and I witnessed it firsthand with many colleagues, especially in Silicon Valley - many of these folks struggled to build meaningful net worth. Treat each income increase as a chance to widen the gap between what you earn and what you spend.

I aggressively invested each dollar saved in the equities market. From 2022 onwards, I made a series of shrewd investing decisions, rode the exuberant stock wave, and the results paid handsomely. I took outsized risks, investing a significant portion of my net worth in tech and AI, resulting in outsized returns. Not all of my bets paid off (no reward is without risk), but these investing decisions accelerated my timeline by years.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
1) My total compensation growing multiples from 2018 to 2025 was the single biggest driver in reaching FI - income growth outpaces frugality, every time
2) Each promotion compounds: base salary, equity refresh, and bonus structures all scale in unison
3) Treat personal growth and career development as a non-negotiable, continuous learning is key in an ever-changing world
4) Understand and maximize your full compensation structure: e.g., 401k employer match, HSA, ESPP programs, variable pay, RSU vesting schedules, education/training reimbursement, tax withholding rates, etc.
5) Minimize your fixed costs and taxes; eliminate consumer debt
6) Direct every incremental dollar towards investments before lifestyle creep takes hold

MILESTONE 04

Financial Independence at 35: What It Is and Isn't

For me, FI is the ability to sustain my current and projected life expenses through the continued appreciation and income of my asset portfolios. I'm incredibly fortunate to have obtained this coveted goal at such an early age – a combination of luck, personal and professional development, earnings growth, and investing prowess. But FI doesn't mean I retire at 35 - I didn't, and I have no immediate plans to. However, it does mean that I now work by choice, not by necessity. This subtle shift changes everything about how I show up, how I evaluate opportunities, how I manage my risk tolerance, and how I view my career. It's not always about the freedom to stop - it's about the freedom of choice.

I plan to continue working in the US for the next few years. Each additional year now adds a considerable buffer (i.e., margin of safety) to my FI projections and overall level of comfort. This helps me sleep at night.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
1) FI doesn't automatically mean retired, but it does make work optional
2) Staying invested through market downturns is critical - my portfolio returns came from a consistent, discipled approach of ABB (always be buying)
3) Simple, consistent habits repeated over long time horizons work, and often beat sophisticated, high-touch strategies
4) The real payoff of FI is time optionality - the ability to direct your life on your own terms

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In Summary

I was born and raised in a small city in Alberta, Canada with no particular advantage. I made a series of intentional choices over the past ~18 years which enabled me to secure my financial future by 35. This wasn't luck. This wasn't genius. This was a pattern of conscious decisions made pragmatically, consistently, and executed over a long period of time. In isolation, none of these decisions appear critical, but in aggregate, they paint a strategic roadmap for how I was able to reach financial independence well ahead of the curve.

With my proverbial bag secured, I now have the opportunity to take my foot off the gas and focus on other endeavors. The million-dollar question is – should I? Is it wasted potential if I were to stop now, especially with such an abundance of specialized knowledge, energy, and time? Content while I am, I'm conflicted – I generally enjoy my work, my boss, my team, and the routine. Am I suffering from Stockholm Syndrome, or is this simply expected after ‘being on the grind’ for so long? Time will tell.

This is not a template, but it can be a reference. Your circumstances, family, lifestyle, and risk tolerance are your own. The seemingly small decisions you make in life all matter, and often much more than you think. Be pragmatic, optimistic, curious, take ownership of your life, and enjoy the ride.

MAK