Hey Friend,

Last year I paid six figures in taxes. SIX. FIGURES.

And you know what? I'm actually grateful. Because it means I made good money. My corporate job provides incredible income, benefits, and stability for my family.

But here's what that tax bill also taught me: W-2 income alone won't get me to the life I'm building.

Not because corporate work is bad. But because relying on ONE income strategy — no matter how good — limits your options.

This week on the podcast, I sat down with Jaden Sterling — a former Wall Street insider from Merrill Lynch and Citigroup who turned $70,000 into nearly $1 million in one decade. And he said something that challenged everything I thought I knew about investing:

"Most people accept 5-8% returns because they don't know 30-50% is possible."

Not through get-rich-quick schemes. Through concentrated, values-aligned portfolios that actually move the needle.

Let that sink in.

Want to hear the full conversation with Jaden?

He breaks down exactly how he used his stock portfolio as collateral for zero-money-down real estate deals, and how concentrated portfolios actually work.

THE MISSING PIECE:

I no longer contribute to my 401k.

Not because I can't. Not because my employer doesn't offer one (they do, with a great match).

Because I looked at where my money would actually go and said no.

Let me explain.

My employer offers a standard 401k with limited investment options. When I looked at the companies in those funds—really looked—I saw investments in private prisons and organizations whose values directly contradict with what I'm building for my family.

Could I take the "free money" of the employer match and just not think about it?

Sure. Lots of people do.

But here's what I realized:

So I'm leaving $20,000+ per year on the table. The employer match I'm "supposed" to take.

And building something different instead.

Jaden said something that validated the decision I'd already made:

"You don't have to accept the options they give you. You can build your own system."

Not 150+ random stocks you know nothing about.

6-10 companies you actually understand, believe in, and want to support — with 30-50% return potential instead of the 5-8% your 401k promises.

He then said something else that made me sit up straight:

"Diversification is designed to keep you broke."

Wait, what? Isn't diversification supposed to be the golden rule of investing?

Here's what he explained: Wall Street tracks something called "velocity" — how often they churn your portfolio. The more they move your money around (you know, "diversifying" you into 150+ different stocks, mutual funds, and packaged products), the more THEY make in fees.

Your returns? That's secondary.

The brokerage firms literally have a metric for how much THEY'RE earning off your portfolio. Not how much YOU'RE earning.

Think about that and realize:

You're not choosing between your corporate income and building wealth. You're choosing to ADD another strategy that gives you more control.

WHY THIS MATTERS FOR PROFESSIONAL PARENTS:

If you're making six figures but still feel like you're on a treadmill, this is why.

Good income doesn't automatically equal wealth. Especially when:

• Most of it gets taxed at the highest rate

• Your 401k grows slowly while you wait decades to access it

• You have no control over what companies you're actually invested in

• One job loss could disrupt everything

You're still exhausted. Still overextended. Still wondering when you'll actually have TIME with your kids instead of just providing for them.

I'm not saying quit your job at all. I'm saying what I’ve been saying from the start build parallel systems so you have OPTIONS.

Because the goal isn't to hate your corporate career. It's to not NEED it to survive, which actually increases your effectiveness and joy in your role.

Big difference.

But here's the truth: You don't need permission to build wealth differently.

ACTION STEPS YOU CAN TAKE THIS WEEK:

1. AUDIT YOUR CURRENT INVESTMENTS (30 minutes)

Pull up your 401k, IRA, or brokerage account. Write down:

• How many different holdings do you have?

• What are the fees you're paying?

• What was your actual return last year (not the projection, the ACTUAL number)?

• Do you even know what companies you're invested in?

• Do those companies align with your values?

Just look. Don't judge yourself. Just gather the data.

Action reveals truth. You can't pivot without evidence.

2. CALCULATE YOUR REAL RETIREMENT NUMBER (20 minutes)

Most people have no idea what "enough" actually is. They just keep working because they haven't done the math.

Calculate:

• Your actual monthly expenses (not what you think, what you ACTUALLY spend)

• Multiply by 12 for annual expenses

• Multiply by 25 (this is the general rule for how much you need invested to live off the returns)

That's your number. Now you're not guessing. You have a target.

Evidence builds confidence.

3. RESEARCH VALUES-ALIGNED INVESTING (15 minutes)

If you learned one thing from my conversation with Jaden, let it be this: You don't have to invest in companies that contradict your values just because your employer offers a 401k.

This week:

• Google "values-aligned investing" + your specific values (environmental, faith-based, social justice, whatever matters to YOU)

• Check out Sterling Stock Picker (we got you 30% off and a 30 day FREE trial: join here) where they match 60,000+ companies to 33 personal values

• Just explore. See what's possible.

4. START A SEPARATE BROKERAGE ACCOUNT (30 minutes)

You don't have to abandon your 401k tomorrow. But you CAN start building a parallel wealth system today.

Open a brokerage account (Fidelity, Schwab, whoever) and put in $100. Just $100.

The goal isn't to get rich off that $100. The goal is to take action before you feel ready.

Once you have the account open, you'll start noticing stock opportunities differently. You'll pay attention to earnings reports. You'll become a student of wealth-building instead of a passive participant.

Action accelerates results.

5. EDUCATE YOURSELF ON TAX STRATEGY (1 hour this week)

Remember those six figures I paid in taxes? A huge chunk of that is because W-2 income is taxed at the highest rate with the fewest deductions.

This week, spend one hour learning about:

• How business owners and real estate investors reduce their tax burden

• The difference between traditional IRA and Roth IRA (Jaden breaks this down in the episode)

• What deductions are available if you started a side business (even a small one)

Jaden took the H&R Block tax course for businesses just to understand the rules. You don't need to become a CPA, but you need to know what's possible.

Knowledge is leverage.

THE BOTTOM LINE:

Your corporate job is an asset. Your salary is valuable. Your benefits matter.

AND you can build something alongside it that gives you more control, better returns, and real options.

This isn't about choosing between stability and freedom. It's about building both.

The parents who reach financial independence before 50 aren't the ones who quit their jobs in a blaze of glory. They're the ones who built parallel income systems while collecting that W-2.

They didn't wait to feel ready. They didn't wait until they had it all figured out.

They just started.

This week, pick ONE of those action steps. Just one.

Do it before you're 100% sure. Do it before the plan is perfect.

You already have what you need to start. You just need to take the first step.

— Makeda

P.S. If you're realizing you've been waiting to feel "ready" to take control of your finances (or your career, or your business), that's exactly what The Connector Method™ is designed to break through. The course launches soon, respond to this email to be put on the waitlist if you want to be the first to know when!

P.P.S. Sterling Stock Picker is offering Seed & Society readers 30% off (just $21/month instead of $29) and a 30 day FREE trial. That's less than your monthly streaming subscriptions, for a tool that could completely change your financial trajectory. Check it out now