There is a cheat code to get ahead.

And it's almost never used. Simply, it's the creation of feedback loops.

Getting and giving feedback proactively is what levels you and those around you up 1% at a time.

And it won't feel impactful at the time, but one building block at a time, you'll eventually build a ladder to get to the next level (and bring those around you with you).

Then make it a system.

1. Ask others for feedback on what you can do better.

2. Then, ask them if they want you to do the same.

3. Rinse and repeat.

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The raise doesn’t matter.

"Yay, I got a raise!"

What I've realized over the past year is that your mind will quickly normalize about anything.

It's actually a natural phenomena.

You hit that salary goal you've been looking for. Or an investment goal. Or a role/title goal.

And you'll get the "high" from hitting it, but it quickly fades to an even more ambitious goal.

I recently became a homeowner (shout out to Doorvest).

I didn't particularly celebrate it. In fact, I was looking for an even better, larger home the next day!

And I didn't realize it until recently, but I've repeated this pattern for every "good" thing that happens. The "goal" becomes the new baseline. And then your heart will search for more.

We (well, maybe just I...?) need to slow down, enjoy the moment more, and practice more gratitude. I think we're missing a lot from chasing the next big goal soon thereafter.

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One of the biggest benefits of startup life is the inherent ability to be ‘free of rules’

There’s really no one to tell you how to do a job in a particular way, and you pretty much have free domain over your work and how it is done.

It sounds freeing, right?

The interesting part is that over the long term, while we all search to be ‘free of rules’, we also seek to find structure.

So overtime, as a startup matures, it typically becomes more and more structured. Perhaps it’s because of business and investment needs, but it might just be that we simply search for structure amidst the chaos.

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What’s one piece of job-seeking you wish everyone knew?

Thanks LinkedIn for the topic recommendation!

I think one piece of job-seeking that's super important to my current career trajectory has been cold emails. Cold emails are a superpower to get in front of the right people that have power to make adhoc hiring decisions or people who can refer on your behalf.

My cold emails go something like this:

"

Hey [Name],

I'm super interested in XYZ at your company. I had some ideas about X project or X role that I think would be helpful. [insert two sentences about your ideas].

I know you're super busy. So if you have some extra time, I'd love to hop on a call and discuss how this value-add for your team/company/etc.

Here's a little about me: [insert 1 sentence about myself]

[insert your email sig]

P.S. [insert something interesting that can connect you to this person as a human]

"

I've used this rough format to get in front of all of my previous roles, get interviews at small and large companies, and to get advice from industry leaders.

The key here is to give them something that's a value add for them. Always give first. The rest will follow.

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#TheMillionImpactMission

Here's why you should be asking for feedback all the time:

1. Getting instant feedback on things you were uncomfortable about means you can iterate right away (i.e. a next meeting)

2. You can create a high value relationship with your coworkers by mutually sharing constructive feedback

3. Everyone can see things about you that you can't see

Anecdotally, I think that feedback has accelerated my career thus far and it's one of the things I love about working at Doorvest (psst... we're always #hiring).

Ask those around you (especially ones that exhibit traits you want to have) for feedback on your positioning, your message, and how it was delivered. You'll begin to notice a trend of what people tell you that you could do better.

For my more business-focused people, not asking for feedback is like not asking customers about your product. Customers will quickly point out flaws and pain points. And that's how you improve your product.

Feedback is literally a growth superpower for your career that few people prioritize. You can be different.

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Happy first week of the year, everyone!

Fun Fact: This will be the first fresh year of full-time working for me.

Same time last year, I was applying for graduation and commencement wondering what jobs I would begin applying for post-grad.

I think Bill Gates famously said, "Most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in ten years."

But I would say -- Don't underestimate what you can do in a year.

I went through 4 different roles, graduated, became an Accredited Financial Counselor candidate, student in data science, and more. (It was a wild ride).

This year, here are my main goals (so keep me accountable and join me on the journey):

Professional ----
- Become an Accredited Financial Counselor
- Become a Senior #Product Manager
- Finish my Data Science certificate

Personal ----
- Start a #Youtube channel
- Begin marketing my personal finance course
- Create Notion 101 + 102 courses
- Start creating an investment course

Financial ----
- Buy my first investment property
- Save an emergency fund
- Max my Roth IRA
- Begin saving for my primary residence
- Reassess my #FIRE financial plan

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#TheMillionImpactMission

In true LinkedIn fashion, I'm excited to announce that the Doorvest Team has just raised our Series A (Total $39M Raise)!

As someone who is hyper mission aligned with #Doorvest, here are a few stats that I can share that makes me super proud to be #TeamVestie.

👉 70% of our customers are 1st-time home-buyers
👉 Our customers reside across a dozen states
👉 96% of current customers say they would purchase another home with Doorvest.

As a startup employee, I've gained significantly from a generous equity package as part of my compensation. And today, we've opened up the gate for anyone to become an investor in Doorvest to be a part of the upside through our Wefunder campaign that you can find here: https://lnkd.in/gBf34NyU

A special shoutout to my fellow Vesties, Andrew Luong (CEO/Co-Founder), Justin Kasad (CTO/Co-Founder), our lead investor
M13 🚀, and other participating investors, founders, and executives.

See more on TechCrunch: https://lnkd.in/gk2fsWjk
See more on FinLedger: https://lnkd.in/gjQAsXQk
See more on Business Insider: https://lnkd.in/g4J7YBwh
See more on Benzinga: https://lnkd.in/gQP-EHds

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Most people can actually retire early. Really early. Like in the next 10-15 years early.

So, why don't more people do it?

It requires great sacrifice (a massive savings rate).

Most financial advisors tell us that a 10-15% savings rate is healthy. But what happens if we increased that and lived on significantly less?

Many FIRE movement people have savings rate that are closer to 50-90% of their take-home pay. This means they effectively live on 10-50% of their income (very far below their means).

The benefit? They can all basically retire in the 10-15 years.

And you can do the same.

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I'm out of college. Got a job. And now make 💸💸💸.

One thing I've realized is that everyone has an opinion on where that money should go.

I began to hear more “don’t spend money on that” and “buying that is a waste of money.” Even worse, I hate the people who say “if you just invested the $5 daily latte, you would have $X amount of money in 40 years.” These are the people who make you feel guilty about spending your own money.

I subscribe to a "Minimalism" thought instead:

"Minimalists are those who are deliberate about removing the excess in their lives and choosing to pursue things that are more meaningful."

I have a friend who spends lots of money on cars. Another spends money on collectibles. Me? Well my kryptonite is productivity software and workspace tools.

And I think every option is fine. Set a "Fun Money" account aside and spend without thinking twice about it.

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I’ve had both paid and unpaid internships. Here’s my take:

I think there’s a time and place for both. *Note: Opinions are solely my own.

I truly believe that the learnings from the unpaid internships are what got me the paid ones and eventually what got me my full-time gig.

In your first internship, you’re usually more a drain on resources than you are a producer of resources. In most cases, the company hiring you is likely just trying to vet the best producers to train into awesome second-year interns or full-time employees.

This is usually when unpaid internships make sense — you go get to learn from X company for free (versus paying multi-thousand dollars for a university course).

In your second internship, you should have some ability to produce to the point you’re a benefit or a breakeven for a company. This is when you should be paid. You have skills to produce — now it’s about producing more than you cost.

Is it a perfect system? No.

But your unpaid internship is a way in. This is especially true when you don’t have the right pedigree (bad GPA, non-target school, etc.)

If you’re good at what you do, getting your foot in the door is the most important part. After that, everything compounds.

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Money isn’t the only thing that compounds.

I’m 21, and just started recently earning a full-time wage. I’m learning that a lot of people give up things in their 20’s so that they have more to invest/save.

The rationale is because money invested today is worth more than money invested later, which is true. So invest early.

But it had me thinking. There’s so many other things in life that compound.
— Skills
— Health
— Relationships
— Risk
— Bad Decisions

I believe your 20’s are the playing ground for your 30s, 40s, 50s, and so on. If you focus on the things that compound, you’ll be so much better off later on. It’s not just about money.

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What people get wrong when talking about themselves…(from my experience)

They spend way too much talking about themselves.

Stop doing this.

Your introduction should be short and sweet. You need to answer a few questions:

— What are your credentials?
— What do you do?
— Who do you do it for?
— How does it help solve their problem?

All 4 can be answered in 1 sentence.

"I’m an award winning marketing and brand strategist that works exclusively with financial advisors with more than $1M in revenue to increase brand awareness and lead generation efficiency."

This is much more clear than a 10 minute speech about yourself. Plus, it exudes confidence.

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Should workers be paid according to their location?

I’ve recently seen this debate as some companies force people to go back to the office or have went permanently remote.

Some people have been taking Cost of Living Adjustments to stay remote as well. But that begs the question, should you get paid more or less because of your location?

On one hand, you are still having the same output no matter where you live.

On the other hand, $100K USD goes very far in Texas, but is basic living in San Francisco.

Where do you stand?

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Insane Productivity Statistics from the book Hyperfocus

— We interrupt ourselves on average every 35 seconds
— We switch between computer applications 566 times a day
— It takes on average 25 minutes to get back to a task
— Women experience fewer interruptions (and generally distract themselves less often)
— The average knowledge worker checks email 88 times per day (fun fact: 70% of emails are apparently opened within 6 seconds of receipt)
— Knowledge workers spend 37% of their time in meetings on average (that’s 15 hours a week)

How to curve these? Schedule time slots and stick to them.

For example, set a time slot for email for 30 minutes. And close the email tab and don’t check it for the rest of the day. That way, notifications don’t draw you back in.

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#TheMillionImpactMission

Be more intentional about stepping back every so often.

I try to reflect often. But when you’re in the thick of your career, in the middle of a project, and in the start of midterms, it’s nearly impossible to reflect.

But stepping back every so often to look at the problem you’re trying to solve might just be your saving grace.

It allows you to see the “why” and potentially find a new “how.”

A tip that has helped me do this is “sleep on it.” I wait a day or two before any major decision on my projects.

Sure, it slows me down a bit, but I often think of ways to improve the way I do something. For one decision in particular, it was a difference of nearly $40,000 over the past year.

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Why you should get comfortable with your own thoughts

People often don’t like to be alone with their thoughts. That’s why most people seek random external stimuli.

We typically try to focus on things that are novel, pleasurable, or threatening because it’s in our nature. And in a modern world, we have the ability to indulge in the first 2.

But focusing on your internal stimuli and letting your mind wander (to be alone with your own thoughts) is a creative superpower.

It allows you to think of new ways to do things, let your mind rest on blank thoughts, and gives you self-awareness. This allows you to plan for the future and recharge (and thus reduce burnout).

This is especially important in a world with over-stimulus with distractions just a touch of your phone.

As a productivity geek, this is one area I struggle in the most. It feels unproductive, but isnt’t.

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It’s important to build relationships.

We know this. That’s probably why you’re on LinkedIn. But have you ever wondered why?

The internet gives us unlimited information. But only people’s experience and expertise can actually filter that information, digest it, and regurgitate the relevant parts to you.

People can tell you where the pitfalls are, empathize on the lows, get excited about the highs, and understand the human component rather than the information part.

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“Join a startup.” — they said.

Reflecting back, it’s crazy to think I joined Doorvest just over 4 months ago and became part of the Vestie Team!

I went from freelancer, intern, marketing associate, and a new role TBA next month!

Here’s an update/addition to what I learned about being at a venture-backed startup.

👉 You often can work far outside your scope of work.
You’ll receive ample opportunity to work on things far outside of your job description.

👉 The tech world is a small place.
I’ve been able to meet with incredible people. And the crazy part is, each person is connected further to an entire network of other incredible people.

👉 Learning things is exponential in application.
I’ve learned more about marketing, VC, funding, and business operations than a 4-year college degree (and got paid to do it).

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The Universe 25 experiment is one of the craziest experiments.

A scientist named John Calhoun created the “ideal world” for mice to live in called the “Paradise of Mice” that had an abundance of food, water, and space.

Starting with 4 mice, the colony thrived for 315 days. The colony hit 600 mice and the largest rodents began to rule the colony. The effects? Females stopped protecting themselves and began to attack their young, and they earned the name “the isolated female.”

Eventually, another group of mice sprouted. They were called “the beautiful mice” — males that refused to mate with the females and cared more for food and sleep.

At one point, “the beautiful mice” and “the isolated female” made up most of the population.

Then phase 2 began.

Phase 2 was characterized by loss of purpose in life with no desire to mate, rear young mice, and establish role in their society. Cannibalism began despite plenty of food. In 1973, 700 days after the experiment began, the colony collapsed and died out.

This experiment was repeated 25x with the same result. And now this experiment is a focal point of interpreting societal collapse (especially when all basic needs are met).

Why did I share all this?
No reason other than it being super interesting. Thanks for reading!

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Budgeting really isn’t about saving money.

It’s about finding what’s worth spending money on.

If you decide to splurge on the $100K Plaid trim Tesla, it’s fine…as long as it makes you feel fulfilled.

But if a $10 toy doesn’t make you feel fulfilled, then it should be cut from your life and spending.

You have to evaluate the things in your life that truly bring you fulfillment, otherwise, you’re wasting a ton of money.

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