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We had the opportunity to chat with Nathan Kennedy, a personal finance content creator and business owner. He shares the details of his distinctive journey in entrepreneurship and offers valuable perspectives on his own money journey.

Meet Nate, your go-to personal finance mentor! About four years ago, Nate kicked off his journey into the financial world with a podcast. He's a bit of a finance geek, finding joy in crunching numbers and figuring out how to make more money—traits he developed growing up with limited resources. What started as a personal fascination evolved into something more. Nate began sharing his money-smart insights on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. To his surprise, the content gained a life of its own, eventually outshining the income from his regular job. That aha moment prompted Nate to take the plunge, turning his passion for finance into a full-time gig. Now, he's not just talking the talk; he's living it, and he's here to share the money wisdom with all of us!

Content Creation and Entrepreneurship

Was there a pivotal moment where your career majorly changed?

Absolutely, during the pandemic, I started posting daily. What started as a temporary thing grew on me, and I fell in love with the process. It hit me that this could be more than a side gig; it could be a forever thing. The idea of turning this passion into a full-time career hadn't crossed my mind, but the more I immersed myself, the more I felt the pull. Like a lightbulb moment, I started creatively thinking about how o turn it into a living. Each time that feeling came back, I asked, "Why can't I do this full time?"

What was the biggest hurdle when you first started creating content that you didn’t expect?

Starting out, the craziest challenge was realizing just how huge this content creation thing could get. Every day felt like a rollercoaster of learning, with unexpected moments hitting me. It was a wild mix of excitement and intimidation, questioning if I was really living up to my potential. My confidence took a hit, and I hadn't expected the emotional rollercoaster or the constant second-guessing—wondering if I should try something new, change course, or double down on what was working. It turned out this whole journey was way more complicated than my original "let's do this" mindset.

Why did you choose finance as your content focus?

I got a real kick out of improving my own situation, especially when I paid off my credit card and started diving into investments. There's this euphoric dopamine rush when you take control of your life in a positive way. Naturally, I was sharing these wins with my family and friends daily because I wanted them to experience the same feeling and realize what I had learned. That's when it hit me—I should make content about this and share it with the public. I wanted to leave people with that empowering feeling, so they could enhance their financial well-being. Money, I believe, is the biggest lever to improve your life, and I wanted to help others tap into that potential.

Money

What’s one money tip you live by?

One money tip I live by is embracing automation. It's often underrated, but I make sure to automate essentials like credit card bills, investments, and other expenses. This helps things run smoothly, allowing me to oversee everything without constant manual intervention. The key is to strike a balance with automation because, let's face it, we all forget things sometimes. Having reliable systems in place is crucial. My advice to everyone: automate as much as you can. Stay vigilant with your expenses to avoid any surprises and make sure you can cover everything.

Start your automation journey with Carry by setting up auto contributions or letting our robo-advisor handle investing for you — get set up here.  

How do you invest your money? What does your current portfolio mix consist of?

I'm a fan of keeping it simple in my investment approach. I'm all about index funds and ETFs, especially those tied to the broad market. My portfolio mainly includes S&P 500 and total US market funds, keeping things rather unexciting in that department. To spice things up a bit, I allocate around 3-4% of my portfolio to random stocks, just for fun. Additionally, I'm heavily invested in my own business, believing in the value of investing in myself. It's a straightforward strategy that aligns with my preference for stability and long-term growth.

Is there an area of personal finance that you struggle with the most or wish you knew more about? Especially as an entrepreneur and creator?

I've got a pretty good handle on taxes, but I'm really curious about the high-level stuff, you know, like estate planning and holding corporations. As an entrepreneur and creator, these advanced tax strategies both intrigue and stump me a bit. I wish I knew more about navigating this complex side of things—it could be a game-changer for my financial planning and business ventures.

Are you an entrepreneur who wants to learn more about advanced tax strategies? Check out this resource to start saving.

To learn more about Nathan Kennedy and stay connected, you can find him on Youtube, Instagram, or Tiktok.

What’s Happening at Carry?

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If you want more resources on building wealth as an solopreneur/entrepreneur, check these out:

• The Solo 401k handbook 

• What is a Solo 401k?

• How to Open a Solo 401k

• Common Solo 401k FAQs

• Solo 401k Contribution Calculator