Well... I'm officially a Millionaire

[DeletedUser394]

Hesitant to post this for obvious reasons, but I intend to distance myself from my former persona/life anyway so what's the difference.

I joined the forum 7 years ago at the age of 15. In that time 100s of faceless people have come and gone. 99% of whom have gone back to their mediocre lives to do mediocre things. They will all be forgotten, and already have been. They gave up when it got too hard. Thankfully I never gave up the fight. And neither have you.

Heck, I even thanked MJ directly in my highschool yearbook quote, and a few other big time fastlaners from back in the early days. Thank you teachers, faculty and peers? Nah bro, thank you PhxMJ and company. (that was his old username.. and it will forever be engraved in that book).

Didn't know what the hell I was doing for the most part. I was hooked on Trump's Apprentice and Kiyosaki's books. That was my intro to business 101. It took me 7 years to figure this shit out.

I'm 23 now. I don't have to answer to anyone, or punch a clock, or do anything that I don't want to do.

Fight for your dreams. Turn off the TV NOW, not tomorrow. Do something every day to get you closer to your goals. You get one shot at life. Make it count.

Society creates so many things to distract you from where you want to be. They make you watch rich grown men play ball games, and they tell you you need to buy product xyz in order to have a life worth living. If you aren't where you want to be in life, that garbage is doing nothing but holding you back. F*ck all the noise.

There is no wisdom in the crowd.

Fight, fight, FIGHT. Get it.

Time for a new chapter to be written.

I wish the best of success to everyone here. It's out there.. you just gotta seize it.

*removing pic proof due to creepy PMs.* It has been posted (and so has been proven). Can resend proof to mods if needed*


***** Read MJ's update to this thread:
https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/co...cially-a-millionaire.63129/page-7#post-497738

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

Guys,

First, Ryan has been removed from the forum per HIS request. He is now a Deleted User.

Second, this thread has been marked GOLD and there are TWO viewpoints why.

You are free to take either.

VIEWPOINT #1:

This thread is GOLD because you believe "GC" (aka: GrumpyCat, RichKid prior to that) and obviously want to celebrate his accomplishment. It is indeed spectacular, so spectacular that MarketWatch or some financial news website should do a story on him. Heck, we should do a story.

But the minor details behind this incredible story will never be told. It's not going to happen. Not here or anywhere.

This thread is GOLD because you believe the story that we have a young man whose hustle and arbitrage threads for the last 7 years, profiting a few dollars per transaction, is suddenly a millionaire in some undisclosed venture where just months earlier, said individual was complaining about roommates and not being able to afford this or that.

This thread is GOLD because you believe he made 20% in 3 months trading stocks while simultaneously avoiding every call pouring in from Wall Street hedge fund managers looking to recruit him.

OR

VIEWPOINT #2

This thread is marked GOLD to show just how gullible people are and how they will believe anything they read without a smidgen of critical thinking and due diligence. This is how people get ripped off, believing that the Super Trader Mohammed makes 20% per month on his cash just because he says so, while posting a grainy screenshot as evidence.

1. GC has been here for nearly seven years. In that time, he has requested his account to be "self-banned" more than a 1/2 dozen times. I won't go into the personal explanations/details given at the time, but lets just say, there IS significant histrionics here which, shall we say, don't lend credibility to his claim.
   
   
2. GC has posted A LOT of quality content on the forum. Let me repeat that: QUALITY CONTENT. Hustle threads, arbitrage, some really really great stuff. He's actually one of my favorite posters and I am sad to see him go. However, the mods and I find it strange that he has regularly and routinely shared with us how to make pennies while strangely, omitted to us how he made millions. Wouldn't that be something to be shared with a community dedicated to making millionaires? Not thousandaires?
   
   
3. The moment this thread was posted (before anyone even commented!) one of the mods familiar with GC's history here at the forum speculated that his "I'm a millionaire" thread will lead to GC's 8th self-banning or request to "delete my account." It's why we have quarantined ourselves from this thread. A few weeks later, dozens of posts later, sure enough, it happened, as predicted, and on schedule. You see, that's the pattern that's emerged with GC with many of his posts which carry extravagant and bold claims-- when the fire heats up, request your account to be deleted, and high tail it out of town.

At the end of the day, whether GC is being truthful or not, I truly believe he will succeed in life. The kid is bright and motivated. IMO, he has wisdom beyond his years. Unfortunately, I think there are some other issues going on here which I hope he addresses at some point in his life.

That said, I'm not sure what I believe. Many folks I know personally have mentioned to me their doubts on this thread and they were confused why I (or the mods) have been cautiously sitting back and watching.

I tried to keep every statement above factual. Some of those facts are taken from GC's own words on posts made months, years ago. However, as humans, we tend to take facts and build a narrative from it. The narrative the mods and I see isn't one to be sanctified and certified as a true Fastlane success story. We desperately want it to be. I want it to be. These stories validate Fastlane. Unfortunately, that narrative (as it stands now in my eye) doesn't allow me to safely lend to that conclusion.

I hope GC returns.

Moreover, I hope such a great accomplishment can be verified. I hope all of us craggy old mods can whimper away with our tails between our legs.

I wish GC well and pray that he finds whatever peace he seeks.

Carry on.

~ MJ

 

[Vigilante]

Yeah that's on the 7th page. I didn't make it past the first page. Just wanted to know what the dude did to make a million bucks thinking that maybe some advice is applicable to me.

So, this is an awesome lesson in itself.

You didn't want to put in the time.

You just wanted the executive summary. The short cut. The road map.

There isn't one. In this thread, or elsewhere.

Your question wasn't "advice for you." It was "how did you get rich?" That's not advice. That's seeking a treasure map.

So now go back and read through the pages.

Because there IS advice in the thread that is applicable to you.

 

[IceCreamKid]

So he really did figure out a way to cash in on the celebrity endorsements after he got on the news for losing his bike in the flood.

Congrats!

 

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[GreedyBGoode]

7 years ago at the age of 15

Overnight success!

 

[Vigilante]

Post the whole list then, transparency right?! LOL

The forum missed the fact that none of the mods weighed in on this topic, through several pages. Not one comment from Allen, Andy, MJ or me.

While it is not impossible that the unvetted narrative that created so many fanboys (and fangirls) is true, if it is it should be gracing the covers of investment magazines and financial news stories nationwide. Hell, even just taking the last few months, and generating six figure returns on the presumed principle amount over the last several weeks, if true, would be a feat worthy of publication. It's a story people would love to read about... a real rags to riches story.

The gold designation is nebulous on this topic. I don't advocate a Reddit style assault on anyone's integrity, because I find their civility lacking and their envy at the root of many of their exposes. However, this poster has talked previously about his need to post here to collect the accolades that likes and forum speed generate - a psychological reward and esteem boost for those who seek it. That's never what we set out to do, and it gets some to troll specifically looking to create a persona here as a diversion from real life. I am not stating that is what Ryan did in this thread, but I am stating that is what he has admitted to previously. I hope for his sake that he has experienced the break through he hinted at. I say hinted at because nobody has validated that anyone knows what the hell he's talking about. There are pieces of the puzzle that just don't fit, but that is as far as I care to speculate on it. To each his own.

As Ryan himself has advocated in the past, challenge everything. MJ's narrative is one of public record. His history, his story, and his epic Jerry McGuire manifesto are flanked in verifiable, vetted information. Many of the people here have many people that can speak first hand about the authenticity of their character, their business, and their stories. That's what continues to make this place awesome.

My story? 90+% of it is public and out there in history, researchable and vettable. The other 10% that would be current would be vouched for by people that have seen various parts of the "bat cave." When I post about the loss of a business, you can find the remnants of it if you want to go look for it. When I talk about the milestones, the fall from the mountain, the climb back up, and the war scars, you can see my scars if you want to. I think transparency and authenticity go somewhat hand in hand. Most of my "wealth" is on paper (meaning, it is tied up within the assets of my businesses), not in the bank. It still needs to convert. There are several zero's attached, but not liquid. It still needs an exit event. I have been here before, and lost it all. It made me stronger.

Ryan has a self described need for the accolades. He's left a decent trail for people to follow, and I hope that part of his legacy here outshines any of the drama. I think he will be back in a year or two, if history repeats itself. I wish nothing more for him to fly in on his G6 to a summit a few years from now, drop a couple of knowledge bombs, and buy a couple of rounds. However, that is not his style. He's more likely to bike in with nothing more than a knap sack on his back, mooch a hotel room, and sit in the back of the room --- regardless of how much money he has on that given day.

And you know what? Nobody but gold diggers care about the zeros in your bank account. My most venomous responses on the forum are reserved for anyone that uses that as a litmus test. Ryan is a great example of someone that didn't need to show us his bank account statements in order for his posts to be of value. If you are here because you are wanting a treasure map dolled out by millionaires, you're missing the wisdom contained within the pages within. Some of the best wisdom comes in from people in the trenches --- millionaires in the making. If you look past them because you are looking for the "answers" and think they only come from someone that meets your litmus test, you are not asking the right questions.

Ryan didn't need to post this. Ryan didn't need to prove anything. And Ryan didn't need to leave. But that's Ryan. And if history repeats itself, he'll be back a few years wiser, a few dollars richer, and with a litany of interesting and true stories about his adventures, his misadventures, and his observations. And I will enjoy reading his stories and looking at life through his eyes again on that day.

And this is my final post on this chapter until we see him again.

 

[jon.a]

Can you graph out those 7 years? There might be a lesson in it.

 

[Vigilante]

Whether the story is true or not is immaterial. The hustle is real. The principles are real in several of his threads. He'll make it some day, and he'll bring people along for the ride. He knows what to do. This isn't a sprint... It's a marathon. There's usually no overnight gratification. Don't look for a 90 day solution to a lifetime of slow lane. Work your plan, out hustle the 99% and you'll get there.

My best wishes to Ryan that you find what you seek.

 

[DeletedUser394]

Congratulations, @GrumpyCat. I appreciate you posting this thread - it takes courage to admit publicly you're a millionaire, but it's extremely motivating for all of us here.

If you were to share just one lesson/observation most people here wouldn't agree with (perhaps something against the "common Fastlane sense"), what would it be?

People view saving as defense and discard the idea. To win a Super Bowl you need a solid offense AND defense. So there is value in spending less than you earn, whether it's a lot of money or a little.

Coo

Coool......well done young man. However........There is a certain advantage point in anonymity in this crazy world ? My guess is there are lots of people here on the forum already on that status, but choose option "B" . Just for the record I haven't attained this status (yet)Lol .."Rep +++ to you

Not many people know in real life. Looking at me from an outside point of view, I don't look anything special. I look like a typical early 20s person. I don't even have a car. But I live downtown so it doesn't make a difference.

I was just asking for an actual graph.

Most of my money is in the stock market currently, however I made most of my money outside of the market. Looking to get out completely and go all in on some other project.

We all knew you would do it, man.

I dunno if anyone's read his old posts, but @GrumpyCat had posted all sorts of, well, worrying and slightly disturbing things over the 7 years he's been here. He's been in pretty low places and has faced more hardship than a lot of us here.

He's made money working his a$$ off, and then lost money on deals that have gone wrong. He's been deep in debt and got out of it. At 23, he has more battle scars than most people his age, and more than a lot of people twice his age.

He's been out there doing and kicking a$$... and getting his a$$ kicked, too. Congrats, man.

This ain't the end, man. You've still got millions to go.

Still can't get a girlfriend... so there's that. lol

Still waiting on the ebook with a step by step for getting on the news with a bike.....

Great job @GrumpyCat !

1. Put yourself into a situation where you have 2-4 seconds to make a decision.
2. Make the wrong decision.
3. Wait for good samaritan to arrive.
4. Email local news crews to share the story.
5. Go Viral
6. Meet samaritan.
7. Million.

Congrats man!! You should come and present at the meetup next year

I'm very introverted. Online is the medium where I choose to express myself. Not a fan of crowds. I would consider attending, but definitely not presenting unfortunately. We'll see.

Race you to a billion

I see you've got a 10/90 cash/security split. Do you play any options in the stock market or do you stick to mostly blue chip? And congratulations!

10/90 split is just coincidence. I only invest in 4 ETFs. Boring as ****

Here: http://canadiancouchpotato.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/CCP-Model-Portfolios-TD-e-Series.pdf

I use the 25/25/25/25.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

At the end of the day, this isn't about me. It's about motivating others to just go after what they want. You'll make it eventually if you never give up and put in real effort.

 

[DeletedUser394]

Could be, I hate being judgemental. Avatar, screen name, and past threads were kind of bragging.

Only have a couple of minutes, so I'll just address these points right now.

Current avatar is all singles (one dollar bills). So $1,100 isn't exactly impressive, nor brag worthy. Some people use avatars of nice views, some people use fancy cars; I chose to use money as an avatar since this is a forum largely predicated on making money.

My prior screen name 'RichKid' had nothing to do with me being 'rich'. I had been brought here by another forum member from the richdad forums. I had just read Rich Dad Poor Dad, and I was a kid at the time. Hence, RichKid.

And finally past threads and bragging. I can't speak for other people when giving advice, the only person's experiences that I can draw upon are my own. Take the thread about me getting my place/apartment. I constantly was reading threads about young guys who were unhappy living at home, and yet hesitant to make a move. So I started a thread about how my life infinitely changed for the better once I moved out of the family home. The only way I can describe how 'awesome' it is to not be surrounded by family 24/7 when you're young, is to talk about exactly how awesome my life became once I took the leap. Etc, as with all threads started.

I'm not going to give advice or offer perspective to people when I haven't done what they are contemplating doing or been in the position that they currently are in.

As for why I started this thread. I was directly inspired by 'Bank Statement Guy'. This is my version of Bank Statement Guy and my way of paying thanks. I'm not bragging, I'd just as happily have posted this anonymously, but alas you can't have multiple accounts, etc.

BTW, for those unaware, here is bank statement guy;

Now everyone struggling, go out there and get yours!!!

 

[DeletedUser394]

At the end of the day, just like everything else on the internet, it's reader beware.

I was excited and fired up so I started the thread. Seeing my number was a confidence boost to me, and obviously from this thread you can see that it inspired others as well.

If it changed even 1 person's outlook and turned it more positive, then it was worth it.

Not at all pointing to you bio, but in general I'm getting tired of being rebuffed at every opportunity. Time and again I have posted proof of whatever it was that I was talking about at that time and yet still there's derision each time. So be it

Other people's perceptions or opinions do not affect my reality. Thankfully I have the luxury to no longer care either way.

For everyone out there that's still fighting the good fight. Keep going! Haters gonna hate.

 

[DeletedUser394]

Sorry for the delay. Has been hectic.

I did not win the lottery, though I have been lucky. But I believe in large part that you create your own luck.

I'm not 'conventionally normal'. Yes I live with roommates in a furnished place (and I'm super happy with my situation.. not sure where I said I wasn't happy with this arrangement). No I don't drive. I don't own very many things at all. And I'm constantly throwing away more. Trying to get to the lowest physical attachment possible. This works for me.

Being busy and being away from all forums/social media for a week or two has shown me just how much 'noise' everything is. People arguing with each other about things that don't matter. It's all noise.

Yes I haven't gone into super specific details about how this money came to be. I've mentioned in the past that I'm heavily into the hospitality sector including operating a luxury concierge business for a time, and have been grinding away for the past couple of years in other related endeavors. If a person chooses to believe that I won some kind of lottery, or that I'm lying or what not, that's fine, I'm not going to try and convince them otherwise. People can believe what they want to believe

Could I have altered the photo below? Of course. (though my photoshop skills are pretty bad lol). Even so, short of someone sitting next to me as I log into my accounts, there isn't much more I can do. And that's okay. I have nothing to sell anyone, and I'm not soliciting anything. It's just motivation for the younger people and the new members to get back to your grind. People will always try to tear you down no matter how 'respected' they are or how much better they are than you.

At the end of the day it's all nothing but noise.

Anyway when I started this thread and linked a pic, I think I was around 1.22m. Passed 1.3m yesterday.

Back on my grind.

 

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[The-J]

We all knew you would do it, man.

I dunno if anyone's read his old posts, but @GrumpyCat had posted all sorts of, well, worrying and slightly disturbing things over the 7 years he's been here. He's been in pretty low places and has faced more hardship than a lot of us here.

He's made money working his a$$ off, and then lost money on deals that have gone wrong. He's been deep in debt and got out of it. At 23, he has more battle scars than most people his age, and more than a lot of people twice his age.

He's been out there doing and kicking a$$... and getting his a$$ kicked, too. Congrats, man.

This ain't the end, man. You've still got millions to go.

 

[jon.a]

I'm honestly a little confused why you posted this thread without some kind of story or details to tie it all together. The high fives and congratulations are certainly nice to see, and everyone is happy to see someone here 'make it' so to speak, but this is basically a success story without the "story" part.

Like Bio, I recognize your name but can't tie it to anything. You say hospitality and concierge - well, okay, cool, but so are a million other people who never made it - what helped you succeed while millions of others struggle?

I know I would personally love to hear more about your trials, tribulations, and how our hero overcame his obstacles and the advice he'd give others that he had to learn the hard way. It could really help elevate this from a high-five ceremony to a legendary gold thread to inspire others for years to come. But if not that's cool, congrats all the same!

I don't understand. I've been watching @GrumpyCat aka "RichKid" and he has shared quite the story over the years. Maybe, I was just paying attention. Maybe, I read somethings that I only imagined. Am I the only one that's confused by those that are confused?

 

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[jon.a]

i wanted to respond earlier, but i was full of drugs from my wisdom teeth removal so i refrained

Don't let that stop you, it doesn't stop others.

 

[RHL]

I know you're Candian, but this was the best I could do. Meanwhile, back in the slow lane:

Let that sink in. If you have $333,750, you have more assets than 70% of people ages 55-64. What would you rather have? 1.01M at age 23 or $333,750 (which, after you subtract the value of the mortgage, is probably a liquid net worth of more like $30,000) at age 64?

Make the same choices, get the same results.

Source: USA Today.

 

[VegasMan]

I hope GC returns.

Moreover, I hope such a great accomplishment can be verified. I hope all of us craggy old mods can whimper away with our tails between our legs.

I wish GC well and pray that he finds whatever peace he seeks.

Carry on.

~ MJ

This right here is one of the many reasons this is the best forum I've ever encountered. And it's the only forum I choose to actually pay for. MJ can dish out the tough love, the occasional a$$ reaming, and certainly the praise for jobs well done. Thank you, MJ, for giving us all a respected place to gather and share.

 

[RHL]

Moreover, I hope such a great accomplishment can be verified. I hope all of us craggy old mods can whimper away with our tails between our legs.

This is the essence of this site. This is why I keep coming back. Almost everywhere else on the internet: Tumblr, Reddit, FB, Instagram, when someone has wild success, the envy kicks in. It's here too, but at the very highest level, we want it to be true, we want you to succeed. I want RichKid to have been successful, if only to tell the next MLM drone that propositions me "you could have been a millionaire by age 23 if you were driving the fastlane instead of riding it."

Shows over. Back to work. And I hope that some where in Canada, GrumpyCat is comparing painted aluminum swatches at the local Ferrari dealership.

 

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[Lex DeVille]

Beyond that, for the forum generally, the assumption that being rich and having a sincere and altruistic desire to help others will dovetail in all instances is suspect anyway. Your garage can look like this:

but if you're out to defraud people a few hundred bucks at a time, it hardly matters whether you're worth nine figures or nine dollars as far as the forum is concerned.

I've been thinking about this, and about what Jordan Belfort did a lot lately. Thinking...if only he'd sold people things that helped them make money - he'd probably still be a billionaire, and people would love him too. He missed a lot of opportunity to make a hell of a positive impact in people's lives.

 

[DeletedUser394]

Congrats to @GrumpyCat for his success, just wondering I know this may be slightly off topic but did you go to University by any chance, since you're a millionare around the same age people are just finishing university,

P.S You're inspirational

I dropped out during my second semester in 2010.
Was accepted to a different university in 2012. Never enrolled.
Dropped out of another university during first semester in 2014.

I'm planning to take a couple of accounting courses at a local community college as I believe they will be beneficial to me, however I've all but given up on acquiring a degree. 4 years is too long. I'd rather just take 4 courses.

 

[biophase]

Not at all pointing to you bio, but in general I'm getting tired of being rebuffed at every opportunity. Time and again I have posted proof of whatever it was that I was talking about at that time and yet still there's derision each time. So be it

Other people's perceptions or opinions do not affect my reality. Thankfully I have the luxury to no longer care either way.

For everyone out there that's still fighting the good fight. Keep going! Haters gonna hate.

I wasn't trying to call you out. Just didn't know what the first photo was. Our opinions can only be based on your posts on this forum as nobody here knows anything else. To me, it just seemed odd that someone with, and I'm guessing, $500k+ in the bank, a few months ago would be slumming it with 3 roommates and complaining (maybe that's too strong of a word). If it were me, at the first sign of not enjoying my living quarters I would be out of there if I could afford it. So that's why I had in my mind that you got your windfall in the past few months. But it's not impossible, because some people will live in a box to opt to save religiously. I just couldn't.

And not saying that you needed a lotto ticket to make millions, but I haven't read anything on here about your businesses and the thread title makes it sound like it was sort of a surprise so that's why that was my initial assumption.

 

[IceCreamKid]

Tony Hsieh is worth $840M and chooses to live in a 240 sq ft trailer. He owns 4 pairs of shoes.

Do I find Tony Hsieh's lifestyle odd considering his net worth? Absolutely. Do I find GrumpyCat's lifestyle a bit odd? Yes, but who am I to judge? Each individual is unique and has their own reasons for the way in which they choose to live.

Everyone go live your life the way you want. It doesn't matter.

 

[csalvato]

For anyone interested in high quality information from a success story in their 20's, you might find this interesting:

http://hive.org/20s/

IIRC, Ryan Allis founded iContact at 21, and was an entrepreneur at age 15. He put together a great list of life lessons in a super long powerpoint. His multi-million dollar exit from iContact can be easily verified.

 

[beatgoezon]

@GrumpyCat; it's amazing what the drive something as simple as a drive to succeed and perseverance to reach a goal can do for a person... I always had a hunch you'd make it very soon, and you haven't let my (and I'm sure most people's) expectations down...

If you ever get the chance, please post up a story of where you started, what you learned along the way, what kind of process you went through, I'd love to read about your story and I'm sure many people here are interested as well.

Congratulations man, seriously it's so incredibly motivating to see that it IS possible to reach, and too at such a young age! Thank you for setting such a great example

 

[RHL]

Anyone who read TMF remembers the discussion about the potential energy of being young and rich, the snowball at the top of the hill or the stone at the top of the avalanche.

$1M at 23, the same time most people are graduating college with a net worth of -$20,000-80,000, is a pretty big snowball.

 

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[Unknown]

Congrats man! That's awesome.

For those of you wondering about his process, I've been authorized to share this top secret video with you.

 

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[theag]

I'm just about to finish The Millionaire Fastlane , next I'll read Unscripted . What's your favorite business/entrepreneur/inspirational book of all time?

Reading comprehension?

 

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[RHL]

yeah but pls can you tell me the exact steps

 

[jon.a]

Also, I don't think the Kid was bragging. This might be the only place he feels comfortable sharing. Or at least it was.

 

[DeletedUser394]

Some of yall be driving me crazy.

I've posted numerous backstories, etc.

Here from December 2014 (10 months ago).

@mt_myke in that thread did some incredibly astute calculations when he figured out I had around $650k in assets at that time.

https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/threads/how-i-retired-at-age-22.57011/

As you can see if you read that thread, there are a*holes and doubters in life. They are everywhere like a plague. I've never had anything but good intentions with my posts, and I'm nothing if not consistent.

To essentially double your working capital in 10 months is not incredibly extreme. I've been very fortunate and I don't take it for granted.