Foreword

I fully intend for this to be a ground-breaking Financial publication, following a millennial's journey from college graduation to a net worth of $100,000.

“STTP: 100K is a publication intended to drastically change the way people consider the required front-end sacrifices, methodologies, and life optimization strategies to successfully save $100,000 USD and drastically alter their life’s course.”

….

"All that you have learned and all that you've become to reach the status of millionaire is what's valuable. Not the million dollars."

…

“All that you have learned and all that you’ve become to reach the status of ($100,000-aire) millionaire is what’s valuable. Not the million dollars.” My name is Drake Breshears. I am not a strapping, stud, investment banker. I did not receive an Ivy League Education. I finished my Finance degree without a minor and a hair shy of a 3.1 from a SEC Business School. I come from a middle-class family. I grew up with few of the advantages you pin upon a future millionaire. My college education was not funded by an athletic scholarship. I did not have a guiding light pointing me in certain directions.

 

But I am 24 years old, and I have saved $100,000 from scratch in under 3 years.

 

      I cannot get behind the notion that money does not have a home. I cannot get behind the notion that you cannot hide money.  I believe you can do both of those things without any life lost.  I have done it for a long time now. Every day has been a damn blast. Welcome to your guide to alter your mindset and affect the outcome of your life for the better. Welcome, to STTP: 100K.

 

      March 2016. Graduation was looming.  My Senior Year of college was soon to be a thing of the past. Reed Hill and I were traversing the middle of the United States, on our way to beautiful Denver, Colorado on a spring break trip.  This was a day I want to relive.  Best friends with a one year age difference, Reed and I had a lot to catch up on.  We talked about our different friend groups that overlapped through our fraternity, Phi Delta Theta at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.  Most of my pledge brothers were off on an expensive vacation, while I was having an even better time heading out to Colorado to ski for the first time under the guidance of Reed.  Reed grew up with me in Rogers, Arkansas.  We both attended Rogers High School, where we scrapped our way to spots on a killer varsity basketball team.  We went to the same church, had family connections, and pledged the same fraternity.  Clark Hill, Reed’s Dad, moved out to Denver a few years after divorcing Reed’s wonderful mother.  I had never met Clark, but I was more than up for the adventure.

 

      When we finally arrived in Denver, I noticed a haze of marijuana that infiltrated the whole town.  Not a smoker myself, the deep scent of the plant took me off guard, no doubt we were in the middle of Denver.  We drove deeper and deeper into inner-city Denver, before coming up on Clark and his wife’s house.  The house was brick with stucco �" a classic looking ranch style house with a noticeable high fence close to the main road.  Clark came bounding out, we shook hands, gathered we had met, but it was “a long time ago” and he proceeded to show us his house.  It was awesome in every way.  Albeit small, it was homey.  The Hill’s had done a great job with the place, and I was excited to see a hot tub outside that Clark said we were welcome to use.  The next day, we woke up, drank some incredible coffee in the hot tub, and watched a mountain of snow fall right on cue.  Life was good.

      The Wednesday of that week, after ski school and runs at Loveland Ski Area at Loveland Pass, we decided to break for a day to visit one of Clark’s friends in Boulder.  As we drove out of Denver to Boulder, Clark, who was cool, calm, and mild mannered in all ways, opened up greatly to us about his friend.  “You aren’t going to meet too many like this guy.  He has been one of my great friends out here for years.  He’s kind of a freak-type guy, wait until we get him talking.”  This description had me on edge.  I gave Reed the look of “what are we about to get into out here.”  About 30 minutes later we pulled up to Backcountry Pizza & Taphouse.  We sat down, ordered some Blue Moons, and waited for Tom to show up.  15 minutes late, but seemingly always on time, Tom walked through the doorway.  He was a burly, Colorado bro.  He sat down, sighed, shook our hands, and immediately started

Figure 1: View from Loveland Ski Area - March 2016

talking about where he was coming from.  A North American Sales President for a marathon-specific shoe company, he was always on the move around the country trying to get big retailers and local shoe stores alike to buy his product.  But it was not until Tom opened up about the most recent 100-Miler he ran at altitude called the Hardrock 100 that I really gained respect for this dude.  “You know man, your body does some pretty weird things on a 100-mile race.  It’s the strangest thing man… you know, you entire body is screaming, you almost cannot feel your body.  Then around mile 60 and 70 you start to hallucinate.  I’m serious… you start to see cartoon characters, and things. But through it all, I keep reminding myself to keep going.  It’s all mental.  You know, Persistence Knows No Defeat man, it knows none.  That goes for anything you all want to do in life.”  He eyed Reed and I exclusively, almost winking at Clark.  “You guys are young, you really have to remember that man.  Persistence Knows No Defeat.”

 

      A nerve was struck in the most stars-aligning way that day.  I have always had a full-mind to do something world changing that would alter how my immediate circle operated.  Only impact matters to me. I would be ashamed to give away my early/mid 20’s doing something I do not consider to be impactful. Age gives you leverage. People listen, until you reach the arbitrary age where you are one of the masses.

 

       At the time of the trip to Colorado, I was heavy in the application process for Teach for America.  TFA is a government-funded organization which seeks to plant teachers in at-risk schools across America.  After passing on my law school acceptance �" I eyed TFA as a great couple-of-years opportunity which would allow me to leave Arkansas as a precursor to law school.  I made it to the third interview, and was denied a full-time offer.  Disappointed, I moved on to the next option.  With my law school seat acceptance date far in the rearview mirror for the Fall of 2016, I was left with what seemed to be a harsh realization at the time of applying for a corporate job in Northwest Arkansas.  Little did I know at the time- but the denial, the closed door, and the “No” was a blessing. The “No” allowed me to start the course for my life’s work at a far earlier age than I anticipated. After a short search, I got on with Kimberly-Clark Corporation in a Supply Chain Role �" except it was $18.25 an hour and nothing more than a glorified internship.  KC was a world-class Consumer Packaged Goods organization with a great reputation in Northwest Arkansas. 

 

      In the summer of 2016, I moved from my college home of Fayetteville back to my parents’ residence close to Beaver Lake in Rogers, Arkansas.  I did not know where the year would take me, so I moved in with my parents to avoid having to sign a lease and being locked in to Fayetteville for the whole year.  During this time I was beginning to itch to get out of Arkansas.  In a “be careful what you wish for” twist of events, my employer offered me a full-time job after a short 3 months of interning.  The downside?  The offer was taking me to the ends of the earth… Northeastern Wisconsin to a town called Appleton.  

 

      “Drake, come to my office for a minute.”  My manager for my internship called me into his 10 x 10 office.  I know what this means, I am about to get offered full-time money ($55,000 in Rogers!)  “You have done a good job for us so far and shown some great potential.  We want to extend you an offer to move up to our headquarters in Wisconsin full-time. The base pay is $55,000.”  My face was flush, redder than Donald W. Reynolds on a Razorback Game Day.  “Oh wow… awesome (did not mean it). I’ll have to think about that one.” 

 

      Back against the wall, I accepted the offer.  I was off to Appleton, Wisconsin to start an adventure.  Best decision I have made in my entire life.  The isolation forced me to dig deep that winter in Wisconsin.  A lot of internalizing was done in that time period.  Functioning in a comfortable environment is not difficult, stretching yourself and growing unlike you could possibly imagine in an uncomfortable environment is.  I started the process of writing STTP:100K in the depths of a Wisconsin winter. A broken flash drive later, I am starting from scratch once again back home in Arkansas.

 

      Life is really wild.  I decided the best way to express my semi-extreme methodologies I implemented to begin to optimize my life in 2017 was to pen them all down. As my immediate circle and beyond began to sense I was up to something, I started regularly fielding the question when catching up with friends: “So what does STTP (STTP) mean?” It did not take me long to realize I was unequipped to spell out all that goes into this way of life in a quick sound bite. In fact, throughout 2017 when I was asked that question, often times my answer turned into “Wait and see.” or “It will all make sense soon.”

 

To settle my debts and pay my friends what they were owed (life optimization strategies!) I made a conscience decision. I am going to write a best-selling personal financial publication before I leave my corporate job and go back to law school. In the process I will save upwards of $100,000 as fast I possibly can while falling slightly short of the “at-all costs” mindset that is particularly damaging to anyone who gets caught up in it. I am going to leverage the STTP mindset to save 100K, the RIGHT way. The right way- methodically, process based, using visual management to check and adjust, constantly evolving the strategy, trying different investment mixes, being quiet about it, and always keeping the end goal in the front of my mind.

 

 In the blink of an eye, STTP: 100K was born. In a flurry of promises to myself I could not go back on, the internal pressure mounted. After I made the decision to go all-in on the publication and start writing, an eerie realization flushed over my face.

 

 My life’s work was going to occur at age 23-24.

 

I implore you to share in this level of freedom with me. You will never regret it.  Financial flexibility truly is life-altering.

Why 100K?

      Now you are caught up on how I got here. But why in the world is $100,000 significant? So what, right? No one cares about anything before a million!

 

      One hundred thousand dollars. $100, 1,000 times. $1,000, 100 times. $10,000, 10 times. 100K is not about the net worth number I, and by me, I mean we are chasing.  100K is the result of a lifestyle I have built and practiced extremely hard to maintain.  “STTP” is the battle-cry for all future 100K journeymen. “Sticking to The Plan” is my motto, a daily reminder of what my why is. STTP is what I am constantly telling myself when I want to pack up, quit, and say “to heck!” with saving $100,000 in 2.5 years. Accumulating this level of wealth from scratch is simply not an easy process. You really have to put your blinders on to the world around you. You quite literally have to be in, but not of, the world. You even have to disappear a little bit.  My why does not consist solely of seeing 6-digits on my computer screen (although it will be nice).  My why is proving to myself a methodology and lifestyle I created is sustainable, practicable, improvable, and transferrable to the masses.  My why consists of finding the perfect balance of spiritual, mental, and physical cadences to make this happen.

 

      I am here to help you build and practice sustainable success. The idea behind the first $100,000 requiring a great deal of sacrifice is the first $100,000 helps build the necessary habits to succeed financially for the remainder of your life. If you can figure out a way to get your hands on the first $100,000, the rest will fall into place. This is the secret to Sticking to The Plan.

 

 My “why” lies in “the enemy”. The enemy is American materialism. The enemy is a culture of more, more, more. The enemy lies in the mindset of most people I know, who are financially disabled for life because of the ill-conceived notions they operate with. Many of my peers only have one chance to enjoy financial flexibility; make a ton of money. The catch? Only a handful of people will eventually make enough money to where these principles do not matter.

 

Figure 2: September 22nd, 2017- Day 478($67.33 per day)

 

Americans are the most backwards people in the world when it comes to our finances.  To be transparent, I am not even sure how I began to notice this, but I know it was some combination of my Finance Degree, my upbringing in a middle-class family, and my natural inclination to avoid materialism (credited to my strong faith).  My Finance Degree gave me a crash course in Finance.  I learned the power of making your money work for you.  In the Walton College, I gained a basic understanding of how not to be an idiot financially, and it blew my mind. It seemed so easy to avoid the myriad of mistakes my parents made.

 

 Knowledge is power in Personal Finance- the problem is you have to seek out the knowledge yourself, because schools are not going to harp on what drives our economy in the US… reckless spending of money people do not have.  After graduation, and upon seeing my first salary paycheck and signing bonus hit my account the following Fall, I realized a lot more of my destiny lied in my own hands than I was previously imagining. Something clicked, and my mind was overrun with thoughts of “Why can I not be the one to save 50 to 60% of this check?” The thought came first. The reality came soon thereafter. I made up my mind that every single expenditure was a choice. Bills do not accumulate out of thin air. EVERYTHING coming out of your account, is a choice. Some choices, such as a roof to sleep under, food to eat, and clothes to wear are referred to as “necessities”. Of course they are, but I like “choices” better when boiling my financial decisions down. Necessities creates wiggle-room in your mind. It allows materialism and marketing to creep in. Choices? Now that is powerful.

 

Web stops that altered my mindset

 

After graduation, and upon seeing my first salary paycheck hit my account the following fall, I realized a lot more of my destiny lied in my own hands than I was previously imagining. Something clicked, and my mind was overrun with thoughts of “Why can I not be the one to save 50 to 60% of this check?” The thought came first. The reality came soon thereafter.

 

As I began to allow extreme thinking to guide my daily decisions, I supplemented these thoughts with learning materials. In the fall of 2016, and the winter of 2017, I spent countless hours listening to and reading my favorite financial “brainwashing” material. If you are interested in beginning the journey to Financial Flexibility, start by checking out a few of my favorites that I will forever credit my “mindset shift” to.

 

Dave Ramsey

 

of “The Dave Ramsey Show”

   

I fell asleep 4 to 5 nights a week listening to Dave Ramsey expose countless financially insecure Americans on his radio show (and podcast), “The Dave Ramsey Show”. A central theme of his “extreme ownership” and everything being a decision you can make on your own resounded in my brain.

 

The Big Takeaway �" Practical Application of Personal Financial Principles

 

Highlights �" Dave does an excellent job of simplifying financial situations most would identify as complex. His even-keeled nature shines through when he fields caller’s questions. Although a bit of tough love is often added, Dave usually is quick to liken caller’s struggles with his own struggles from his “stupid days” before he understood personal finance. Listening to Dave took what I was reading off of the pages of a book, and brought financial situations to life to further my understanding. I particularly enjoyed his regular “Millionaire Theme Hours” in which he asks millionaires a set of questions that often yield surprising responses. Questions include “What was your college GPA?” to “How many new cars have you purchased in your life time?” Altogether, this is a great starting point if you are looking to learn from others mistakes instead of making them yourself.

 

The Minimalists

 

Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus

 

When I moved across the country in only a Toyota Highlander, I had to make some hard decisions about what I wanted to bring along. When I arrived at my destination in early 2017, I realized I had very few possessions. Oddly, this was interesting to me because it felt awesome. Shortly thereafter I began reading about the actual practices of Minimalists, and not the accidental kind. I found an intriguing website built by 2 best friends who decided to give up everything to live the Minimalist lifestyle.

 

The Big Takeaway �" Less is more

 

Highlights �" A quick glance at the Minimalist website best explains their philosophy: “Minimalists don’t focus on having less, less, less; rather, we focus on making room for more: more time, more passion, more experiences, more growth, more contribution, more contentment. More freedom. Clearing the clutter from life’s path helps us make that room.” The pair went on to publish a book (which I still need to check out) and are constantly creating content to explain their methodology. Whether or not you adopt any or all of their practices, this is worth a stop. Exploring different ways of thinking can never hurt. I decided full-on practice was not for me, but I did adopt the “less is more” mindset that has proven valuable over the past year.

 

Mr. Money Mustache

 

Peter Adeney

 

I stumbled upon 40-something Canadian Pete Adney’s incredible blog when I was simply searching for more material on a frugal lifestyle. Of all of my recs, Pete is the most entertaining.

 

The Big Takeaway �" Big decisions no one considers

 

Highlights �" One article that will forever change the way I view my living situation is Pete’s article on the ill-effects of a lengthy commute. The article is titled “The True Cost of Commuting” (link at the bottom of this article) and it was a huge factor in my decision to live less than a mile from my office today. Do yourself a favor and go read this article. Pete challenges big lifestyle decisions no one considers when making them, because people are generally blind to their potential negative effects on their livelihood. Call it crazy, call it extreme, but like The Minimalists, his writing really stops and makes you think.

 

Deep Dish

 

Richard Meadows

 

  Deep Dish will always be a blog I point back to when I am asked one day how this all started. New Zealander Richard Meadows originally penned this blog about his journey to save $100,000 New Zealand Dollars from scratch. I cannot remember how I found this one, but I was interested, because it appeared to me his sole motivation was to travel the world once he hit the mark.

 

The Big Takeaway �" A method of tracking net worth

 

Highlights �" Richard pointed in the blog to a spreadsheet he created to self-motivate himself as he attempted to save $100,000 NZD. A powerful feature of his article on how he managed to do so in such a short period of time was the excel tracker he built (and offers up if you subscribe to Deep Dish). The tracker is shockingly basic, but has proven effective for me,and I am sure many others, as a “home page” to manage their assets v. liabilities. In addition, the blog is as lighthearted as a personal finance/lifestyle blog can be. Most recently, you can follow Richard’s travels as he seeks to live off investment returns from his stash and travel Southeast Asia for months a time. Eye opening concept.

 

As I began to allow extreme thinking to guide my daily decisions, I supplemented these thoughts with learning materials to feed them. In the fall of 2016, and the winter of 2017, I spent countless hours soaking in the materials outlined above. I am offering a sincere thank you to each one of these influential creators. Together, you altered my life course and watered the seed that was planted for me through my previous 22-years of observations. I am forever indebted, and hope to meet each one of you over a cup of coffee.

 

My Middle-class upbringing was a blessing in all ways.  From an early age, with a grossly over-worked corporate worker (my Dad) feeding my sister and I while my Mom graciously put her career on hold and took care of us, I learned the enormous power of a dollar.  I learned how much trouble money problems can cause, and I learned how money is the unspoken driving force behind the type of life one gets to live.  For some reason, the “unspeakable” nature of finances in the US blinds people to the fact that in a market economy, your ability for leisure and experiences without money is limited to almost nothing.  Oh, but no one wants to get uncomfortable in the United States, so we would rather not talk about it.  Not once was it explained to me, but I learned through watching situations.  “Every time we turn around, we are paying another bill!” “Sorry, I gave you $20 last week.”  “Your Dad works hard. That is his money and he can do what he wants with it.”  Over and over these types of statements were thrown around the dinner table.  My parents are incredible people, but I don’t agree with any of these statements.  At the end of your life, no one will be there to pat you on the back for working the hardest.  In my opinion, working hard is for broke people.  So many financially illiterate people work really, really hard.  Great for them �" I understand the sense of satisfaction the “bring your lunch pail and your hard hat”-type work gives them. The difficult truth to unpack is life is not about working hard, because there is not one positive benefit other than maybe some slight internal satisfaction. Life should be crafted to where you are able to pursue passions, independence, and not have to worry about your grocery receipt or electric bill being the straw that breaks the camel’s back.

      This thought process came naturally to me. Slowly but surely during my 9-month internalizing period in Wisconsin (January 2017- September 2017) I figured out exactly what makes me tick.  Through the move, no longer was the ticking lost in the noise of my wide circle of friends and family.  Now, I live to protect my “tick” it all costs.  For instance, being an ENFP, I enjoy people thoroughly, but I also recharge by being by myself, and letting my thoughts flow on paper. 

      But back to the reasoning for a seemingly endless, seemingly arbitrary number, $100,000. I chose $100,000, because it is attainable, albeit only through a struggle. $100,000 is a gateway amount to a life time of financial flexibility. Once you hit 6-figures, you have options. Of course, you have very similar options at $90,000, but at $100,000 the psychological victory of being worth 6 figures is a potential springboard to 7 in another unusually quick amount of time. Also at $100,000 you cross-over into potentially life-altering investment returns. Consider this �" In 2017 I spent a grand total of $18,500. The process of living off of $18,500 requires a significant amount of sacrifice (if you are accustomed to a middle-class lifestyle). At $100,000,

Figure 3: Always Striving to Protect My Energy- September 2017

let’s say my yearly investment returns are somewhere between 8%-9%. At that rate, based off the fruits of my labor (my savings) and the skills learned from the labor (how to live off $18,500 a year) I can comfortably maintain my current lifestyle by netting around $10,000 a year. What I am describing is the power of $100,000, and the added power of the skill set you are unknowingly building by getting there in an unusual amount of time.

      I am the biggest advocate in the United States of America for killing the term “Financial Freedom”. I don’t believe “Financial Freedom” is the correct verbiage except for the highest earners in the world. If we are being realistic (yes, go unfollow the “Billionaires” twitter account) we are not all going to achieve the level of wealth in which you can do whatever you want, whenever you want. That’s how I describe freedom. Instead, let’s shift our focus to “Financial Flexibility” Financial Flexibility gives you options. To me, flexibility paraphrased is the ability to place yourself in different positions, to direct your own life course. Financial Flexibility indicates your moves are not limited by your bank roll (or lack thereof). So let’s go get it! Financial Flexibility is out there for the taking. The alternative is a troubling thought of backing yourself into a corner, and entering the cycle of “make it to spend it” year after year for the rest of your life. The buck stops here.                    

The Plot Thickens

September 28^th, 2017- 32,000 feet in the air, I am joined by my sister to meet my parents in Los Angeles for the wedding of my 29 year old 2^nd cousin.  The trip was sprung on us, but I take no issue with it. After grinding out my first 5 weeks in my new role, I am enjoying the chance to take a load off for a few days and relax in a place I have not set foot in since 2009.  Sometimes, you have to pause for a second, to realize how far you have come in life.  My goals are within reach, progress is being made on a killer book, I am in close to the best shape I have ever been in, and I am renting a house in my college town with 3 of my best friends.  On all fronts, I have nothing to complain about. However, this little voice in my head keeps creeping up on me, reminding me 100K will not write itself, and there is not time to waste.  On the other hand, interestingly enough, I am up against the clock.  Tonight when my paycheck drops I will be one-third of the way to my immediate financial goal.  The process, with a higher salary than I started with, and more potential for returns with more invested, will only begin to speed up exponentially.  In some sense, I can get slightly emotional even considering what all I have accomplished since graduating.  Every morning I go to work excited, knowing I am another step closer to my goal of waking up one morning, cooking breakfast, going to the gym, and working on what I want, when I want.  Visions of a debt-free run at law school, a possible year off to pursue Crossfit with no distractions, maybe even a trip around the world, are all but a projected 13 months away.  When I first started saving, I was a projected 28-32 months away.  The power of my methodology- “Sticking to The Plan” has showed its teeth in the past 16 months since I graduated.  Every single part of my life correlates.  Each component not only compliments another part, but supports it and feeds healthy cycles.  My life is nothing but what continuously improving, healthy, but uncomfortable cycle that I have begun to thrive in.  “Sticking to The Plan” which I have jokingly labeled as my “Post-Graduate” rebrand, has altered how I operate, and by the way, has some pretty cool by-products.  For instance, at my current pace, not adjusting for salary increases, making $65,000 per year, I should be a millionaire by 34.  I save 60-65% of my income.  One of my good friends stated to me earlier this year, “I don’t know man. It seems extreme. I am on board with saving, but not to the point where I want to lose any life while doing it, you know?”  I laughed, knowing how many times I have heard this sentiment shared to me, with good intention.  I said I disagreed, and that so far, I have only found life in living frugally, and that I have not lost any. I left it at that, because rule #1 of “Sticking to The Plan” is simply to “Protect Your Energy” at all costs.

Welcome to my life.  I cannot wait to share the systems and ways of thinking that will allow me to save $100,000 USD in 2.5 years on an internship hourly pay rate, a $55,000 salary, and now a $65,000 salary.  This is not meant to document my life, or tell you how to do things.  However, I fully believe in this system.  Friends, I am at Mile-Marker 33 of a 100-Mile race. I did not get to Mile 33 by accident.  It has been uncomfortable at times, but quitting is not an option.  The interesting thing about this race, is the first half is uphill, while the back half is a gentle slope, and we will be able to move a lot faster.  Along the way, there will be challenges, unexpected twist and turns, bigger hills than we anticipated, and people telling us how crazy we are or what we are missing out on by running.  Remember, “Persistence knows no defeat.”  When your body and your mind start breaking down, consider each mile an investment.  Stop along the way to look back and realize how far you have come, but keep pushing.  Not everyone starts the race at the same time.  If you are starting your financial 100-miler right out of college, you have a lot of advantage older first-time racers do not have.  Do not take your advantages for granted. Older racers, it is never too late to start forward on the path.  Together, through Sticking to The Plan, smart investing, focusing on our mind, body, and spirit, the race will be run, and faster than you could ever believe. 100K, starts now.

  

 

 

Author's Note

Anything helps. Thank you so much in advance!
-Drake Breshears