I'm Not Here to Sell You a Dream.
I'm Here to Show You What's Actually Working.

My Story: From Developer to Financial Freedom Seeker

The Startup Years (2010–2016)

I graduated college in 2010. Landed at Microsoft. Lasted six months.

Took a local software dev job near home. Steady paycheck. Built apps on the side.

Then one of my iOS apps took off.

I quit my job. Went full-time building apps and games. Got hired by a startup to build their social network platform.

I thought I was done with the 9-to-5. I was building my own future.

The Amazon FBA Bet (2017–2020)

Then I discovered Amazon FBA.

Built two brands. Poured everything into it. One brand took off—grew fast enough that I got a $1.8 million acquisition offer.

I was 35 years old. About to cash out. Set for life.

Then COVID hit. Rankings tanked. Deal fell through.

The Day Trading Disaster (2020–2021)

Feeling invincible (and stupid), I pivoted to day trading.

I had cash from the business. I thought I could pick stocks.

I was wrong. Lost a lot of money.

If I'd understood investing—real wealth building, not gambling—I'd be in a much better place today.

Back to Square One (2021–Present)

Had to go back to work as a software developer. Rebuild the foundation. Start over.

But this time, I was obsessed with one question:

How do wealthy people actually build wealth that WORKS for them—not wealth that's just locked away until 65?

The IUL Epiphany: Trapped Wealth

I sat down one night and looked at my finances.

Net worth: $1.2 million.

Sounds impressive, right?

But here's what nobody tells you about that number:

• 💰 60% to financial independence on paper
• 🔒 But I could only access 30% of it

Most of my wealth was trapped:

• Locked in 401k until 59½
• Stuck in home equity I couldn't touch without selling
• Tied up in illiquid investments

And then the gut punch:

When my kids need college loans in a few years, they won't qualify for financial aid.

Why? Because on paper, I'm "too wealthy."

But in reality? My own trapped wealth could hurt my kids' future because I can't access it to pay tuition.

That's when I knew something had to change.

The Video That Changed Everything

I watched a video about making your money work multiple jobs.

The concept was simple but powerful:

"What if your money could be in more than one place at once?"

Think about it:

• When you put money in a 401k, it does ONE thing. It sits there and grows… hopefully.
• When you pay off your mortgage, it does ONE thing. It builds equity you can't touch.

But what if your money could:

• 1. Grow tax-free in one place
• 2. While you borrow against it tax-free
• 3. And invest that borrowed money somewhere else
• 4. And repeat the process

Your money is working multiple jobs at the same time.

That's how the wealthy actually build wealth—not by locking money away, but by making every dollar do double duty.

The tool? Indexed Universal Life (IUL) insurance.

And here's what nobody tells you: it's not really about dying. It's one of the best wealth-building tools nobody talks about.

You can grow cash tax-free. Borrow against it tax-free. And yes, it passes on tax-free too. But the real power is using it while you're alive.

Why I Got Licensed (2022)

I fell in love with IUL.

Not just for myself—for what it could do for families like mine who were stuck in the "trapped wealth" cycle.

I wanted to help others and spread the word.

So I got licensed. Passed my Washington state insurance exam. Launched SavvyVelocityIUL LLC.

I wanted to show people there's a better way to build wealth—one where your money isn't locked up until 65.

At age 51-52: I can pull $73,000/year in tax-free retirement income—every year until I'm 90.

No 401k penalties. No income tax. Just pure cash flow.

Work-optional by 51. That's the plan.

Why I Started VelocityToFIRE

After getting licensed and structuring my own policy, friends started asking:

• "How did you set this up?"
• "Can you help me do the same?"
• "Why isn't everyone doing this?"

I realized most people have never even HEARD of IUL—and the ones who have only know the sleazy version sold by commission-hungry agents.

So I built VelocityToFIRE to:

• 1. Educate families on IUL (the good, the bad, the ugly—no sugarcoating)
• 2. Document my real numbers (I show my actual policy screenshots, not hypothetical projections)
• 3. Offer strategy calls (I help people structure policies correctly—for cash value, not agent commissions)

Credentials & Experience

Important disclaimer: I'm licensed to sell insurance, but I primarily work with my own policy and educate families. I help people understand IUL and structure policies correctly—for cash value, not agent commissions.

My Philosophy: Fellow Traveler, Not Guru

I'm not a guru. I'm not a millionaire (yet). I'm not retiring at 35. I'm a regular dad with a 9-to-5 who's building wealth the smart way—and documenting the journey publicly.