- stayed at my second job from the time that I was 25 until 34 and became an “expert beginner” and only made $7K more at 34 than I made at 25
- by the time I was 35 because of dumb decisions and the housing crash I had a negative net worth of around $300K and ended up walking away from 5 mortgages within the next two years
- didn’t get a job as a software developer making over six figures until 2014 at 40 years old.
The next ten years…
- well I got remarried at 36
- had a house built exactly three years after my last foreclosure (FHA minimum) at 42.
- got my first only and hopefully last job in BigTech (working remotely - no longer there) at 46
- we did the digital nomad thing for a year between late 2022 and late 2023
- sold my house for twice what I paid for it last year and moved to a smaller condo in (cheaper state tax free Florida)
- my wife and I still travel a lot and planning on spending 3-4 months next year away from home - 1 month in Costa Rica in the winter and the summer domestically.
I never won the startup lottery, spent my entire career until I was 46 in 2020 as a journeymen enterprise developer, 3.5 years in BigTech wasn’t get rich money. It was a pay off debt and pivot strategy.
My life until I was 40 was messy with a few bright spots - met my now wife at 36 and (step)kids, made a lot of great friends while teaching fitness classes part time, etc.
As far as “ageism”, I have found it easier to get a job post 40. Including in 2023 and last year.
- married at 28 and divorced at 32
- stayed at my second job from the time that I was 25 until 34 and became an “expert beginner” and only made $7K more at 34 than I made at 25
- by the time I was 35 because of dumb decisions and the housing crash I had a negative net worth of around $300K and ended up walking away from 5 mortgages within the next two years
- didn’t get a job as a software developer making over six figures until 2014 at 40 years old.
The next ten years…
- well I got remarried at 36
- had a house built exactly three years after my last foreclosure (FHA minimum) at 42.
- got my first only and hopefully last job in BigTech (working remotely - no longer there) at 46
- we did the digital nomad thing for a year between late 2022 and late 2023
- sold my house for twice what I paid for it last year and moved to a smaller condo in (cheaper state tax free Florida)
- my wife and I still travel a lot and planning on spending 3-4 months next year away from home - 1 month in Costa Rica in the winter and the summer domestically.
I never won the startup lottery, spent my entire career until I was 46 in 2020 as a journeymen enterprise developer, 3.5 years in BigTech wasn’t get rich money. It was a pay off debt and pivot strategy.
My life until I was 40 was messy with a few bright spots - met my now wife at 36 and (step)kids, made a lot of great friends while teaching fitness classes part time, etc.
As far as “ageism”, I have found it easier to get a job post 40. Including in 2023 and last year.