The State Trooper In The Lobby
A uniformed state trooper stood in our lobby on layoff mornings. He wasn’t there because anyone was dangerous. He was there because the company had already done the math, and budgeted for it.
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Where to Park Walk-Away Money: HYSA vs. Investing
HYSA vs investing: your layoff runway belongs in high-yield savings, everything beyond it belongs invested. Here’s exactly where to draw the line.
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What’s Your Freedom Number? A 10-Minute Calculation
Your freedom number isn’t one intimidating seven-figure target. It’s three: an escape fund, a say-no number, and a full freedom number. Here’s how to calculate all three tonight in about ten minutes, and why the first one is closer than you think.
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Emergency Fund vs. Escape Fund: Why 3 to 6 Months Isn’t Enough Anymore
An emergency fund keeps you afloat when life throws a curveball. An escape fund does something bigger: it buys you the leverage to walk away. Here’s the difference between the two, and why the old 3 to 6 month rule isn’t enough anymore.
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Walk-Away Money: The 1 Number That Sets You Free
Walk-away money isn’t your retirement number — it’s the smaller, reachable pile that buys you the power to quit a job that’s wrecking your health. Here’s the formula to calculate yours to the dollar.
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I Survived 23 Rounds of Layoffs Without Ever Getting Fired. It Still Broke Something in Me.
What surviving 23 rounds of mass layoffs taught me about money, loyalty, and the freedom to walk away. You always knew before they told you. It was the state trooper in the lobby. Not security. An actual trooper, standing near the front doors of a billion-dollar company like something was about to go wrong. And…
