Here's my investing advice: You've got 10 years with a child, from age 3 to 13. Younger than that, they don't understand. Older than that, they don't listen. That's the most important investment you can make.
I've made that investment twice and stock investments many times. I look forward to learning more from you.
My go too platforms are Koyfin, Stock Unlock, FRED, EDGAR, company IR’s, and Trading Economics but honestly I just try and use every source I can get my hands on! Sometimes on a company by company basis that means finding whatever data provider has what I need.
Congrats, and I love the story, Kyler. That takes a lot of courage to pull off.
I'm largely self-taught on everything I've built related to my trading and at this stage all I really want to do is share what I've learned with others.
I personally have a hard time asking people for money when I can't even spend what I already have. To me, that's a level of success worth striving for...not just wealth, but the wisdom to understand the value and purpose of it. It's a somewhat quasi-philanthropic philosophy. I simply give both my money and time away these days. You save all your life; the 'save switch' doesn't just shut off. But, giving away what I "learned and earned" required a full 180 degree thought change.
Subscriber growth to me is secondary to creating something of lasting value. The older I get, the more I realized that any numbers I spent my life chasing is not what I want as a legacy. If an article helps a reader make a better decision, avoid a costly mistake, discover some new perspectives or simply feel less alone on their retirement journey, then it has accomplished exactly what it was intended to do.
Finally, I never had AI back in my college days, but today it has become an invaluable tool. I use it primarily as a proofreading and editing assistant, helping me refine and organize my thoughts. The ideas, experiences and lessons themselves are entirely my own. As an added bonus, AI-generated graphics bring concepts to life in ways that weren't possible for independent writers just a few years ago. That visual storytelling alone makes it worth embracing.
In many ways, these tools have simply allowed me to do more of what I've always enjoyed: learning, writing, teaching, and sharing. I hope you attain that same level of self-actualization I've shared with you. #RETIREDLIFE
Kyler, you keep sharing more and more of your story over time. Thank you for entrusting us with all those details. There are many things you wrote that stuck with me in this article. One of them is this sentence: "There are even mornings where I have plans to golf and I wake up and just feel like working instead". That alone shows you're on the right track and doing a great job. If everyone of us can get to this place, the world would be a much happier place.
I think you are also an inspiration to many people your age who are still struggling with what to do with their lives and are wasting their lives on social media. At 25 (or is it 26 now), you have established your own beautiful family and a thriving, successful career. I am sure your parents are very proud of the person you have become. I know I would be if my boys got to where you are right now at your age.
This is very very inspiring and massive congrats to you! > 400 paid is a huge achievement.
One thing I was curious about, and for us other Substackers - how do you go about your “promotions” you do in the morning? Would genuinely love to know!
Thanks! And on those promotions I have AI pull together every note on Substack I have ever written and their data. Likes, comments, restacks, views, clicks, free & paid subs generated and go through reposting new versions of old things I have done and use them as inspiration for new ideas.
Would you mind sharing generally / broadly / at a high-level what AI tool you use to do this?
On promoting the account, I’ve seen that you’re not active on X. Do you just do your promotions on Substack (in contrast some other Substackers use X to funnel readers into Substack)?
I use Claude and yeah mainly just here on Substack. Though lately a little more on LinkedIn as well but honestly I just have never seen near the traction I get on Substack. So I haven't had any insensitive to go hard on any other platform. Over time I do want to get better at using them but it isn't a big priority.
That's interesting because from an avid X user, it always seemed to me that the more efficient way was to divert users from X but clearly not! Congratulations on all your success.
One question: Do you find issues when using the substack mobile app? In that you can't scroll down sometimes after clicking see more? Makes me wonder whether people need to be 100% on website to be using this efficiently.
I have heard of that issue but never actually encountered it myself. I do have other quirks like it bot letting me exit a screen after responding to a note comment or posting a note but that doesn't happen a ton.
Overall the app has been fine for me but web does have fewer issues.
This is so inspiring, Kyler. I love the honesty and transparency. You are younger than me, and your approach to investing is different from mine, but our journeys share some similarities, as does our mindset.
I started writing here in March this year and quit my job in May. Now enjoying every single day of following my passions for investing and writing, just like you. Thank you for sharing your story!
Great story! Though have question. If a newbie wants to build something what you have been building, ofc he doesnt have the kind of finance expertise which you might have build through years of experience, how does he use AI in that case, ofc for understanding data, pattern recognition etc. Or how he should do it for first principles thinking? Thanks.
Thanks, and honestly as your read I am pretty much self taught.
AI is making it a little easier to find ideas, stay on top of news, sort data, and a lot of other things but unfortunately there is no short cut to understanding companies. That is built over time by spending time in their financials, listening to earnings calls, interviews, reading books, etc.
Like I said in there AI can do a lot but it cannot replace your thinking. And the ability to think critically is built through work AI cannot replace.
So I would say just spend time with stocks looking at everything you can get your hands on and ask a ton of questions about everything you see. That is essentially what I did.
Here's my investing advice: You've got 10 years with a child, from age 3 to 13. Younger than that, they don't understand. Older than that, they don't listen. That's the most important investment you can make.
I've made that investment twice and stock investments many times. I look forward to learning more from you.
Love this backstory. No fancy corporate pedigree—just pure trial & error
❤️
Lovely story. Keep up the great work! Will keep reading!
Thanks and glad to have you!
like your story and family picture. Finger crossed for your future.
❤️
thanks for sharing this
What are your go-to tools/platforms for analysis?
I'm a koyfin/yahoo/alphavantage mostly.
And public sources (fred/edgar/company IR/bls/...)
Always interested in hearing what other platforms people go to for reliable up to date info though.
Of course!
My go too platforms are Koyfin, Stock Unlock, FRED, EDGAR, company IR’s, and Trading Economics but honestly I just try and use every source I can get my hands on! Sometimes on a company by company basis that means finding whatever data provider has what I need.
I needed to read this- thank you!!
❤️
Congrats, and I love the story, Kyler. That takes a lot of courage to pull off.
I'm largely self-taught on everything I've built related to my trading and at this stage all I really want to do is share what I've learned with others.
I personally have a hard time asking people for money when I can't even spend what I already have. To me, that's a level of success worth striving for...not just wealth, but the wisdom to understand the value and purpose of it. It's a somewhat quasi-philanthropic philosophy. I simply give both my money and time away these days. You save all your life; the 'save switch' doesn't just shut off. But, giving away what I "learned and earned" required a full 180 degree thought change.
Subscriber growth to me is secondary to creating something of lasting value. The older I get, the more I realized that any numbers I spent my life chasing is not what I want as a legacy. If an article helps a reader make a better decision, avoid a costly mistake, discover some new perspectives or simply feel less alone on their retirement journey, then it has accomplished exactly what it was intended to do.
Finally, I never had AI back in my college days, but today it has become an invaluable tool. I use it primarily as a proofreading and editing assistant, helping me refine and organize my thoughts. The ideas, experiences and lessons themselves are entirely my own. As an added bonus, AI-generated graphics bring concepts to life in ways that weren't possible for independent writers just a few years ago. That visual storytelling alone makes it worth embracing.
In many ways, these tools have simply allowed me to do more of what I've always enjoyed: learning, writing, teaching, and sharing. I hope you attain that same level of self-actualization I've shared with you. #RETIREDLIFE
❤️
Kyler, you keep sharing more and more of your story over time. Thank you for entrusting us with all those details. There are many things you wrote that stuck with me in this article. One of them is this sentence: "There are even mornings where I have plans to golf and I wake up and just feel like working instead". That alone shows you're on the right track and doing a great job. If everyone of us can get to this place, the world would be a much happier place.
I think you are also an inspiration to many people your age who are still struggling with what to do with their lives and are wasting their lives on social media. At 25 (or is it 26 now), you have established your own beautiful family and a thriving, successful career. I am sure your parents are very proud of the person you have become. I know I would be if my boys got to where you are right now at your age.
❤️
This is very very inspiring and massive congrats to you! > 400 paid is a huge achievement.
One thing I was curious about, and for us other Substackers - how do you go about your “promotions” you do in the morning? Would genuinely love to know!
Thanks! And on those promotions I have AI pull together every note on Substack I have ever written and their data. Likes, comments, restacks, views, clicks, free & paid subs generated and go through reposting new versions of old things I have done and use them as inspiration for new ideas.
Thats it!
That’s insane!
Would you mind sharing generally / broadly / at a high-level what AI tool you use to do this?
On promoting the account, I’ve seen that you’re not active on X. Do you just do your promotions on Substack (in contrast some other Substackers use X to funnel readers into Substack)?
No problem, ask away!
I use Claude and yeah mainly just here on Substack. Though lately a little more on LinkedIn as well but honestly I just have never seen near the traction I get on Substack. So I haven't had any insensitive to go hard on any other platform. Over time I do want to get better at using them but it isn't a big priority.
Thank you, that's super helpful!
That's interesting because from an avid X user, it always seemed to me that the more efficient way was to divert users from X but clearly not! Congratulations on all your success.
One question: Do you find issues when using the substack mobile app? In that you can't scroll down sometimes after clicking see more? Makes me wonder whether people need to be 100% on website to be using this efficiently.
I have heard of that issue but never actually encountered it myself. I do have other quirks like it bot letting me exit a screen after responding to a note comment or posting a note but that doesn't happen a ton.
Overall the app has been fine for me but web does have fewer issues.
Thanks mate for all the responses. You're an inspiration!
I've just started out last week and have got to 200+ subs and 30 paid already, which is something I never expected.
Going to be following your progress and learning from you as I go!
This is so inspiring, Kyler. I love the honesty and transparency. You are younger than me, and your approach to investing is different from mine, but our journeys share some similarities, as does our mindset.
I started writing here in March this year and quit my job in May. Now enjoying every single day of following my passions for investing and writing, just like you. Thank you for sharing your story!
Thanks and of course!
Great story! Hope you can keep doing this for many more years!
Thanks!
Great story! Though have question. If a newbie wants to build something what you have been building, ofc he doesnt have the kind of finance expertise which you might have build through years of experience, how does he use AI in that case, ofc for understanding data, pattern recognition etc. Or how he should do it for first principles thinking? Thanks.
Thanks, and honestly as your read I am pretty much self taught.
AI is making it a little easier to find ideas, stay on top of news, sort data, and a lot of other things but unfortunately there is no short cut to understanding companies. That is built over time by spending time in their financials, listening to earnings calls, interviews, reading books, etc.
Like I said in there AI can do a lot but it cannot replace your thinking. And the ability to think critically is built through work AI cannot replace.
So I would say just spend time with stocks looking at everything you can get your hands on and ask a ton of questions about everything you see. That is essentially what I did.
Loved the story!
It's hard to figure out what an ideal day or even a week should look like when you don't work in 9-5 with a fixed schedule.
Things can change from day-to-day, new clients, new projects, new things, but that's what makes it fun 😁
Thanks and I definitely agree, it is fun on its own knowing every day will be different!