How we have been taught to invest is dangerously passive. Not in creating passive income, but in being passive in the process of investing.
We have bought into the idea that we must trust the experts because we don’t have the knowledge, let alone the time.
In the accumulation model and mindset, we forfeit control of our money. Many overly rely on stocks. A substantial percentage of allocations are trapped in retirement plans: no cash flow, a myriad of fees, minimal consideration on how to access the money, limited downside protection, and the list goes on.
I haven’t had money in the stock market since the early 2000s. I am not saying my plan should be yours.
What I am saying though, is the stock market isn’t aligned with my Investor DNA. My vision is big enough that there is always use for the dollars I earn—growing my impact, increasing my ability to create value, and reaching more people.
In the past, the vision of companies that chose to go public was so large, it required more capital. They had a desire for more money. Instead of borrowing funds, they would issue equity (stock in an Initial Public Offering IPO). This would give them the necessary capital to expand.
In today’s world, the largest and most impactful companies rarely have the same need to go public. They have access to private capital through angel investors, crowdfunding, friends and family, or even venture capitalists. So instead of using the IPO to raise capital, they often use it to cash out.
The public market is more liquid than the private market as well. But it is very dangerous place for small companies. They can get “shorted” to death through naked puts. The sharks put downward pressure with seemingly unlimited funds.
“Shorted to death” is Wall Street’s version of death by a thousand cuts—except the cuts aren’t made with blades, they’re made with bets. Bets that a company will fail.
Let me show you how this Wall Street mugging works, especially for small public companies.
Imagine you’re a small, growing business. You finally make it to the public markets. You’re not Amazon, but you’ve got a good product, you’re solving real problems, and you’re trying to build something lasting. Now here come the short sellers—hedge funds, day traders, and sometimes coordinated online mobs.
They borrow your stock (without owning it), sell it immediately, and hope the price drops. If it does, they buy it back at a lower price, return the shares, and pocket the difference.
It’s like selling your neighbor’s car without their permission, then buying it back on Craigslist for cheap after you’ve trashed their reputation.
But here’s where it gets dark…
When enough of these bets stack up against a small company, it can manipulate perception. It creates fear in the market. Investors start questioning the company’s future. Vendors get nervous. Lenders tighten terms. And worst of all? Customers start doubting too.
It’s not just a stock price dropping—it’s a public smear campaign, dressed up as market efficiency.
And small companies don’t have PR departments big enough, balance sheets strong enough, or investor bases loyal enough to fight back. So they get suffocated. Their cost of capital spikes, liquidity dries up, and growth stalls.
And all the short sellers say is, “It’s just market forces.”
No. It’s manufactured pessimism. It’s a rigged poker game where the house bets against you and shuffles the deck with one hand while shorting your stock with the other.
Moral of the story?
If you’re a small company thinking of going public—don’t do it unless you’re armored up. Go in with loyal investors, real cash flow, and a community that actually understands your value. Or better yet—build so well in private, the public markets beg you to list, not the other way around.
Because when you go public too early, you’re not just selling shares—you’re putting a bullseye on your back for financial predators.
Speaking of which, over 75 million Americans trap their money in qualified plans like IRAs and 401(k)s. These may have their place, but they have failed us as a reliable retirement option. Volatile markets, especially in the distribution phase, can jeopardize cash flow and the sustainability of the plan. Also, they often fall short.
The numbers are staggering. According to Business Insider, the average 401(k) balance is approximately $272,588, with a median balance of $88,488. The average IRA across all ages is $129,200. More than 9 out of 10 times, to provide a meaningful replacement of the active income and lifestyle provided by active income, these plans fail.
So, what is the alternative? What is your plan?
How can you regain or keep control over the outcome of your income?
It comes down to value creation and your ability to understand why your investments will work or what prevent them from working (risk mitigation).
Discover Your Investor DNA
What are your values? What matters to you? What do you value?
What are your competencies? What ability can you develop? Where do you already have knowledge and insight?
What are your drivers? What interests you? What do you want to learn and pay attention to?
What if instead of playing the game of risk and speculation, you change to play the game of value creation? How about becoming more efficient and saving on tax, interest, protecting the downside of your investments, remove unnecessary fees, and design your insurance more effectively?
What if your next investment wasn’t in a stock, but increasing your own stock value? Instead of putting money in a retirement plan, hire a great tax attorney or accountant. Increase your financial intelligence and learn how to keep more of what you make and become a better investor.
You will be bombarded with advice to stay the course, that it will go up in the long term, and there is no reason to panic.
I agree. The market will go up over time. It will rebound…eventually. But when you lose ten percent on $100,000, it becomes $90,000. Earning ten percent on $90,000 only gets you back to $99,000…and that is before fees. And what about the lost time?
Is it time for a change? Depends on how it impacts your mind, it depends on your Investor DNA.
With this unstable market, what could you do to support your money and your mindset? Is it time for a coach? A mentor? A financial team? A new plan?
Is this a wakeup call or a temporary wave that will come and go? Depends on how you feel. Again, depends on your plan. If it hijacks your mind, it might be time to choose something new.
Maybe there are habits that could replace the complaining and fear? From how you begin your day, to the things you do throughout the day. Who are you investing time with? What would it take to grow your network, deepen your relationships and nurture your soul?
It is this simple:
What things support your best mindset?
Who inspires you in your life?
Proximity is power.
The next time you go to complain about something you can’t control, build the muscle in your mind to change the conversations you are having. Your conversations either build or destroy wealth…well what are you committed to?
Have you been in these situations before? What did you learn? What did you ignore?
What can you learn from the past? If we don’t learn, the lessons repeat, but typically with more consequence and force.
I’ve learned that it is imperative to be clear, have and stick to my plan, and ask: Am I Sloppy or am I A Steward?
Is it a distraction or an opportunity?
The Power of No
Can I be abundant enough to say no? Saying no to the good to reserve the yes for the best. The stock market became a “no”. No control. No cash flow. No leverage (I don’t like the risk of a margin account). No exit strategy. No unique knowledge.
Does the stock market serve you? Does it create abundance or scarcity? If there were no stock market, where would you invest?
You are your greatest asset
Not a stock, bond or piece of real estate. It is your ability to create value.
Your energy matters.
Your life matters.
Not just one day someday, but today.
Wealth is about living in the moment while building the future. A future where your skills grow exponentially. What does it take to create value with your money? With your investments?
Is there any place you haven’t funded in your business? In the development of your skills?
What skills matter the most?
- Risk Mitigation
- Tax Savings
- Asset Protection
- Cash Flow
- Revenue Generation
- Business Acumen
- Coordination and Integration of your Plan
- Having a Plan
- Knowing Your Investor DNA
- Make more money, keep more money, grow your money and grow yourself.
- Emotional Intelligence
- Relationship Building
- Being Present
- Life Design
- Energy Management
- Health
- Time Management
- Love
Become A Value Creator
We live in an amazing time. There is such an abundance that we can grow and store more wealth. More people have access to the basics to live and can think beyond survival. Not everyone, because it depends on your unique life situation, certainly. Some inherit money and others don’t. Some deal with extreme circumstances and health challenges. Everyone has moments where they can tell a victim story. But it is those that learn from it rather than use it as a crutch and excuse.
Victim or Victor… you choose.
If you can handle what is happening, if it doesn’t consume your energy, time, or conversations, great.
If not, this is an invite to change. To create more certainty. To ask new questions. To create a new path moving forward.
You aren’t born a value creator, it is created. With each thought, action, relationship, win and lesson. Are you a steward of your ability? What would it take to create even more value?
It is there for you to forge and find. It is your time.
