Welcome to The Growth-Focused Guy!
Hi, I’m Gio. I was born in the States and raised on the small island of Haiti, so yes, I speak both French and Haitian Creole—please forgive any expressions that may come through in my writing. I returned to the States for college and have been living in New York ever since.
I currently reside in the Capital District, NY, with my wife and our two greatest joys and prides.
A quick disclaimer: I am not a financial advisor; all content is for informational purposes only.
Purpose of This Blog
I’m here to document the steps I’m taking to achieve my goal of financial independence. You’ll see the tools I use, my portfolio, and the good and bad decisions that will serve as lessons along the way.
This site is dedicated to:
- Documenting my journey
- Investing in the stock market
- Earning from side hustles
- Learning new skills
- DYI projects
Corporate World
When I first entered the corporate world, four years after graduating, I had no idea what a 401(k) was. All I knew from a brief explanation was that it was a retirement savings plan, but that wasn’t enough to help me figure out how much I should contribute without going overboard.
Opinions varied depending on who I asked—some people weren’t too concerned with the plan, while others suggested contributing only up to the employer’s match to keep extra cash on hand. I decided to follow that advice and contribute just enough to get the employer’s match.
After a few months, I turned to my favorite financial advisor—my mom—to get her take. She advised me to max out my contributions since I was still living at home and didn’t have any major responsibilities.
It turned out to be the first and best financial decision I ever made. It taught me the value of living with less and embracing a simpler lifestyle.
Now a Family Man
I married the love of my life in 2007. For the first few years, we lived in my parents’ basement to save money while she finished college and worked part-time. With two incomes and no debt, we managed to save $10,000 in just two years. We would choose a country to visit or plan a road trip every year. In 2009, we welcomed our first child, a daughter.
In 2010, we decided to celebrate her first birthday with a trip to Haiti, where we both still had close family. Our budget for the trip was modest—around $500 for two weeks—since we only needed to cover our plane tickets. Our family took care of everything else.
Unfortunately, the day before her birthday, the country was struck by a devastating 7.0-magnitude earthquake.
The Wake Up Call
In 2011, exactly a year after the earthquake and just a day before my daughter’s second birthday, I was fired from what I thought was my dream job. This experience was a turning point for me—it was the last time I ever took a nine-to-five job seriously. I realized that working solely for someone else wasn’t the way to live.
Losing that job highlighted the importance of investing in myself and having side hustles. When all we had to rely on were our savings, and they weren’t enough, it became clear that we needed multiple streams of income.
In 2015, while we were in the process of moving from the city to the countryside, we welcomed our second child, a son.
Fast forward to the present: by the end of 2019, I knew I no longer wanted to live paycheck to paycheck. I’m not typically one to make New Year’s resolutions, but this time was different. In January 2020, I decided to return to some of my old habits, create a solid investment strategy, start new side hustles, and stay committed to my goals.
LET’S KEEP IN TOUCH
I enjoy discussing anything related to growth while still living within my means. If that resonates with you, feel free to connect with me! Drop a “hi” emoji on Twitter, Instagram, or send me an email at tgfg [at] thegrowthfocusedguy.com.