Tell us your story

I'm an apprentice tradesman in Alberta. Went to arts school for the wrong reasons and had to move on. Worked retail for a while until I figured out how the world works somewhat. Had a dysfunctional abusive childhood.

Success is so relative in an easy credit environment. I make a decent wage and don't carry debt. Looking to start investing but my currency sucks and markets appear bearish

I'm a technical test analyst in Melbourne, Australia. I studied a BSc (Astrophysics), worked a desktop support job for a year or two part time while teaching myself development. I eventually decided I wanted to get into dev, saw an opportunity in testing (which often leads to development) and jumped on it.

I consider myself reasonably successful since my promotion recently. I'm warning $80k while some of my friends from uni are still working part time or unemployed. I've also got travel opportunities in my work and I've always wanted that.

I'm basically a NEET, depressed unemployed university dropout taking one class at a local community college. Still living in the dysfunctional household I grew up in. Most of my friends from high school are either dead or addicted to heroin, close relative killed himself a year ago on my birthday.

Don't care anymore about becoming successful by anyone's standards but my own. All I want is to finish school and make enough money to buy a modest home, live a modest life with what peace of mind I have left.

>>1074738
fuck anon youre breakin my heart man. hang in there anon, i was where you were years ago except i was fuckin with drugs (not as hard as heroin) but cleaned up and got my shit together. took years but better late than never.

Im a operations analyst for a collection company making way less than i should but its my first job out of school so i need the experience. just outside toronto (canada, just in case you dont know where that is but i assume you would). majored in finance and specialized in statistical analysis and modeling so skills were easily transferable into collections industry, Not successful yet but on my way there compared to 5 or 6 years ago when i was a fuckin mess. still am now but much less so.

I'm a barista at a cafe that sells Starbucks products (but not actually is a Starbucks, Starbucks just gave us a licence to sell their shit and we're restricted on customization of Frappuccinos because Starbucks is pretty strict). Barely make above minimum wage.

Currently attending community college, too poor to go to a four year college (and didn't get any worthwhile scholarships) and honestly, I'm a terrible student, so I figured CC might be a good way to get me in a mindset of proper studying, which did help. I maintain a decent GPA (3.5 last I checked), but I have to study my ass off constantly, even if the class is supposed to be easy. I honestly am pretty dumb, I only maintain good grades because I constantly study and practice, but everyone else seems to do it without a issue or with little studying.


My plans for the future is hopefully get a decent job and save up even more money and get into more serious stock trading (already have a few stocks now, but nothing big) and hopefully one day earn enough from dividends to live a comfortable life. I don't really have a interest in marriage or a family, since it seems every family I knew including my own broke apart and nearly every married couple I personally know got divorced. Rather just earn enough to live off a decent apartment and do things I want to do in my free time.

>>1074765
Thanks man. It's not as bad as it sounds and I'm slowly pulling myself out of it. Never did heroin either (thank god, would probably be dead) but I've lost too many friends to that shit. Idk how it is where you're at, but it's basically the go to hard drug where I live (Seattle area).

Congratulations on rising above your own shit btw, it's a continuous process than many people never bother to start.

>>1074738
>make enough money to buy a modest home, live a modest life

Unfortunately that will require making about 100k a year these days, assuming you don't mind living in a fly-over state. Basically, shoot for the stars and you might be able to afford a 2nd story apartment.

I flip burgers at my private college's kitchen to pay off the $50 school bill I have each term after my generous financial aid package+free tuition because family is a director at the institution. Got an internship lined up at one of the top ten financial HQ's in the nation a town over. Studying Econ/Physics and preparing for LSAT next year.

>i hate my life and just want to raise cattle

>>1074546
I'm a professional NEET. One of the best in my region. I have 5 years of experience, and it's my family's tradition.

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>>1074546
>What do you do for a living, /biz/?
Aerospace F&DT engineer

>Tell more about your career
Basically, my team and I take a design for a commercial jet, figure out which parts are going to break when (based on stress levels experienced throughout different flight missions, temperature differences, etc) to make sure that the inspection intervals and overall life of the aircraft meets our goals. We make any changes that are necessary, and then certify it with the FAA.

>how did you get there
Good question. It's my first full time job out of college, and prior to getting hired, I spent a year looking for work with no reasonable offers at all. Eventually I applied for part time work while doing a Master's, and told them in the interview that I want to work full time. Typically, a Master's and several years of experience is required, and my paycheck shows it, so I guess I got lucky, though my GPA, extracurriculars, and extra classes helped as well, I"m sure.

>Do you consider yourself succesful?
I'm somehow even sadder and lonelier than I was in school, but at least now I have money. I'll consider myself successful once I have money AND friends.

>>1074546
I used to own a company that produces tea/coffee and sells it B2B to vendors, usually hipstery coffee shops, fast casual restaurants, and local grocery/food coops. I am closing the sale of my business for 100k and walking away with 70k. Considering the debt burden I had and the fact that our revenue flatlined in the last month I consider myself very lucky to be getting out.

I got to my career by a weird path. I went to college for art history, interned at a museum, saw a cafe in the museum making tea and thought it was cool so I got autistically obsessed with tea and wanted to do that for a living.

As for am I successful? Its a work in process yea I consider myself successful because I am living the type of life I want to live. It requires a lot of stress and work though so I am thinking of trying to find my own success in a stable career that pays a salary that is fair for 40 hours a week, I'll be happy making 50k desu.

>Did well in college.
>Get accepted onto a nice grad scheme.
>Law (not jewfag).
>Work on corporate deals worth multimillions.
> Actually hate my life and counting down the days until I can quit and go and live in the mountains somewhere.

commercial realtor. began in college with residential and then moved to commercial. i am far from successful and there are many weeks i dont make a dime. but when i do its amazing.

>found another job at a finance firm in logistics and will be starting march 1

>>1074546
I'm a Business Intelligence Analyst working for a gaming company. It's been pretty sweet so far and low stress, but I only started working for them recently.

My Story:
>2004. Got a Bachelor's in Physics and Math from a no-name school at 15, went to a top 10 program for gradschool. Completely fuck it up, not disciplined enough. Get married too early. Have a kid too early. Fall into a deep depression.
>Drop out of gradschool with less than a year of work left to get to a PhD thesis. Gain 70 lbs.
>2014: see a shrink. Manage to pull myself together a bit. Get a job as a Analytics Analyst at a big IT Consulting firm. Do that for a couple years. Leave for my present job where they pay me 50% more.

It's hard to say if I'd consider myself a success or not. I think I've turned it around in the last couple years, but I'm not sure if I can say I lived up to my potential.

>>1075105
Your life sounds similar to mine only I fucked up earlier
Could not handle the emotional stress of being 14 in college. Now I'm pretty confident, but being 14 in college with people sniggering and calling you Doogie and having no friends was...rough.

I'm 32 years old and have almost no savings, married, no real estate, have an MD, a PhD and lots of student debt. And I'm very lazy for someone with my credentials (that's why I have no savings).

>>1075159
It sounds rough from the point of view of a teenager but surely "not having friends in college" is far from the worst scenario when looking at the bigger picture.

Graduated HS in 2002, 2 years community college, 2 years state college w/ econ degree.

Internship at insurance company in HS, internship with financial institution in college. Graduated college w/ 3.0 (read: shit degree from shit college with pretty shit GPS). Got a shit entry job position at massive financial/custodial bank in California (not bay area) starting at 35k. Worked there 8 years promoted a few times current Assistant Vice President (shit middle management) only making 85k/yr at 31 years old. Absolutely don't consider myself successful, incredibly stressed, hate bosses, weight of the world on my shoulders on a daily basis at work.

Too lazy to study up for level 2 CFA, plan to move to Thailand and enjoy life until savings runs out and then kill myself.

I work as a locomotive engineer for a Canadian class I railroad. I hired on straight out of highschool as a conductor. I make about 100k CAD a year, have no debts, and have a house that's fully paid off. I love my job, but the lack of a concrete schedule is hard sometimes. I'm halfway through a b.sc in math through distance and night classes at the local university , which my employer has paid for.

My parents both went to university and hate that I work a low prestige job. My friends that went to university all seem to be way worse off than i thought they'd be. Even the one that graduated as the top ranked student at the college in chem eng had to settle for an EIT position with a salary just over half of mine. I'm really only going to school as something to fill my free time and as a fallback if things ever go sideways

Thanks for reading my blog

>>1075405
I know a few conductors and while they make a lot of money they suffer hard from depression. Wives leave them since they are always working, they get lonely, they get ptsd from running over idiots who play on the tracks. Much tougher life than most feel.

I work in mobile app marketing for a small company in which I have 10% equity.

We pull about $50 000 a month so we're doing OK. I'm the biggest earner and my job mostly involves finding campaigns, setting them up on a variety of traffic sources, monitoring their stats and optimising accordingly.

I do a fair amount of traveling. Going to Barcelona for the Media World Conference in the next couple of weeks for example.

Its quite a stressful industry cause no one really knows what the fuck is going on. Kinda like the stock market. One day I'll make 3k in a day, the next I'll barely break 1k and there's very little rhyme or reason behind it.

I also have to be a sneaky fuck a lot of the time. I find myself questioning my ethics regularly and often wake up in a panic. I spend a lot of time placating/bullshitting clients.

I feel like the floor could fall out underneath me at any moment. It probably won't but that attitude keeps me sharp and efficient.

The big plus is that I work from home with my friends, manage my own time and make enough money to live life on my own terms. I pull about $6000 a month on average.

>>1075414

Yeah, its really hard for the guys that have kids. For me, sitting in a hotel sleeping or playing vidya and still collecting pay for a minimum day and getting free meals is awesome. But for guys with families, they'd rather head straight back to hang with their kids.

At least at my terminal, being away for more than 24 hours is rare, which is nice.

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I'm an algo trader. Built my own platform, started a firm and sold a chunk of it for trading funds.

I don't consider myself successful yet because of how difficult it's been to maintain profitability since QE3 ended, but I'm almost there.

>>1075418
Nobody will argue it here, but ethics are important. Earning 10% more than you would by being ethical isn't worth sleepless nights and a whole life racked with guilt. The fact that you're questioning tour ethics means you aren't a sociopath or psychopath. Do yourself a favor and get a job where you don't have to make unethical decisions for a small commission.

>>1075695

Not the anon you quoted but how can you advice him to get away from his own bizz?

I'd kill for a company like the one he has. Especially now that my gf is expecting a baby.

>>1075418
How'd you get that job?

>>1074546
Starting med school in the fall. Basically I am going into a terrifying amount of debt to suffer for ~4 years.

Pretty hyped about it actually.

>>1075645
Lol. I'm yet to see a profitable commercial algorithm. Why would anyone sell a winner lottery ticket? Why would anyone sell money?

I grew up in borderline poverty in the UK living with my grandparents who survived off a state pension. At 17 I got a rich girlfriend and saw what it's like to be rich.
At 18 I started to learn about personal development and wealth creation.
I worked part time jobs from 17 - 23 whilst in college and university. I also attended seminars and read everything I could on wealth creation / personal development.
23 graduated with a first and got my first job in a grad scheme.
At 23 I inhereted my first property. It is now rented and generating passive income.
At 23 I joined a pension scheme and invest 30% of my income in to different investment products.
At 24 I got my internal promotion and a 33% pay rise to management. I bought my 2nd investment property the same year which is now fully tenanted.
I'm now 25, have a good job, still invest 30% of my income and have 2 properties.
I'm frugal as fuck because of my upbringing and massively in to personal development.

Got scammed to an art school by my high school self. Now my ex-classmates got their career started (mostly) while I'm stuck at a tourist attraction making barely min wage and gambling. I'm going to start investing and quit gambling once my career gets rolling but in the meantime I got a debt to pay off, depression to fight and find a way to quit wasting my time. I fucking wish I went to /biz/ earlier but I "followed my dreams" and became a bigger sack of shit than before.

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>>1074546
>18
>Freshman in college
>undecided major, grinding out my gen
>Scared shitless on picking the "right" major
>Scared shitless about what's going to happen to me when I graduate
>All I'll have is a degree, know 3 languages, and maybe I'll know java.
Is it really that bad /biz/?

>>1077970
You only invest 30% but call yourself frugal?
Top kek. Frugal is investing 50-75% of your income bud.

>>1074546

I am a mechanical engineer at a petrochemical facility. I like to think that I am successful given my degree that I chose to pursue and the time I graduated. I graduated in 2008 during the financial crisis. I picked where I worked based on whether I thought the company would still exist in 2 years. I also bet on the fracking boom and moved around to take advantage of talent poaching. I am now in a very desirable company making around $140k-$160k before I hit 30. I know I make more than most of my peers, but I am very good at what I do and know how to work with people.

I am frugal with my money and very paranoid about losing it. My parents were close to broke at one point in my childhood so I never wanted to relive that experience. I make sure to not only save my money but spread it out to avoid risk. I do not have expensive tastes. I still like I don't make enough though. I always want to do more.

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>>1074546

Went to a big state school, decided to study Hospitality Management (part of the business school) because it was easy and filled with girls. Had so much fucking fun in college and miss it every day.

After I got out, I realized quickly how fuck-awful the hospitality industry is, and how little the salaries are.

I got extremely lucky after a year, and my buddy told me about a phone rep gig with a major financial firm. Im good at interviewing, and got the job. Got my Series 7 and 63 license. After about 2 years, I moved to another giant firm, got my Series 66 and am currently advising.

I consider myself pretty successful for only being 25 years old. I should be making 6 figs by 27 so I feel like I am definitely on the right path.

>>1074546
Grew up on welfare. Abusive Parents. Immediate family, besides grandma, thought I was shit, sorta black sheep. Did shitty in high school, a little better in community college. Went to a university and graduated with a criminology degree. Didn't know what to do, So, I went to the Marine corp to fly planes.

Currently in flight school almost done, make a middle class salary, and for me that feels pretty successful. My family treats me like they always knew I was so smart, and they are sorta smitten by me now, but I still hate them, except my grandma. I'll always love my grandma. Now, that I have money. I would like to invest it in real estate. I have it invested in stock with some success, but I really want to develop a portfolio of passive income properties.

>>1078298
>Had so much fucking fun in college and miss it every day.
what did you do

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>>1075405

>>1078298
>>1078395

Same. I miss college.

Alcohol, drugs and women. Occasionally I studied.

>>1074546
Just buy/sell stocks and own a local storage company with a franchise a few cities over. Mostly just sit on my ass doing nothing tbqh.

>>1077970
I want to get into real estate. Do mind expanding on how you got into? what seemed like good value buys to you? what did you look for in location?

>>1074853
I was in a bad spot like you once a few years ago. except i did heroin and got clean so all my friends still did heroin and alot died. or they went to prison, or moved to a completly different state. my brother died from heroin a couple years ago. ever since then i guess nothing really mattered except securing my future. I work construction for my day job and a property manager for a few properties. I take one class a semester at community college. feels like im going no where but when i look back i see how much ive come.

29
Entrepreneur
Making decent money, sucks at saving because I want the company to keep the money (I have about $10k on my bank account, that sucks I know).
Trying to figure out what I want to do next. I'm in a rut.

Just broke out of NEETdom last week. I dropped out of uni because it was too much pressure while poor and on my own. I worked D2D sales for a little while after dropping out but I had to quit for reasons.

I just got a job in telemarketing sales. The first week has been hard, but I'll get there. I'm thinking of saving up so I can do a diploma for a financial sales field. Then I could start earning an above median wage.

I don't expect much from life. I was raised by a single mum and grew up extremely poor in a lot of dysfunction. I'm happy just to live a comfy life with a nice house and a good relationship. That said, I'm going to strive for the best possible life. I don't care if it takes until I'm 40 (I'm 22 now), I want to be an example of "success".

>>1078434

It's hard to give all inclusive advice on real estate. What I would say is that you ought to learn about all the different types of properties you can buy.
Single let houses/ flats
Student lets
Professional hmos
Housing benefit hmos
Condos
Commercial
Rent to rent
Etc

Learn about each type and know the following info:
Market prices
Available strategies
How to finance them
Available exit strategies
How to manage them

Once you understand your market, how you're going to make your business run and work out the systems you need to just take action on the type of property that suits the above.
Always aim for an ROI of around 20% because that will cusion any market changes.
In terms of location, no more than half a mile from a train station.
My target market is high quality professional hmos so I make sure my properties are a high standard finish but I get the opportunity to charge premium rents

>>1074546
I sell dildos
This year i made €37'850 after tax (taxes are high as hell, I live in Italy)

>>1078100

I invest 30% in to the stock market, I invest a further 30% into my property business. Thus meaning I live of 40% of my income.
Don't judge bro - everyone on here has such a tight ass... jeeze.

>>1074546
I was more than smart enough to have been a straight A student in high school but much to the dismay of my teachers I totally squandered all of that. I wound up with few options afterwards and went to community college for about a year before I realized it just wasn't for me, at least not then...

Joined the Navy in 2012, wound up working with electronics and networking, and I also got amazing orders that let me work directly with the SEALs. My job is by no means easy, but we get to do a lot of cool stuff and I've seen a respectable number of countries. I have few expenses right now and I'm just trying to save as much money as possible.

I think I'm successful for being a 23 year old, who is considered to be responsible enough and have enough professional and technical knowledge to do my job largely unsupervised half the time. For being debt free and not having a kid or anything I make GREAT money.

But I know there's more out there for me to do, I plan on using the GI Bill when I get out in tow years and starting down another path. Not sure what I want that to be yet

>>1075246
depends man, I thought I was doing fine until i was out running listening to a podcast about tax law and I just broke down. Sobbing, hyperventilating, shaking and all that shit. The "bigger picture" idea is great until the you feel the weight of that picture.

Didn't let it fuck me though, still in uni working as a barristers assistant earning $45k a year. Still no friends or gf, but money and apartment is very /comfy/ for a 23 year old.

>>1078057
Go Computer Engineering for best results. Just study alot.

I'm a COBOL programmer in Texas. I studied Comp Sci in college and landed my first job with a major finance company, where I still work. I've been there almost five years now and I consider myself moderately successful.

I make a good wage and have no debt, but my luck with investing has been pretty bad. I feel like being successful in life isn't terribly hard as long as you follow the rules, do what you're supposed to, and try to make yourself a desirable person to work with and be around. Work fast, be friendly, and do a good job are the basic tenets of the easy life.

That said my work is mind-numbingly dull and I frequently fantasize about doing something stupid and exciting like quitting to open a food truck or an arcade. I know full well that working for yourself is the only way to make a huge fortune, but the odds are strong that you'll just wash out and be a broke nothing instead. It feels good that I'm living so comfortably compared to many people I know who do risky and/or stupid things with their money.

My job prospects are good. I might not be doing COBOL development forever (or even much longer as I'm slowly moving towards management roles) but the business I'm in is alive and growing and if they were to suddenly go under my skills would easily get me another job anywhere else.

I'm a 30 year-old hydrologist who makes good money and lives comfortably.

That said, I still hate my home, my friends, my job, and basically everyone I'm around on a daily basis. I don't even know where the fuck it stems from. Surely everyone else isn't the problem; it's clearly me. But that doesn't make it any better and I don't know how to fix it.