Hi Friends, my name is Sunil and I blog at The Extra Money Blog. This post has been LOOONG pending on my to-do list and I am ecstatic to have finally gotten around to it. A brief background on me:
I am of Indian origin, was born in South East Asia and I speak four languages, of which English is the fourth. I moved to America at the age when one starts high school. Needless to say it was a culture shock, and that is the biggest understatement you will read today. I am now a happily naturalized US Citizen.
I went to school at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor where I studied Economics (I know we have a few Wolverine fans in the Yakezie community – GO BLUE!) I then went on to get my Master in Accounting and became a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). My love for personal finance also led me to my Certified Financial Planner (CFP) license which I never officially used. I got it initially with the intention of working as a financial planner.
I have been through both ends of the spectrum in life, terrible experiences which I wouldn’t even wish upon my enemies, as well as pleasant ones that have convinced me that I am extraordinarily blessed. It is my belief that “adversities” in life makes one stronger, not weaker.
Why Do I Blog?
I am involved in several entrepreneurial activities, many of which are Internet based. I am also involved in real estate, investing in equities and I own a small brick and mortar business in my hometown. I have established and sold an e-commerce business for a quarter million dollars, as well as sold two niche websites each for a five figure sale.
Having accomplished everything I wanted to online, I started blogging last year with two intentions. First, to document and share what I have learned from my entrepreneurial experiences and second, to overcome what I feel is an increasingly difficult challenge in today’s online space; to establish an “authority” blog.
I don’t find it challenging to establish niche websites that generate a couple thousand dollars a month on auto pilot. In fact, I have over a dozen of those today across multiple subject matters. I do find it difficult however to establish a “successful” blog because blogging is relatively new to me, and the Internet is more saturated today than ever before, with the early movers biting away the biggest slices of the pie.
Overcoming challenges that I find “fun” and “exciting” is what drives me the most. And what better way to accomplish that than by documenting chronicles of my personal journey while hopefully being of help to others along the way. My blog is therefore my capstone project, one which right now is my least profitable online property, but one which I value the most.
What Do I Blog on the Extra Money Blog About?
I blog about Extra Money, mostly “passive” means of generating money that can allow one to live life a bit more on their own terms rather than someone else’s. Having reliable passive streams of income ensures one can be a bit more flexible, mobile, agile, confident and at ease. If nothing else, to expedite wealth creation or live a “better quality life” now or later, fully understanding the relativity of the phrase.
A simple split test proves there is need for this information. Do you need more money? Maybe yes or maybe no, but do you want more money? Likely. For whatever reason, but likely nonetheless. If your answer is no to either, then I need to know what you know so I can also enjoy Nirvana.
I first started my entrepreneurial endeavors while I was working full time straight out of college with a big four accounting firm. I loved my profession, and I made very good money, but most of it went to Uncle Sam. I soon realized that a “side gig” is the best tax planning tool available to expedite the “road to riches”; at least in America it is. It is how one can get ahead faster and further in life. I talk about this topic extensively on my blog.
Generally, my blog spans across four verticals, personal finance first and foremost, entrepreneurship, blogging and internet marketing. I am a student of personal finance before anything else. I also believe that personalities similar to mine find all four verticals somewhat appealing. Said another way, all four verticals likely appeal to a certain personality type, who is the main audience of the blog.
At the very basic level and at least, one must be fully versed in personal finance to ensure a financially stable life. Those interested in entrepreneurship must first graduate from personal finance school in my opinion. As for blogging and internet marketing, those two are merely forms of entrepreneurship, which are mainly what I am involved with outside of my blog.
The Yah-Kay-Zee
I read several finance books each year, and am subscribed to over 20 finance blogs that I follow religiously. I cannot pinpoint exactly when and where, but I started to notice the Yakezie badge everywhere I turned. My curiosity couldn’t take a back any longer and I poked my nose right into it. Just a bit later I found myself in the Challenge.
The Yakezie is an excellent initiative and in my knowledge one of the biggest yet close knit communities online. In my opinion, it fills a much needed VOID in our society today, one which the biggest of universities continue to fail to address. Shame on them all! And even though not its primary focus, I am very happy to see it reaching out to our youth today in the way it does. Not enough can be said about Sam and team who are making it happen day in day out (Sam – you can pay me for my statement offline).
I am glad to have found the Yakezie, and I hope for nothing but the best for it and its members, many of whom I have gotten to know and developed relationships with. The community has provided a lot of help and guidance whenever I’ve needed it.
Conclusion
I hope I have done justice to my introductory member post on the Yakezie. It’s not an easy task given numerous brilliant introduction posts before me. I attempted to provide a brief background of who I am, why I blog, what I blog about and my thoughts on the Yakezie network.
If you’d like to read more about me and what I am doing, please visit my blog and particularly the “About” section which I have been told is likely the longest About section you will ever see on a blog. This section also happens to be one of my most popular ones in terms of readership comments, so please stop by if you haven’t yet, introduce yourself and say Hi. I respond to every comment and I would love to see you there!
Sunil
Introducing
Always love your stuff Sunil! I can’t wait to have all of the passive income that you do. Oh yeah, and GO BLUE! :)
Most definitely Derek – I see that you are well on your way. $1600-1700 / month is no gimme. Go Blue!
Welcome and yes, Go Blue! It will be exciting to return to true Michigan football this year!
Thanks – you know I am not sure how “true Michigan football” we will witness this season, but I am hoping for an 8-4 season at least!!!!
Welcome Sunil! I have a similar story, but I came to the US to work a Software Developer :)
Shukhriya Tushar – yes I am familiar with your story from your About page. Good to see the progress
Sunil, I’m a big fan and love reading about all your entrepreneurial gigs. I find your stories on running a dry cleaning business just as interesting as niche websites.
Big fan of your website – absolutely love what you are doing there. Your comments mean a lot to me because very few people make the effort to tell me the enjoy discussions on small biz, real estate, etc (even though most may). Majority are interested in blogging and internet marketing related material. Thank you for the comment – more of those will definitely get me pumping out more material on business and entrepreneurship in general
Welcome Sunil! I didn’t know that you are a charterholder! I am studying for CFA level 1 right now and sitting for the exam in December. I also agree that the US awards those who decide to start a business with some pretty nice tax breaks that help on the road to retirement. Glad to have you as a member!
You are dead on my friend. Starting a side business is the single best tax planning strategy in the USA. I have yet to hear a better / more credible counter but would love to in case I am missing something. Good luck with Level 1, I found it the easiest of the three.
Congrats and welcome. I look forward to reading your articles.
Thank you Doc – love the title
So THAT is how you pronounce Yakezie, huh? I have been wondering (Yake-zie… yah-kay-zie…?). Your entrepreneurial projects always interest me. Reading about them has been one of my favorite parts of reading your writing. I am always impressed with what you have accomplished.
Indeed is. I read that on one of Sam’s posts. I share the love for Japan with him. Thank you for your kind comment. Do let me know if there is/are particular types of entrepreneurial endeavors that specifically interest you so I can produce more relevant content for you.
Welcome Sunil. 4 languages is incredible! I only speak 2 and I suck at both.
You are candidly funny Charles. I wished I spoke 2 more – Mandarin and Cantonese!!!!
Welcome to the team Sunil! I’ve been a fan of your blog for quite some time now. Keep up the good work!
Thanks Jon – please let me know if I can provide more specific content with regard to a specific topic
Always loved your stuff Sunil! I didn’t know you had CFA, CPA AND CFP. I want to be you when I grow up :)
Even I didn’t know Suba until I wrote this post lol! Haven’t used all those letters in a while. The CFP cuts you some slack by allowing you to skip certain parts if you have the other two designations – at least back then.
Sunil,
I have loved your site when I first discovered it…it reads so authentic! I can’t believe English is your 4th language what are the other 3? are they all Indian dialects?
Thank you Sir – your Journey is quite impressive as well. Hindi, Tagalog, Spanish . . . couple other Indian dialects which from an educational perspective are considered full languages in their own.
Wow you sound like you are doing amazingly well off the wonderful internet :).
Forest, the Internet has allowed me to completely transform my life. We are lucky to be alive in this time where we can leverage the internet to possibilities beyond what we/anyone can even imagine.
I always enjoy reading your blog! Make sure to shoot me an email next time you are in Novi… Havent gotten a chance to meet any Yakezie in person yet!
Thanks Justin – will do that. Should be back in MI quite a bit this fall for Football.
Big fan of MU and Economics, so we have a lot in common! I am glad that you are a part of the network, as I love your writing and your willingness to help others.
Feelings are mutual Sir. I enjoy the sound content you publish at KNS. Please keep up the good stuff.
Welcome Sunil! Love your site!
Thank you Sir
Sunil, I’ve always enjoyed your blog. I downloaded your free e-book and was reading it on the train when I found someone reading it over my shoulder. I passed it along with blessings to him. Is there a commission coming my way. ;-)
haha that is funny Sandy. what are the chances – thank you for the gesture. no commission sadly, but if and when I release a paid ebook I will send a copy your way!
Sunil, I always enjoy your blog posts and you’ve done a great job with your niche sites (love the one on bamboo care) as well. What I like most about your writing is that you speak from experience instead of just untested theory. Keep up the good work!
Thank you Mike. Speaking of the Bamboo site, it is now on spot #1 on Google for my target phrase!!! I will start working on a post detailing how I did it.
Welcome Sunil. Thanks for sharing your story. I too have come across your blog and love reading the different niches you write about. I too, like Mike, like how you share your personal experience. I love hearing what has actually worked for people. I find it inspiring. Best of luck with everything in the future.
Glad to be of help. Please let me know if there are areas / topics you’d like to see more coverage on.
Love your blog Sunil. I agree with your comment that there’s a big void in the public education system that needs to be filled. Nice to have so many good blogs in this network to help fill that void.
Agreed Matt – there are countless blogs and websites on pretty much any topic. The Internet has made it possible for individual contributors to fill in the void.
Hey Sunil, cool member post. Two parts stuck out. Your blog about your journey which makes the least is your most valuable. Deep. Second, your line about wanting to enjoy that Nirvana if your answer is no to both. I had to laugh. Your blog is entertaining and a great resource at the same time. Deadly combo if you ask me. Hope I get there one day!
Read deep man! Your comment has got me smiling – each one of us is at a different level, and we all contribute in that we have something to offer that others need. Audiences may be different, but we are all contributing indeed
Nice post Sunil. Nice to meet you. I like how you said you must know PF above all else. I agree…. having an understanding of finance is essential to have a successful business.
Definitely is the backbone one needs to hold the weight a business and similar endeavors bring with them
Welcome, Sunil! Congrats on your internet marketing success.That’s not easy to pull off. Looking forward to getting to know you better on Yakezie.
Likewise Julie. I like the angle you approach your blogging from
Sunil, I’ve followed you for a long time. You have an excellent niche and do a great job with it. I don’t know how you keep up with your multiple activities. BTW, great command of English for language 4. I only with my 2nd language, Spanish, was as solid as your English!
Thank you Barb. I am able to keep up with all of them because I started early. The parlay effect makes it seem a lot, but once on auto pilot, very little maintenance is required on an ongoing basis.
Impressive Sunil! I love that you know 4 languages. I’ve always loved learning vocab and phrases in foreign languages. Nice job on all your licenses too! -Sydney
Thanks Sydney. Have you tried Rosetta Stone? Wonder if it works and how well. I have heard good things though, especially if you just wanted to pick up casual phrases.
Nice member post, Sunil. You have a wealth of experience online that can really resonate with people here, and an interesting blog. Our backgrounds are similar in that I too passed the CPA exam, and actually considered the CFA. I ended up getting an MBA instead.
By the way, I like your use of Spongebob…better than Mr. Krabs I suppose (yeah, I have young kids so I know this stuff).
Thanks. So why didn’t you pursue the CFA further? In retro – was the MBA a better decision? I love Spongebob. Squigward would’ve been my second choice. Mr. Krabs is just a weird dude.
I ended up moving away from a career direction that required a CFA. An MBA was a better fit, so I went full time for it.
Funny how MBAs and CFAs are talking about Spongebob characters:) With my daughter, I’ve learned those characters. Mr. Krabs could put any frugal personal finance blogger to shame:)
Good decision. Lol you know what’s funnier? I saw Spongebob and Elmo in New York City and took a picture with them. I couldn’t find them in LA walk of fame however….
Welcome Sunil!
Thank you!
Congrats on a great blog Sunil
Thanks John – it’s the readership that makes it great
I am a silent reader of your blog Sunil, love your content and always look forward to your next post!
Certainly appreciate that. Please let me know how I can make the experience better.
Truly inspirational Sunil!
Thanks MC
I traversed the same path as you did Sunil. Congrats on your achievements so far. Continue to do wonder.
Thanks OCAAT – I’ve always loved your Gravatar. Best wishes to you as well
Welcome to the Yakezie, Sunil! I’d like to know more on how the CPA and CFA helped you in your career and where that path has taken you.
Thank you. Funny – my post today is actually about how I made six figures in six years out of college doing nothing I think is out of the ordinary. My About Me section further talks about the evolution up to that and subsequently since reaching it.
Sunil, sorry to be so late to comment. Welcome to the Yakezie and I really enjoy your site. My goal is to create passive income to supplement other retirement income and your site helps me move forward.
Kay Lynn, thank you. That was exactly my goal too when I first started. Then I realized that what I was doing was too lucrative to not spend more time doing. Let me know if you’d like certain topics covered in more detail. I’d be happy to talk about my experiences with it.
Sunil,
I downloaded your ebook and was thrilled to find out that I was on the right track. It is a very useful resource. Great to learn more about you.