Hey there!

I wish you could have attended last night’s dinner in Denver. I legit met 2-3 people who have the potential to change my life. The coolest part was with the help of LinkedIn, we got over 30 founders to come mingle with just a week’s notice.

If you’re not building on LinkedIn, you’re messing up.

If you are and you’re not following me, you’re messing up even more. Follow me here.

Before we get into this week’s newsletter I wanted to invite you to an event that I’m attending that you should 100% check out. I’m really shocked it’s free, but it’s called The Creative Strategy Summit and it’s hosted by Motion.

Its a free, virtual event is packed with epic sessions covering tactical execution and future-focused trends in DTC advertising. Legit just in time for Black Friday.

Check out the details and get your free ticket here 👀

Here’s just a sneak peek of the speaker line-up: 

• Connor MacDonald, CMO @ Ridge

• Connor Rolain, Head of Growth Marketing @ HexClad

• Sarah Levinger, Paid Creative Consultant

• Savannah Sanchez, Founder @ The Social Savannah

It’s got TWO content-packed tracks. 15+ marketing mega-minds.

Every speaker has real clout. 

They’ve all managed tens of millions of dollars in ad spend, turned unknown DTC brands into household names, and they’re joining forces to teach you everything! 

Sneak peek of some sessions include: 👇

1️⃣ BFCM planning & 2025 big bets

2️⃣ The anatomy of the perfect ad (and how to make them)

3️⃣ Using AI to 10x your creative strategy

4️⃣ A day in the life of a creative strategist

5️⃣ Mastering long-form video & high production ads

Get Your Free Ticket 💜

Can’t make every session? No stress. Register anyways. You’ll get recordings, calendar invites, and tons more!

Building the American Dream

Regardless if you tuned into the debate last night and where you sit on that side of the fence, there’s never been a better time to be an entrepreneur and to build your dream life. 2024 is legit shaping up to be a record-breaking year for wealth creation.

Over 1.7 million people have joined the “two comma club” by becoming millionaires this year. Believe it or not, legit anybody could get to this level with the right level of discipline, execution, and the network you build. As more and more members join the Founders Club its so cool to meet other entrepreneurs who have created wealth by doing things off of Shopify and making REAL MONEY in the craziest ways.

As my life starts to become more complicated and diversified (pilates studio, Founders Club, CROSSNET, newsletter, mentorship, etc.) I figured I’d go a different direction in this week’s newsletter and break down some of my favorite ways to “make it” in 2024 - and how you can too.

Also as of about 15 minutes ago, I just got an offer accepted on a beautiful duplex in St. Pete, Florida which will officially make me a landlord!

So let’s get into it 🙂 

1. Entrepreneurship

Starting your own business has never been easier — or faster — thanks to online tools and platforms that let you launch with little overhead. You’re not getting any younger so if you’re reading this and thinking damn I should finally start that business… well yes, it’s about time.

Whether it’s an e-commerce store, a digital marketing agency, or a subscription-based service, entrepreneurship is still the quickest way to grow wealth.

Think about it: when you run your own business, there’s no ceiling on your income. You're not stuck trading hours for dollars. You control how far you go, and in 2024, businesses that start small can scale up quickly with the right strategy.

The best advice I can give anyone looking to go this route: just get started. Find a niche, launch a business, and focus on scaling fast once you get traction. Fail early when the risk is low, and apply the lessons you learn to grow quickly. Also, do everything you can to network and learn from other people’s mistakes - part of the motivation of creating the Founders Club.

2. Real Estate

This is an avenue I’ve just started exploring myself, and I’m already seeing huge potential. Real estate is one of the oldest ways to build wealth, and in 2024, it’s as reliable as ever.

People are making serious money through rental properties, house flipping, or even commercial real estate. Whether you're holding properties for long-term growth or looking to cash in quickly, there’s no shortage of opportunities. Once the deal is locked up, I’ll share with you guys the listing but essentially my mortgage will be $2500/month and the property has a history of renting for $6000/month on AirBNB. Obviously I need to get a property manager and be hands off, but the juice is worth the squeeze.

Why real estate? Well, property values tend to rise over time, and in the meantime, you’re getting cash flow from rent. Plus, real estate offers a kind of leverage most other investments don’t: you can control a huge asset with a relatively small investment upfront.

If you’re thinking about real estate, start small. Buy a rental property, manage it well, and then reinvest your profits to grow your portfolio. And if you’ve already got a home, you’re ahead of the game — think about using the equity to fund your first investment property.

3. The Stock Market

The stock market is still one of the easiest ways to build wealth over time. You don’t need to be a day trader to make serious money here — long-term investing is where it’s at. Consistency is key. Make regular investments, let compound interest do its thing, and watch your money grow over time. My personal goal here is to invest enough monthly that I’ll be making five figures a month on just the dividends from the market. The peace of mind of being able to take care of my family on auto-pilot will be a freedom I could not even imagine.

In 2024, ETFs (exchange-traded funds) are becoming the go-to for a lot of smart investors. They spread your risk across multiple stocks, so you’re less vulnerable to the ups and downs of any single company. This makes it easier to build a balanced portfolio that grows steadily.

If you’re new to the stock market, start by setting up an automated investment plan. Put money into an ETF or index fund each month and let it grow. The longer you’re in the game, the more compound interest works in your favor.

4. Tech Startups & Angel Investing

With the explosion of AI in 2024, the tech world is full of potential we haven’t seen since the invention of the internet. Whether you’re founding a startup or investing in one, this is where some of the biggest wealth opportunities lie.

Companies in AI, SaaS, and fintech are making waves, and early-stage investors are seeing some insane returns. Sure, it’s risky. But when you hit, you hit big. It ultimately comes down to WHO DO YOU KNOW and can you get in early on these rounds?

Plenty of millionaires are being made through angel investing — getting in early on a promising startup can lead to 10x or even 100x returns. And for founders, building the next disruptive app or platform can lead to a huge exit.

5. Crypto & Blockchain

Look, I’m not a Crypto bro looking to push the latest meme coin on, but this newsletter is about how people have become millionaires this year, and Crypto has earned its spot on the list.

While the market’s as volatile as ever, the upside is undeniable. Bitcoin and Ethereum continue to dominate, but new blockchain innovations are opening up fresh opportunities every day.

The early adopters are already sitting on huge gains, but the space is still evolving. Blockchain technology is being integrated into everything from finance to entertainment, and crypto isn’t going anywhere. As AI continues to spread its roots, don’t be surprised if you start seeing Crypto become more mainstream.

If you’re willing to take the risk, there’s serious money to be made. I have about 5% of my wealth in the crypto market. Some days I feel amazing about it, some days I want to just pull it out and move it into something safe.

6. Content Creation & Influencer Marketing

In 2024, building wealth isn’t just about traditional businesses. Content creators and influencers are raking it in by leveraging social media platforms to build their brands, sell products, and land lucrative partnerships. Lets be real, I make a pretty penny writing this newsletter and I’d be lying if I said that wasn’t part of my motivation for coming back to my keyboard each and every week.

If you’ve got a passion or skill to share, platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram (or even newsletters — go figure) can turn that into real money. The key is to build an engaged audience, monetize through brand deals, ad revenue, or digital products, and keep scaling.

Pro tip: Don’t monetize too early. It took me over a year of writing before I took a single dollar. Build a loyal following first!

The best part? You don’t need millions of followers to get started. Build a small niche community that cares and watch the magic happen. Micro influencers ftw. 

7. Franchising

If entrepreneurship is too much of a grind for you, franchising is a great way to own a business without starting from scratch. You’re buying into a proven model, which means less risk and quicker returns. My wife is convinced we’ll become multi-millionaires by opening up this froyo franchise that she loves in Miami Beach.

In 2024, the most profitable franchises are in sectors like fitness, food and beverage, and home services.

Owning a franchise gives you the benefit of a recognized brand, a built-in customer base, and operational support. You’re essentially running a small business, but with a lot of the hard work already done for you.

If you’re considering franchising, research industries with steady demand and choose a brand with a solid track record. It’s a lower-risk way to get into business ownership while still having plenty of room for growth.

Onward & Upward

Regardless of what path you take, the grass will always be greener. The most important thing is to understand your why. What makes you happy? How do you want to spend your 24 hours? How much money do you actually need to be the best version of you?

Currently, that means slinging volleyball nets, building the world’s great entrepreneurship community and dipping my toes into the real estate market while my wife builds a pilates empire.

No matter what route you take to the top, you’ll have to learn one of the most fundamental truths of building success: time is money.

Want to learn more about any of these seven avenues?

We’re throwing a few virtual events with financial advisors, super successful entrepreneurs, and Black Friday planning sessions within The Founders Club throughout the rest of September & October.

Normally these are 100% private, but we are going to be opening a few of these sessions to the public and I’d love to have you. Simply just apply to join the club here and you’ll get hooked up with the invite.

Talk soon,

Chris