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Justin Donald

FounderLifestyle Investor

Austin, TX

Member Since May 2023

About

Just before my 37th birthday, I multiplied my net worth to 8 figures in under 2 years. How did I do that? By building relationships and lifestyle investing. Now I’m on a mission to stop entrepreneurs and business executives from trading time for money. When I was in high school, I sold newspaper subscriptions which is how I started my entrepreneurial journey and sales career. My newspaper sales success landed me at Cutco, where I made enough money to put myself through college debt-free and become the youngest member of the Cutco‘Hall of Fame’. Nearly 20 years at Cutco, I rose to Division Manager and was responsible for the recruitment, training, and development of a sales organization that produced over $70 million in revenue. But as successful as I was, I wanted to create wealth without creating a job for myself. I wanted freedom. I never intended to be a lifestyle investor. I just wanted to love what I do, enjoy my family, and create passive income to support my lifestyle. So I made my first investment in a mobile home park and within 21 months, my investments drove enough passive income for my wife and I to leave our jobs. Now I’ve negotiated deals with over 200 companies including Orangetheory and founded Stellar, a residential maintenance and rehab company that recently funded its Series A with S3 Ventures, the largest venture capital firm in Texas, leading the round. Now Entrepreneur Magazine calls me the “Warren Buffett of Lifestyle Investing”. It’s my mission to help others create freedom and wealth with my company, Lifestyle Investor.

Published content

Parents: Nine Ways to Jump-Start Your Teenager's Financial Future

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The best financial education starts at home. Every parent wants what’s best for their children, and part of that is ensuring they have a bright financial future. Talking to children about money can start at an early age, but it becomes especially important as they enter their teenage years and begin to take on more adult responsibilities. While every family situation is different, and some may have access to different resources than others, there are always steps you can take to give your teen a jump-start on their financial journey. From helping them understand the ins and outs of basic financial literacy to encouraging them to start their own business, there are a range of ways to help, from the simple to the complex. Consider these nine recommendations from the financial experts of Kiplinger Advisor Collective to help set your teen up for a secure financial future.

10 Financial Situations Where You Might Want to Consult a Professional

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There’s no shame in asking for help, especially when it comes to your finances. Personal finance is often just that: personal. Not only is it meant to adapt to your own needs, goals and wants, but it also can often be done on your own, with no outside help needed to succeed. However, finance can sometimes get complicated, especially as you start exploring more in depth with topics like investing, planning for retirement and estate planning. While you may be tempted to take on these complex areas on your own, it can sometimes be wise to bring professional help on board. As financial experts themselves, the members of Kiplinger Advisor Collective have helped countless people navigate the complexities of the financial world. Here, they discuss 10 important instances when you may want to consult a professional and why doing so will save you a lot of hassle — and money — in the long run.

Nine Key Tips Self-Employed and Gig Workers Should Know About Retirement

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Taking a non-traditional path may mean thinking outside of traditional savings options. One of the best parts of gig work or other self-employed work is being your own boss. Not only do you get to set your own schedule, but you also get to set your own rules for how and when your work gets done. However, being your own boss means you have to take care of all the administrative work as well. Where an employer would normally provide a retirement account option for you — and maybe even contribute a match — when you’re self-employed, you have to take care of that all on your own. But this doesn’t necessarily mean it’s impossible to save for retirement, or even difficult. However, there are tips you’ll want to know if you plan to take this route. Here, nine financial experts from Kiplinger Advisor Collective each share one important thing self-employed small-business owners and gig economy workers should know about saving and planning for retirement.

10 Big Mistakes These Financial Experts Recommend Avoiding

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Learning what not to do can put you on a better path to success. In finance, there are all sorts of best practices that can help you build wealth and gain confidence with money. However, for every best practice, there is an equal number of bad practices that can derail your progress or even completely jeopardize your future success.  And while failing to build a budget or letting ‘lifestyle creep’ take hold may not seem like they will have a major effect on your finances, it’s often the small mistakes that can lead to big trouble down the line. As leaders in the financial industry, the members of Kiplinger Advisor Collective are familiar with the kinds of mistakes that can negatively impact a person’s overall success with money. Here, they each share one financial “don’t” (or mistake) they always advise their clients to avoid, why and the impact it can have on their future. 

11 Money Habits Financial Experts Wish More People Would Cultivate

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Even small changes can make a big difference to your financial journey. As with tackling any new goal, it helps to have the right habits in place to help lead you across the finish line. Whether you’re saving up for a house, thinking about retirement or just hoping to achieve a feeling of security, building the right habits is crucial to ensuring you have the tools you need to accomplish your goal.  And while there are some habits you may be able to identify for yourself, there are others financial experts wish people would give more thoughtful consideration. Here, 11 members of Kiplinger Advisor Collective discuss some of the most important money habits they think more people should cultivate and why they’re so essential to building true wealth throughout your life.

Can't Stick to a Budget? Eight Secrets to Succeeding Long Term

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Tools and automations can help make budgeting less of a hassle. When it comes to saving money and growing your wealth, budgeting is a common solution that always seems to crop up. However, while building a budget is an effective step for some, others may find they have a hard time sticking to one long term. Whether it’s because they feel too restricted by the budget’s parameters or they simply find making one too complicated and time-consuming, many people struggle to reap the benefits of this money-planning technique. But this doesn’t mean that a budget isn’t for you. According to the financial experts of Kiplinger Advisor Collective, there are a few tricks you can use to make budgeting easier and possibly even more fun to do. Read on for their budgeting secrets and how you can finally stick to your budget for the long haul.

Company details

Lifestyle Investor

Company bio

Start experiencing the wealth, freedom, and lifestyle of your dreams today (without working a job ever again). Referred to as the “Warren Buffet of Lifestyle Investing” by Entrepreneur Magazine, Justin Donald is on a mission to empower others in replacing their jobs with passive cash flow streams so they can start living the life of their dreams today. He is the author of the WSJ #1 bestseller The Lifestyle Investor: The 10 Commandments of Cash Flow for Passive Income and Financial Freedom and the host of The Lifestyle Investor podcast. Lifestyle Investing just “flat-out” works. It’s a simple, proven system that anyone can use to get off the hamster wheel — for good.

Industry

Real Estate Investing

Company size

2 - 10