167 - Why You're Struggling Financially Despite Your High Income - Adam Link

Active vs. Passive Investing, Public vs. Private Markets, and Choosing a Fiduciary Advisor (with Dr. Adam Link, CFP)Emma Powell welcomes Dr. Adam Link, a CFP and former software developer with a doctorate in computer science, to discuss how high-income families can better manage wealth through a “micro family office” mindset—delegating wisely without overtrusting. Link explains why he believes markets aren’t fully efficient, outlines an active-management approach focused on capturing less downside and more upside versus a benchmark, and emphasizes that many investors are “competing against themselves” due to panic-selling. They compare public and private markets, noting how speed of information and disclosure affect inefficiencies and private-market yields, and discuss the time/ROI tradeoff between investing effort and increasing active income. They also cover real estate professional tax concepts, cash flow vs. depreciation, the importance of working with a fiduciary, and Link’s perspective on crypto and tokenization, including reported NYSE interest in 24/7 blockchain-based trading.Bio:After three company exits, an IPO, and years as Sr. Engineering Manager at Coinbase, I watched smart people lose fortunes because their "diversified" portfolios dropped alongside everything else in market crashes. That experience drove me to become a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and build something better for families who've built something worth protecting.I live on a lake in northern Minnesota with my family. My journey into financial advising began fresh out of college, but I quickly realized I felt like an imposter - advising clients without having proven strategies myself. This led me to spend the next decade in tech, learning and earning through real-world experiences.That decade at Silicon Valley companies taught me invaluable lessons about building wealth, and about the dangers of passive "set it and forget it" investing when markets turn.I've invested in stocks, bonds, over 500 apartment units, and nine angel investments. These experiences have provided me with the practical knowledge to genuinely guide my clients - not from textbooks, but from having made the mistakes on my own portfolio, not yours.In 2022, I founded Fireweed Capital. I work with folks just starting to build wealth, all the way to established families looking to protect and grow what they've earned. I advise from experience and seek to be your "money guide" who has traveled the path myself first.Connect with Adam Link:https://[email protected] with Emma:https://InvestWithEmma.comhttps://Highrise.group00:00 Welcome and Setup01:35 Meet Dr Adam Link03:31 What a CFP Does05:05 Active vs Passive Beliefs07:51 Public vs Private Markets12:08 Time and Competitive Advantage16:02 Real Estate Pro Sweet Spot19:30 Choosing a Fiduciary Advisor21:27 How Advisors Get Paid22:33 How Advisors Get Paid22:55 Planning Versus Execution24:22 Why He Chose Advising25:31 Client Fit And Alignment26:46 Markets Are Inefficient29:39 Benchmarks And Downside Capture32:02 Behavioral Mistakes Quiz34:07 Crypto Background And Tokenization35:10 24/7 Blockchain Stock Exchange38:40 Wrap Up And Contact Info