Success Mindset, Passive Income, and the Private Credit Advantage with Bryan Pham

What if your investment portfolio could generate income completely detached from stock market swings?Bryan Pham grew up watching his stepfather build and sell a semiconductor manufacturing business — and that early roadmap for success never left him. As Head of Institutional Sales at Percent.com, he's helped raise over $2.5 billion in private credit syndication, and his story is as much about the success mindset behind that climb as the financial mechanics. We sit down with Bryan to unpack his journey from a first-generation Vietnamese-American kid in New Jersey to JP Morgan and beyond — and the wealth building principles he's picked up from the ultra-high-net-worth clients he's served along the way.Key TakeawaysEntrepreneurs almost always outwork their peers — Bryan's most successful clients are people who built businesses, not just earned salariesDollar cost averaging into passive ETFs is Bryan's personal go-to strategy for long-term financial success — set it and don't overthink itPrivate credit can serve as a powerful fixed income alternative, delivering 10–15% annualized returns uncorrelated to public market swingsPercent.com has democratized private credit — accredited investors can now access deals with as little as $500The 0% withdrawal rule: structuring investments to live off income without ever touching your principalUnderstanding collateralization and asset-based investing can dramatically reduce your downside riskOptions and high-risk trades should only ever represent a small percentage of your net worth — and you should mentally assume that money is already goneA co-op education (like Drexel or Northeastern) can give young people a massive head start through real, full-time work experienceAvoiding sectors with higher default rates — like venture debt — is just as important as picking winnersTransparency in investing matters: Percent publicly owns both wins and losses, which Bryan sees as a mark of trustworthy ethicsPercent.com — Bryan's platform for private credit investing. Accredited investors can access deals starting at $500. Visit percent.com to explore current opportunities.Accredited Investor Definition — To invest through Percent, you must qualify as an accredited investor: $200K+ individual annual income (or $300K+ as a couple) for two consecutive years, OR a net worth of $1M+, OR a licensed financial services professional (Series 7, 65, 66, etc.).If you enjoyed On The Chair, please like and subscribe. If you loved it, share this episode with a friend! We want to hear from you! Send your questions to [email protected] us on Instagram: @onthechair_podcast(00:00) - Overrated/Underrated Intro Game (01:07) - Welcome to On The Chair (01:30) - Introducing Bryan Pham (02:04) - Bryan's Background & Growing Up (05:29) - What Drew Bryan to Finance (07:34) - Drexel Co-Op Internship Experience (09:20) - Is Co-Op Education Worth It? (10:34) - College, Networking & The Next Generation (11:09) - Mindsets of the Ultra-Wealthy (13:06) - Bryan's Personal Investment Strategy (15:00) - Private Credit as a Fixed Income Alternative (16:57) - Worst Investment Bryan Ever Made (19:16) - Options Trading: Thrill vs. Risk (21:14) - Trading on Headlines & Tweets (21:42) - Polo's Penny Stock & Margin Story (24:00) - Why Uncorrelated Assets Matter (24:47) - How to Get Started with Percent (26:02) - Regulation, Transparency & the SEC (27:38) - Accredited Investor Requirements Explained (28:11) - How Asset-Based Private Credit Works (30:04) - Defaults, Workouts & Risk Management (32:21) - Conservative vs. Aggressive Yield Strategies