2022 February update

Been a while since posting. I guess that’s what happens to a personal-based blog when you get out the habit of writing.

So in the interim, we’ve had a few curve ball developments in SA:

• riots, sadly a few knock-on effects there to friends and family that left the affected areas to move to more suitable countries.
• load shedding – back to having no power 4 hours per day. We’ve switched to back up power for the home, so at least something could be done. Still don’t enjoy driving without working traffic lights or street lights though.
• Covid Omicron kind of wrecked a few plans.

Further afield we have the Ukraine/Russian/EU etc war so in general lots of volatility and general unrest happening.

So all these things should cause anxiety. Except… I actually am feeling relatively calm instead.

I’m just going to keep investing, earning, and spending time with family.

The portfolio is looking good, obviously some volatility but we’re still at $1.2m in liquid assets. The spending is under control at an average of $2.8k pm over these past few months.

On top of that, been doing consulting/investing work which on a gross basis results in around $4k of income per month for a few hours a week. Some weeks are busier and other weeks consist of little more than a 1-hour catch up. The work itself is interesting and relieves my personal issues around spending down the portfolio.

The next goal now is to decide between more freelance investing work, a new investment position (depending on what’s out there) or my own business.

Freelance work is interesting because of being able to get involved in the projects that I like and turn down work that isn’t exciting. I’d like to explore possibilities around earning some USD-based earnings in order hedge out my own currency risk as well as have the potential to be location-independent. I haven’t found that investment work fits a remote-style global work, but perhaps it is time to re-explore going back to some form of programming work, if the rates make sense.

A full time investment position is cool because of the team interaction you gain from working alongside other strong investment professionals.

Own business – ideally this one gives the most freedom. I’m working on two projects already, but until they result in any serious income, they’re really just hobbies. Still, friends have turned their side hobby projects into VC-backed firms as well as exits to global players. So it requires some work and luck. Keep trying for traction. Perhaps it’ll become my primary source of income, or maybe it’ll result in a moonshot, or maybe it’ll be nothing and I’ll try out something else. It is however my intention to keep going as it provides the best upside.

All three options are exciting, and the optionality that our financial situation gives us is amazing. Am enjoying meeting with folks and discussing what’s out there.