What I Didn’t Earn in Wages, I Earned in Understanding
If there’s one thing I’ve come to believe, it’s this: in America, we have a rare opportunity to make a living doing literally whatever we want to do. That doesn’t mean it’s easy. It doesn’t mean the playing field is level. It doesn’t mean it’s handed to us or that there aren’t real obstacles to overcome. But the opportunity exists—and I’ve been chasing it, fumbling it, learning from it, and doubling back stronger every time.
My name is Terrence. I’m a Pisces, born in San Francisco and raised in Sacramento. I’ve always had a creative mind, a curious spirit, and I dream hard. And the more I think about how I want to live, the more I find myself drawn to this idea of time freedom—the space to think, to create, and to explore ideas fully. Not in my spare time before or after a 10-hour work shift, but as my actual way of life. As my primary source of income. As my purpose.
I often think about the ancient astrologers and how much free time they had. This allowed them to spend night after night tracking the stars, naming galaxies, making maps of the sky, and developing entire systems of thought (like astrology and calculus). Many of our most celebrated philosophers, mathematicians, inventors, and creatives had one thing in common: the freedom, time, and space to go deep—to think, study, research, question, experiment, and build. They weren’t squeezing their passion into their off-hours.
That’s the goal I’m working toward.
Not to discover a new planet—but to have that same kind of freedom to dive into my own ideas just as deeply.
To study, to experiment, to build, to live.
To make a living being curious and creative—without having to dedicate 40 hours a week to someone else’s vision just to keep my lights on.
The Vision Is Ownership
I want the freedom to own my time, my ideas, my space. Home ownership and business ownership—that’s the version of the American Dream I’m chasing. It hasn’t all gone as planned. I’ve taken some losses, but I’ve also earned some solid wins. And in the middle of it all, I’ve picked up lessons I want to share—not because I know everything, but because sharing experiences can help people move forward faster.
I studied Computer Science at Clark Atlanta University and left with more than just amazing memories—I left with a mountain of student loan debt. That debt became both a burden and a motivator. It forced me to look at life differently, to hustle harder, and to think creatively about how I learn, grow, and move forward. It also helped me realize how to keep learning without paying five figures for every lesson.
I’ve realized that knowledge is everywhere:
- YouTube for the visual learner in me.
- For my kinesthetic side, there’s entry-level jobs in industries I want to be in and learn about.
- Community college when I need structure, feedback, and a chance to ask deeper questions.
Every Job Was a Stepping Stone
After college, every place I worked at was a deliberate attempt to learn something specific—a skill or process I knew I’d need to bring one of my ideas to life. I treated those roles like paid internships. Even if the paycheck was small, I was gaining something more valuable: real-world knowledge.
I learned visually, hands-on, and by asking questions.
What I didn’t earn in wages, I earned in understanding.
Every shift was a classroom. Every task was a lesson.
The time I worked at a music store? I soaked up everything and built a music platform.
The time I worked at a screen printing shop? I learned the ropes and launched my own screen printing company.
The time I was a mortgage counselor? I gained the insight and built a budgeting app to help people like me get closer to homeownership.
That’s been the pattern—work, learn, build. Since college I’ve moved intentionally, strategically, and always with the bigger picture in mind.
Now, I’m focused on going bigger. Becoming debt-free. Buying my first home. Making money from my passion projects. Living life on my own terms.
Why This Blog Exists
This isn’t just a finance blog. And it’s definitely not a highlight reel.
It’s a space for me to talk about it all—the money stuff, the mindset shifts, my projects, the wins, the losses—but also music, sports, entertainment, politics (yep, that too), home decor, travel, products I love using, and whatever else is on my mind.
Not everything I write will be for everybody—and that’s cool. Some of it will hit home. Some of it might not. But if you’re curious about building something real and living a little more freely, I think you’ll find something here worth your time.
If you love an article, share it.
If you hate an article, share it anyway. The conversation is the point.
See you in the next one.
Until then—keep building, keep learning.