FI Study Room

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Escape the 9-to-5 grind with PJ, a Bay Area tech professional on a mission to achieve Financial Independence (FI). Join the journey as we explore side hustles, dive into real estate investing, and share honest learnings and setbacks on the path to FI. Whether you're just starting or well on your way, let's learn and grow together. Disclaimer: I’m not a financial advisor. Everything I share is based on my personal experience and learning. Please do your own research or consult a financial professional before making any financial decisions. IG@fi.studyroom

  1. ٢٠‏/٠٧‏/٢٠٢٥

    Season Finale: What I’ve Learned from 15 Weeks of Podcasting About Financial Independence

    In this final episode of Season 1, I reflect on how FI Study Room started—born out of a personal need to hear real conversations about financial independence from the perspective of a W2 employee. Over 15 weeks, we’ve talked about books like The Simple Path to Wealth and The Millionaire Next Door, covered practical strategies like tax-advantaged accounts and index investing, and explored my personal experiences with real estate—from value-add Bay Area projects to out-of-state rentals in Memphis. I also share behind-the-scenes numbers from the podcast (👀 496 plays and counting!), how I stayed consistent week after week, and why it’s time to pause and reflect before Season 2. Whether you’ve listened to one episode or all 15—thank you. Let’s keep learning and building freedom, one step at a time. 🙌

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  2. Code to Concrete Part 2: Engineer-turned-contractor, 40 Projects and Counting

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    Code to Concrete Part 2: Engineer-turned-contractor, 40 Projects and Counting

    We’re back for Part 2 of my conversation with the Netflix-engineer-turned-contractor, and this time, we’re talking growth. In just under two years, he went from managing his first home renovation to juggling 40+ projects across the Bay Area. How did he scale so fast? What were the biggest challenges? And what would he do differently if he started over? We get into team building, client relationships, pricing transparency, and his philosophy on trust and accountability in the construction world. A must-listen for anyone thinking about scaling a service business or partnering with a contractor on an investment property. Places to find his work - ⁠aeroliving.co⁠; IG: @aeroliving.co or @tommythecontractor Episode Breakdown:⏰ 00:00 - Intro💰 02:15 - How to save smartly in renovation🔧 05:20 - How to run a smooth renovation project🏘️ 11:20 - Bay Area flipping market deep-dive🎨 14:05 - Investor design for resale⚖️ 16:15 - Balancing scale and quality in projects🗂️ 18:30 - How to keep track of all the projects🌟 21:00 - Dream project💡 25:47 - Thoughts on FI after becoming a business owner🌐 29:27 - Online presence - aeroliving.co; IG: @aeroliving.co or @tommythecontractor🔚 29:48 - Wrap-up

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  3. Code to Concrete Part 1: How a Netflix Engineer Became a Bay Area Builder Boss

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    Code to Concrete Part 1: How a Netflix Engineer Became a Bay Area Builder Boss

    In this episode of FI Study Room, I sit down with the very first contractor I worked with—who also happened to be a former Netflix engineer. Yes, you read that right. From debugging code to managing demo crews, his career pivot is one of the most fascinating stories I've come across. We dive into his journey from tech to construction, how he landed his very first client (me!), what it was like to take on his first renovation project, and why he left a cushy W2 job to chase something very different. Whether you're curious about entrepreneurship, flipping homes, or just love a good career pivot story, this one’s for you. 🎧 Episode Breakdown: ⏱ 00:00 - Intro⚡️ 03:55 - Lightning question round📞 14:45 - When to contact a contractor❓ 18:50 - How to interview contractors💰 20:40 - Cost vs quality philosophy & what's a fair market price range for Bay Area construction⏳ 24:40 - What do people underestimate — cost or timeline?📍 26:27 - Which Bay Area cities are easier to work with 🎬 28:04 - Wrap-up

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    How Much Is Enough? Lessons from Naval Ravikant & The Psychology of Money

    What’s the real goal of financial independence—and how do you know when you’ve arrived? In this episode of FI Study Room, we dig into one of the most powerful and personal questions in the FIRE journey: "How much is enough?" Inspired by insights from The Almanack of Naval Ravikant and The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel, we explore how mindset, emotion, and values shape our financial lives. 📘 From Naval: Why wealth ≠ money How to escape status games The surprising link between freedom and happiness 💡 From Housel: Why the goalpost keeps moving The invisible power of frugality How defining “enough” can protect you from financial ruin Plus, I’ll share personal stories from my own FI journey—including the moment I realized math alone wasn’t enough to bring peace. If you’re chasing financial freedom, this episode will help you redefine success on your terms. 📕 Episode Breakdown00:00 - 🎙️ Intro02:20 - 🧠 Lessons from Naval Ravikant08:18 - 💸 Lessons from The Psychology of Money16:33 - 🔍 Self-reflection17:53 - ✅ Key takeaways18:38 - 👋 Outro

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    How We Made 40% on Our Bay Area Home: Lessons from a First Renovation Project

    In this episode of FI Study Room, I’m taking you behind the scenes of our very first renovation project — our primary home in Union City — and how we turned it into a 40% cash-on-cash return. I break down the total cost, how we calculated our renovation budget, and the exact steps we took to find a deal in the crazy Bay Area market. From hunting down a reliable contractor to managing the budget like a hawk, I share everything I wish I knew before starting. Whether you're house-hunting, thinking about a flip, or just real estate curious — this episode is packed with real numbers, honest lessons, and practical tips. What you’ll learn: 💸 How we bought our home under market value 📊 Our renovation budget + what we spent 🛠️ How to vet contractors & manage timelines 🔍 Design decisions that save money and boost resale value 🎯 Why value-add properties can outperform other RE strategies 🎧 Episode Breakdown00:00 - Intro 🎙️02:35 - Project Cost Breakdown 💰📊03:36 - Tip 1 - Buy Under Market Value 🏠📉04:37 - Tip 2 - Carefully Calculate Your Budget 🧮📐06:12 - Tip 3 - Find the Right Contractor 👷‍♂️🔍09:07 - Tip 4 - Interior Design & Landscaping 🎨🌿09:43 - Tip 5 - Managing Timeline & Budget ⏱️📅💸11:42 - Summary 🧠✅

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  6. ١٥‏/٠٦‏/٢٠٢٥

    The $750K Deal in the Bay Area Housing Market - How We Bought Our First Primary Home

    Buying a home in the Bay Area sounds wild, right? In this episode, I walk you through how we made the decision to buy instead of rent—complete with real numbers, assumptions, and some truly hilarious house-hunting stories (including the one where we almost camped in the backyard of a $500K teardown 🤯). We’ll break down: How we used a rent vs. buy break-even calculation to set our price limit Why we chose a single family home over a condo or townhome What made us pick the East Bay over other areas How we negotiated a house under asking despite the hot market And the two biggest lessons I learned: always look for under-market deals, and value-add properties can grow way faster than you think 💡 If you're considering buying in a high-cost area—or just want to understand the mindset behind making a smart real estate purchase—this one's for you. 💰🏡 🎧 Episode Breakdown 00:00 – 🎙️ Intro01:50 – 🧮 How we calculated the buying budget03:21 – 🧭 What about other criteria?04:30 – 🏘️ House type debate: condo vs. townhome vs. SFH05:47 – 🕵️‍♀️ House hunt stories (backyard camping, bad listing photos!)07:46 – 💡 Key learnings09:23 – 🧾 Summary12:24 – 👋 Outro

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    Long-term Rental Series Part 2: Property Managers, Nightmare Tenant & Real Talk

    Ready for the unfiltered truth about managing long-term rentals remotely? In this second half of my remote landlord series, I share what happens after the research and purchase: working with property managers, why self-managing didn’t work for us, dealing with a bad tenant, and ongoing maintenance surprises. You’ll hear real stories (and lessons learned) from our two rental properties in Memphis — a city I’ve never even been to. I’ll walk you through what’s gone well, what’s been a headache, and why LTRs are not as passive as Instagram might have you believe. 🎯 Whether you’re thinking about becoming a landlord or just curious what it’s like to invest remotely, this episode is packed with honest takeaways and tips. 🎧 Episode Breakdown00:00 – 🎙️ Intro 02:10 – 🏠 Buying & Renovating Remotely 06:40 – 🤝 Working with Property Manager 08:30 – 😱 Self-Managing Nightmares: Bad Tenant, Eviction & Trust Issues 16:36 – 🧠 Final Takeaways

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    Long-term Rental Series Part 1: How I Invested in Memphis from My Laptop

    In this episode, I’m diving into how I got started with long-term rental properties — completely remotely. After a year of dealing with short-term tenant headaches, I started looking for a more passive way to invest in real estate. That journey led me to buy two properties in Memphis, TN — without ever stepping foot there.I’ll break down the numbers, how I analyzed markets, and the exact research process I used to get comfortable with remote investing. Here’s what you’ll learn:✅ Why I pivoted from short-term rentals to long-term✅ The cash-on-cash returns I’m seeing (and how they could improve)✅ What makes a good long-distance market✅ How I cold-messaged my way into local insights — using the same method I used to find jobs Whether you’re just curious or seriously considering out-of-state investing, this episode gives you a behind-the-scenes look at how I made it happen. 🎧 Episode Breakdown ⏱ 00:00 - Intro💭 02:11 - Why long-term rentals and what are my goals📊 04:52 - Talking real numbers – how did the investment go🔍 10:46 - How to do investment research – my job-hunt strategy📈 15:12 - How to do investment research – my spreadsheet✅ 18:30 - How to do investment research – my success criteria🔁 20:19 - Summary

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Escape the 9-to-5 grind with PJ, a Bay Area tech professional on a mission to achieve Financial Independence (FI). Join the journey as we explore side hustles, dive into real estate investing, and share honest learnings and setbacks on the path to FI. Whether you're just starting or well on your way, let's learn and grow together. Disclaimer: I’m not a financial advisor. Everything I share is based on my personal experience and learning. Please do your own research or consult a financial professional before making any financial decisions. IG@fi.studyroom

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