The Financial Samurai Podcast

• The End Of The Commercial Real Estate Recession With Ben Miller, CEO of Fundrise

  Since 2022, commercial real estate (CRE) investors have endured one of the toughest stretches in decades. Surging inflation drove mortgage rates higher, cap rates expanded, and property values sank. The mantra became clear: “survive until 2025.” Now, with inflation cooling, rates easing, and capital returning, the tide may finally be turning. In this episode, I sit down with Ben Miller, CEO of Fundrise, who shares why he’s more optimistic about CRE’s future—and why the next three years could be far better than the last. Invest In CRE In A Diversified Way If you’re looking to gain exposure to commercial real estate, take a look at Fundrise. Founded in 2012, Fundrise now manages over $3 billion for 380,000+ investors. Their focus is on residential-oriented commercial real estate in lower-cost markets - assets that tend to be more resilient than office or retail. Throughout the downturn, Fundrise continued deploying capital to capture opportunities at lower valuations. Now, as the CRE cycle turns, they’re well-positioned to benefit from the rebound. The minimum investment is just $10, making it easy to dollar-cost average over time. I’ve personally invested six figures into Fundrise’s CRE offerings, and I appreciate that their long-term approach aligns with my own. Fundrise has also been a long-time sponsor of Financial Samurai, which speaks to our shared investment philosophy. Related post: The End Of The CRE Recession Is Finally Here  Subscribe To Financial Samurai  Pick up a copy of my USA TODAY national bestseller, Millionaire Milestones: Simple Steps to Seven Figures. I’ve distilled over 30 years of financial experience to help you build more wealth than 94% of the population—and break free sooner. To expedite your journey to financial freedom, join over 60,000 others and subscribe to the free Financial Samurai newsletter. You can also get my posts in your e-mail inbox as soon as they come out by signing up here. Financial Samurai is among the largest independently-owned personal finance websites, established in 2009. Everything is written based on firsthand experience and expertise.

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• How the Tax-Free Home Sale Exclusion Works

  In this solo episode, I want to clarify how the tax-free home sale exclusion works. For those who want to move back into their rentals to then qualify after two years, there is a pro-rated amount you need to implement.  See this post for more details: How To Use The Tax-Free Exclusion Amount Every Two Years To Save On Capital Gains (https://www.financialsamurai.com/how-to-strategically-use-the-tax-free-home-sale-exclusion-every-two-years/) Subscribe To Financial Samurai  Pick up a copy of my USA TODAY national bestseller, Millionaire Milestones: Simple Steps to Seven Figures. I’ve distilled over 30 years of financial experience to help you build more wealth than 94% of the population—and break free sooner. Listen and subscribe to The Financial Samurai podcast on Apple or Spotify. I interview experts in their respective fields and discuss some of the most interesting topics on this site. Your shares, ratings, and reviews are appreciated. To expedite your journey to financial freedom, join over 60,000 others and subscribe to the free Financial Samurai newsletter. Financial Samurai is among the largest independently-owned personal finance websites, established in 2009. Everything is written based on firsthand experience and expertise.

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• The Acceleration Of AI Growth And Adoption With Ben Miller, CEO of Fundrise

  On the latest episode of the Financial Samurai podcast, I sat down with Ben Miller, cofounder and CEO of Fundrise, for a deep dive into AI, venture capital, and what it really takes to get into the best deals. Key Takeaways from the Podcast 1. AI Growth and Market Dynamics Revenue growth is accelerating in big AI companies like Anthropic. There’s an AI benchmarking race where many products seem similar, but differentiation still matters—Ben Miller doesn’t believe AI is a commodity at all. The biggest AI players continue to extend their lead, creating a “winner-take-most” dynamic. 2. Venture Capital Strategy and Concentration How much concentration is acceptable in a venture fund: up to 50% of the portfolio can be concentrated in just two companies. Importance of building a pipeline (“bench”) of potential giants like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Databricks. Leveraging scouts in key hubs like San Francisco to source the next wave of private growth companies. 3. Valuation and Economic Concepts Growth-Adjusted Revenue Multiple as a more nuanced valuation approach for high-growth companies. Baumol Effect – rising costs in labor-intensive sectors despite limited productivity gains, and how this might influence AI adoption and consumer behavior. 4. Access and Allocation Challenges Figma IPO: Allocation was difficult even for well-connected investors; demand for strong growth companies far outstrips supply. Innovation Fund’s approach: invested in 6 of the top 50 companies on the CNBC Disruptor list. The battle of connections and wealth—strong networks often determine who gets into the best deals. See related post:  The Futility Of Chasing Allocation In A Hot IPO Company 5. Strategic Advantages for Investors Directing a 2M+ user base to both invest in and use portfolio company products (examples: Ramp, Flywheel) as a growth driver. Using product adoption to create a feedback loop of higher valuations and more capital access. 6. Macro Perspectives on AI China’s optimistic, aggressive push into AI contrasts with America’s more cautious and sometimes pessimistic stance. Why I’m personally increasing my allocation to AI—both as a long-term growth opportunity and as a hedge against missing the next big wave. Invest in Private Growth Companies With Fundrise Companies are staying private longer, which means more gains go to early private investors rather than the public. If you don’t want to fight in the IPO “Hunger Games” for scraps, consider Fundrise Venture. About 80% of the Fundrise venture portfolio is in artificial intelligence—an area I’m extremely bullish on. In 20 years, I don’t want my kids asking why I ignored AI when it was still early. The investment minimum is just $10, compared with $200,000+ for most traditional venture funds (if you can even get in). You can also see exactly what the fund holds before you invest, and you don’t need to be an accredited investor. Subscribe To Financial Samurai  Pick up a copy of my USA TODAY national bestseller, Millionaire Milestones: Simple Steps to Seven Figures. I’ve distilled over 30 years of financial experience to help you build more wealth than 94% of the population—and break free sooner. To expedite your journey to financial freedom, join over 60,000 others and subscribe to the free Financial Samurai newsletter. Financial Samurai is among the largest independently-owned personal finance websites, established in 2009. Everything is written based on firsthand experience and expertise. To Your Financial Freedom, Sam

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• How You'll Know When You Finally Have Enough Money

  Figuring out when you have enough money is a mix of math and emotion. You might have enough on paper, but if you’re not emotionally ready to live life entirely on your terms, then you probably don’t have enough yet. As one of the pioneers of the modern-day FIRE movement in 2009, I’ve developed a new framework with clear action steps to help determine if you’ve truly reached “enough.” It goes beyond the typical 4% rule or simply having 25 times your annual expenses in investable assets. Related posts: A Net Worth Equal To 25X Annual Expenses Is Not Enough To Retire Early The Best Way To Determine If You Have Enough Money The Minimum Investment Amount Where Work Becomes Optional If You're Interested In 1X1 Consulting For those of you who are interested in speaking with me about optimizing your personal finances, building a business, or negotiating a severance package, you can click here. Simply fill out the brief form at the end of the page and I'll get back to you within 24 hours.  I only take on two consulting clients a month, so there may be a wait. My goal is to help you see through blindspots and have the confidence to live your life the way you want.  Subscribe To Financial Samurai  Pick up a copy of my USA TODAY national bestseller, Millionaire Milestones: Simple Steps to Seven Figures. I’ve distilled over 30 years of financial experience to help you build more wealth than 94% of the population—and break free sooner. Listen and subscribe to The Financial Samurai podcast on Apple or Spotify. I interview experts in their respective fields and discuss some of the most interesting topics on this site. Your shares, ratings, and reviews are appreciated. To expedite your journey to financial freedom, join over 60,000 others and subscribe to the free Financial Samurai newsletter. Financial Samurai is among the largest independently-owned personal finance websites, established in 2009. Everything is written based on firsthand experience and expertise.

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• The Hidden Dangers of Earning Risk-Free Passive Income

  Earning passive income is the holy grail of personal finance and achieving financial independence. With interest rates still elevated, it's become much easier to generate a larger amount of risk-free passive income. If you're not financially independent yet, this could be a suboptimal choice.  Check out the post: The Hidden Dangers Of Earning Risk-Free Pasisve Income Suggestions Check out Fundrise Venture if you’re looking to gain exposure to some of the top private AI companies. You can view all of its holdings before investing, which adds a welcome layer of transparency. I’ve personally invested over $150,000 so far and plan to add more next month once I receive funds from a liquidity event. Fundrise is a long-time sponsor of Financial Samurai as our investment views are aligned.  Pick up a copy of my USA TODAY national bestseller, Millionaire Milestones: Simple Steps To Seven Figures, if you want to build more wealth. I synthesize 30 years of wealth-building knowledge to help you outperform 94% of the U.S. population so you can break free sooner.  Join over 60,000 others and subscribe to the free Financial Samurai newsletter. Financial Samurai is among the largest independently-owned personal finance websites, established in 2009. Everything is written based on firsthand experience and expertise.

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