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Through the years, a small handful of individuals have all taken credit for bringing us what we know as the modern internet. However, it is possible for more than one of those stories to be accurate, as the modern internet is the combination of several simultaneous discoveries made by a few pioneers, alliterating on the … Continue reading 40. African Americans’ Contributions to the Modern Internet (Part 1) with Albert E. White →

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, by now you have certainly heard about Elon Musk’s plans to buy Twitter and take it from a public company to a private one.  Oftentimes, there are many things that will change when a company goes private. And that is especially true with it comes to existing shareholders. … Continue reading 39. What Happens To Your Equity When Your Company Goes Private →

Tech professionals are some of the best paid and most in-demand workers around the globe. And in exchange for that great pay and other incentives, it is not uncommon to log back-to-back (to back to back to back) 50, 60, or even 75-hour work weeks; ultimately leading to a burnout. One of the ways to … Continue reading 38. Developing Passive Investment Income as a Tech Professional with Christopher Nelson →

If you’ve ever worked for a startup, then you know it can feel a bit like watching paint dry, waiting for the company to reach its light at the end of the tunnel, going public, and allowing you to finally cash in on all of your hard work and contribution. In many cases, it can … Continue reading 37. Finding Liquidity for Your Illiquid Shares with Vieje Piauwasdy →

The underlying theme of the stock market and the way it functions is that we are all rational actors in a rational world, acting on the very same publicly available information at the very same time. But the reality is that we are all irrational beings, living in an irrational world. We frequently do things … Continue reading 36. Taking the Emotion Out of Investing with Daniel Crosby →

When it comes to your equity, every decision, whether it’s to do something with your shares, or to do nothing at all, comes with a tax consequence. But sometimes, the consequences of that action or inaction, are less obvious, until it’s a year later, the tax bill is due, and you have no idea how … Continue reading 35. Common Tax Pitfalls to Avoid When Managing Your Equity with Daniel Hodgin →

Unsure whether and how to ask for more equity when negotiating your new compensation package? The 30 minutes you spend negotiating your new employment agreement could change the course of your entire future, and negotiating for more equity can be the driving force for that change. In this episode, Malcolm Ethridge sits down with Brooke … Continue reading 34. The Importance of Negotiating Your Equity with Brooke Harley →

Less than 1% of all professionals working in venture capital today identify as LatinX, and only 1.2% of LatinX founders had access to or received VC funding in the last year. However, there are several leaders in the finance and tech communities actively working to change that. In this episode, Malcolm Ethridge sits down with … Continue reading 33. LatinX Representation in Tech and Venture Capital with Cheryl Campos →

We’ve all heard the statistics and read the articles about the pro athlete or entertainer who lived a life of luxury for years, spent money freely, gave it away, didn’t respect it, and then one day, they were no longer at the height of their fame and success, the dollars stopped coming in, and they … Continue reading 32. Talking to Your Family About Money with Amy Castoro →

Not that long ago, we were all trying to wrap our collective heads around this thing called Bitcoin and how it was promising to revolutionize the way we all pay for goods and services. And now, before we’ve really even come to a consensus on whether cryptocurrencies are a digital currency, a store of value, … Continue reading 31. Are NFTs a Fad or the Future? with Jesse Krieger →

Traditionally, companies source their executive teams and boards of directors solely through their existing networks of employees, investors, friends or family. This tends to lead to companies being led by groups who are not very reflective of their workforce or customer base. In this episode, Malcolm Ethridge sits down with Clinton Browning, partner and Head … Continue reading 29. Cultivating the Next Generation of Black Tech Leaders With Clinton Browning →

There is no shortage of thoughts and opinions out there when it comes to managing your personal finances and making smart money moves. However, not all financial advice is created equal. Some is meant to entertain, some is meant to inspire, and some is meant to educate. In this episode, Malcolm Ethridge rips a few … Continue reading 28. Malcolm’s 10 Financial Commandments →

Are you considering launching a start-up but unsure how you’ll come up with the funding? Are you currently looking at options to bring to life the next stage of your business and grow? A ROBS transaction might be the answer you’ve been looking for. In this episode Malcolm Ethridge sits down with Doll Lank, partner … Continue reading 27. Non-Traditional Ways to Fund Your Startup with Doll Lank →

Your credit is important, and it is something that is going to either propel you toward or hold you back from financial independence. So why is that so many people know next to nothing about how credit scores work? In this episode, Malcolm Ethridge sits down with Evan Leaphart, founder of Kiddie Kredit, to discuss … Continue reading 26. Teaching Financial Literacy Through Technology with Evan Leaphart →

When a person retires, conventional wisdom tells us that since they no longer have an income, there’s no way they can pay back a loan – and thus, no bank would be willing to offer them a mortgage. But is that always the case when it comes to purchasing a home? On this episode of … Continue reading [Bonus Episode] Office Hours: Is it Possible to Qualify for a New Mortgage as a Retiree? →

These days, not only are we experiencing record low interest rates, we are also seeing home prices that are constantly on the rise. And this has created a perfect storm for people wanting to refinance their mortgage – for a number of reasons. Although it is obvious to mortgage professionals the reasons why you might … Continue reading [Bonus Episode] Office Hours: The Advantages (and Disadvantages) of Refinancing Your Home’s Mortgage →

Recently, you too may have experienced the feeling that everyone else but you has a beach house. And you may be wondering how it’s possible that the people you know can afford to purchase a beach house while they’re still paying off the mortgage on the house they live in currently. On this episode of … Continue reading [Bonus Episode] Office Hours: The Difference Between Borrowing to Buy a Primary Residence vs a Second Home →

Typically, when a person is applying for a new loan, they will be asked to provide statements from any bank accounts or investments as a means to show the lender where their down payment will come from when it’s time to close on the loan. And although it may seem simple that a person may … Continue reading [Bonus Episode] Office Hours: Using Gift Funds from a relative to Help Qualify for a Mortgage →

With some folks still looking to get out of city centers and move into single family homes with more space to stretch out, it’s not uncommon to need to carry two mortgages for a short time while moving from the old house to the new one, then getting the old house sold to pay off … Continue reading [Bonus Episode] Office Hours: What Happens When You Need to Buy a New House Before You Can Sell the One You’re Living In? →

A non-traditional mortgage is defined as any mortgage that does not qualify as standard or conventional, or conform to a standard amortization schedule. Such as an adjustable rate mortgage, an interest only mortgage, a balloon payment, etc. And although these loans typically have higher interest rates to reflect the additional risks for the lender, they are sometimes a better solution than a traditional mortgage. On this episode of office hours, Malcolm and Desiree sit down to discuss non-traditional mortgages and some of the ways they might be a better fit that the typical 30-year fixed rate mortgage.