*This is a graph of our Net Worth Growth trajectory since January 1, 2023- from Monarch Money.*

We Made $1 Million Dollars in the Last 24 Months. Here's How We Did It.

It feels crazy to type these words- “One Million Dollars in Two Years”- but we did it. The last two years have been an explosion of growth, focus, and discipline for my wife Jacquelyn and I. When we reflect on how we increased our net worth by $1 million in just 24 months, it boils down to consistency, strategy, and a relentless commitment to our financial goals. Here’s exactly how we did it. The thing is- we have jobs that normal people have. There is nothing supernatural or out of reach about how we manage money- we teach our clients at Align Money Mastery exactly how to do it for themselves.

We discuss our finances in explicit detail for a few key reasons based on our viewpoint that our society is based on having money at every turn- those who don't have it live more difficult lives, and those that manage it well have more freedom to live their life the way they truly want. We reveal our exact numbers for the following reasons:

We believe that society has made money "Taboo", "Uncouth" or not proper to talk about freely- and that does our society a disservice when people spend the majority of their lives trying to make money.
We believe that it is not difficult to build wealth and make millions of dollars in a lifetime- and that it is intentionally being made more difficult to understand by "financial advisors", "wealth managers", and the Media. Also- the amount of financial related scams in our culture are alarming.
We believe that if people are to trust us with teaching them what we know- we need to be radically transparent in order to build validity. We need to show that we are not only practicing what we preach- but also that it creates results.

The Purpose of this article is to reveal exactly how we made $1,000,000 in 24 months- for all of the above reasons.

Defining Net Worth

Before diving into the details, let’s define net worth. Your net worth is the total value of your assets minus your liabilities. Assets include everything you own—cash, investments, real estate, and other valuable property. Liabilities are debts and obligations like mortgages, loans, and credit card balances. Our journey to increasing our net worth by $1 million focused on growing assets while keeping liabilities under control.

Diversified Income Streams

We understood early on that relying on a single source of income wouldn’t be enough to achieve our ambitious goals. Over the past 24 months, our income came from multiple sources:

Two full-time jobs: Jacquelyn and I earned a combined $560,412.65 from our primary careers combined in 2023/2024. In November 2024, I started a new, higher-paying job and earned a promotion, bringing my salary and bonus to $180,000 annually. Jacquelyn received scheduled pay raises, which also contributed to our income growth.
Passive income: We generated $80,033.36 from our taxable brokerage account investments.
Rental properties: Owning five rental properties brought in $90,140.36 in rental income.
Consulting work: I worked as a consultant for a few real estate brokerages in Jacksonville, earning $9,250.
Cashback rewards: We made an additional $4,085.46 simply by maximizing credit card cashback.
Our business: In January 2023, we launched Align Money Mastery, a personal finance coaching business. It has grown to generate $60,000 annually, adding $42,618.31 to our income in the past two years.

On top of this, we received one-time windfalls, which slightly contributed to overall growth: a $10,000 inheritance, a $3,000 tax refund, and $7,008 from selling a car.

Growth from 2023 to 2024

*We didn’t just save- we* ***lived*** *as well. We are living proof that you can hit your financial goals and still live a fulfilling life. This is us at the top of Mount Zeus in Milos, Greece (July, 2023).*

The transition from 2023 to 2024 marked a significant period of growth for us. In 2023, we saved $178,883, which represented 53.13% of our overall income of $336,646. By 2024, we increased our income to $375,575 and saved $189,077, or 50.34% of our total earnings. While our savings rate slightly decreased percentage-wise, the absolute amount of money we saved increased by $10,194. This growth does not include the reinvestment of the passive income created inside our Taxable Brokerage Accounts- which amounts to $12,543 in 2023 and $67,489.99 in 2024. Reinvesting Passive Income into assets that create more Passive Income creates a powerful compounding effect that is similar to a snowball running downhill- gravity and time just takes over automatically to grow the Passive Income monthly.

Additionally, our business, Align Money Mastery, gained momentum in 2024, contributing a larger share of our total income. Passive income streams also grew as we reinvested dividends and rental profits back into our portfolio. Our focus on consistent, disciplined saving and investing turned these incremental improvements into substantial net worth growth.

A Focus on Strategic Investing

While our income was diverse, how we managed it was equally important. Our investment strategy shifted dramatically over the past two years to align with our goal of early retirement by 40.

Dividend-focused investments: We moved aggressively into dividend-producing investments, allocating 70% of our stock portfolio to income-generating assets and the remaining 30% to growth-oriented low-cost index funds. This strategy not only increased our passive income but also provided stability.
Real estate investments: We own six properties: five rentals and our primary home. While we didn’t purchase new properties in the last 24 months, the decision to buy when mortgage rates were near zero in 2020 continues to pay off.
The stock market’s rise: Although we don’t try to time the market by buying and selling to create profit, the last two years have been favorable for stocks. This historical growth further boosted our net worth.

Relentless Budgeting and Expense Management

We believe that every dollar has a job, and we work hard to ensure none of ours go to waste. Here are the practices that kept us on track:

Zero-based budgeting: Every dollar we earn is allocated—either toward investments, savings, or necessary expenses.
Automation: We automate everything, from bill payments to credit card autopay. With six mortgages and numerous other expenses, this system keeps us organized and stress-free.
Spending audits: We constantly review our spending to eliminate anything that doesn’t bring us joy or value.

Staying Debt-Savvy

We’ve always avoided high-interest debt. The only debt we carry is $1.69 million in low-interest mortgages on our six properties. This debt is a tool, not a burden, as it allows us to have our real estate portfolio and build wealth while minimizing interest cost.

*Doesn’t matter where you are- almost anywhere in the world you can stay connected enough to stay on top of your money. This is in Athens, Greece at a cafe- during budget week.*

Consistency is the Secret Sauce

If I had to distill our success into one word, it would be consistency. Every month, we follow the same formula: budget meticulously, maximize income, minimize wasteful spending, and invest intentionally. We also preach intentionality because it flexes your ability to be in control of your world. There are no shortcuts or big risks in our strategy—just disciplined, repeatable actions that compound over time.

Leveraging Tools and Social Media

We’re big believers in using the right tools to simplify our financial lives. Monarch Money has been indispensable for tracking our progress and sticking to our budget. Additionally, social media has played a huge role in growing our business, Align Money Mastery. Platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram have helped us reach a broader audience and scale our business.

The Road Ahead

Looking forward, our goal is to retire by 40- we are currently 35 and 36. We will retire supported by a combination of passive income from dividends, rental properties, and our business- Align Money Mastery. We’re not there yet, but these past 24 months have shown us what’s possible with focus and dedication.

To anyone looking to achieve similar results, my advice is simple: create a plan, stick to it, and stay consistent. Small, disciplined actions really do add up to big wins over time.

How Align Money Mastery Can Help You Achieve This Too

*We got invited to our Client’s Wedding! Amazing to see how our advice will change their family’s finances forever.*

Most importantly- We can Help. We have now helped over 80 families build wealth through one of our programs. We started Align in January 2023 because we realized our community needed the information we had to build wealth, and could benefit from us teaching them. Align Clients have paid off $466,920 in debt, saved $62,951.10 in interest, and invested $3,791,250.78. The investments our clients have made pay them $454,950 per year in dividends- Passive Income that gets our customers closer to no longer having to work to live- in other words: total freedom.

We offer EVERYONE a Free 30-Minute Financial Audit, a meeting with Align Coaches that will give you clarity on your current financial situation and how we can help. Click the link HERE to book one or go to calendly.com/alignmoneymastery/intro to find out how.

2025 is starting in TWO DAYS- Hard to believe. If you want 2025 to be different for you financially, you must change something. The same habits, spending, income, and lack of intentionality will bring you to the very same place you are right now.

If you want to make $1 Million Dollars in two years, or have a different money goal, why not start now? It's as easy as deciding to do so- 3..2..1..... Go.

Start Now

We Made $1,000,000 In Two Years. Here’s How We Did It.

We Made $1 Million Dollars in the Last 24 Months. Here's How We Did It.

We believe that society has made money "Taboo", "Uncouth" or not proper to talk about freely- and that does our society a disservice when people spend the majority of their lives trying to make money.

We believe that it is not difficult to build wealth and make millions of dollars in a lifetime- and that it is intentionally being made more difficult to understand by "financial advisors", "wealth managers", and the Media. Also- the amount of financial related scams in our culture are alarming.

We believe that if people are to trust us with teaching them what we know- we need to be radically transparent in order to build validity. We need to show that we are not only practicing what we preach- but also that it creates results.

The Purpose of this article is to reveal exactly how we made $1,000,000 in 24 months- for all of the above reasons.

Defining Net Worth

Diversified Income Streams

We understood early on that relying on a single source of income wouldn’t be enough to achieve our ambitious goals. Over the past 24 months, our income came from multiple sources:

Passive income: We generated $80,033.36 from our taxable brokerage account investments.

Rental properties: Owning five rental properties brought in $90,140.36 in rental income.

Consulting work: I worked as a consultant for a few real estate brokerages in Jacksonville, earning $9,250.

Cashback rewards: We made an additional $4,085.46 simply by maximizing credit card cashback.

Our business: In January 2023, we launched Align Money Mastery, a personal finance coaching business. It has grown to generate $60,000 annually, adding $42,618.31 to our income in the past two years.

On top of this, we received one-time windfalls, which slightly contributed to overall growth: a $10,000 inheritance, a $3,000 tax refund, and $7,008 from selling a car.

Growth from 2023 to 2024

A Focus on Strategic Investing

While our income was diverse, how we managed it was equally important. Our investment strategy shifted dramatically over the past two years to align with our goal of early retirement by 40.

Dividend-focused investments: We moved aggressively into dividend-producing investments, allocating 70% of our stock portfolio to income-generating assets and the remaining 30% to growth-oriented low-cost index funds. This strategy not only increased our passive income but also provided stability.

Real estate investments: We own six properties: five rentals and our primary home. While we didn’t purchase new properties in the last 24 months, the decision to buy when mortgage rates were near zero in 2020 continues to pay off.

The stock market’s rise: Although we don’t try to time the market by buying and selling to create profit, the last two years have been favorable for stocks. This historical growth further boosted our net worth.

Relentless Budgeting and Expense Management

We believe that every dollar has a job, and we work hard to ensure none of ours go to waste. Here are the practices that kept us on track:

Zero-based budgeting: Every dollar we earn is allocated—either toward investments, savings, or necessary expenses.

Automation: We automate everything, from bill payments to credit card autopay. With six mortgages and numerous other expenses, this system keeps us organized and stress-free.

Spending audits: We constantly review our spending to eliminate anything that doesn’t bring us joy or value.

Staying Debt-Savvy

We’ve always avoided high-interest debt. The only debt we carry is $1.69 million in low-interest mortgages on our six properties. This debt is a tool, not a burden, as it allows us to have our real estate portfolio and build wealth while minimizing interest cost.

Consistency is the Secret Sauce

Leveraging Tools and Social Media

The Road Ahead

To anyone looking to achieve similar results, my advice is simple: create a plan, stick to it, and stay consistent. Small, disciplined actions really do add up to big wins over time.

How Align Money Mastery Can Help You Achieve This Too

We offer EVERYONE a Free 30-Minute Financial Audit, a meeting with Align Coaches that will give you clarity on your current financial situation and how we can help. Click the link HERE to book one or go to calendly.com/alignmoneymastery/intro to find out how.

2025 is starting in TWO DAYS- Hard to believe. If you want 2025 to be different for you financially, you must change something. The same habits, spending, income, and lack of intentionality will bring you to the very same place you are right now.

If you want to make $1 Million Dollars in two years, or have a different money goal, why not start now? It's as easy as deciding to do so- 3..2..1..... Go.

We Made $1,000,000 In Two Years. Here’s How We Did It.

We Made $1 Million Dollars in the Last 24 Months. Here's How We Did It.

We believe that society has made money "Taboo", "Uncouth" or not proper to talk about freely- and that does our society a disservice when people spend the majority of their lives trying to make money.

We believe that it is not difficult to build wealth and make millions of dollars in a lifetime- and that it is intentionally being made more difficult to understand by "financial advisors", "wealth managers", and the Media. Also- the amount of financial related scams in our culture are alarming.

We believe that if people are to trust us with teaching them what we know- we need to be radically transparent in order to build validity. We need to show that we are not only practicing what we preach- but also that it creates results.

The Purpose of this article is to reveal exactly how we made $1,000,000 in 24 months- for all of the above reasons.

Defining Net Worth

Diversified Income Streams

We understood early on that relying on a single source of income wouldn’t be enough to achieve our ambitious goals. Over the past 24 months, our income came from multiple sources:

Passive income: We generated $80,033.36 from our taxable brokerage account investments.

Rental properties: Owning five rental properties brought in $90,140.36 in rental income.

Consulting work: I worked as a consultant for a few real estate brokerages in Jacksonville, earning $9,250.

Cashback rewards: We made an additional $4,085.46 simply by maximizing credit card cashback.

Our business: In January 2023, we launched Align Money Mastery, a personal finance coaching business. It has grown to generate $60,000 annually, adding $42,618.31 to our income in the past two years.

On top of this, we received one-time windfalls, which slightly contributed to overall growth: a $10,000 inheritance, a $3,000 tax refund, and $7,008 from selling a car.

Growth from 2023 to 2024

A Focus on Strategic Investing

While our income was diverse, how we managed it was equally important. Our investment strategy shifted dramatically over the past two years to align with our goal of early retirement by 40.

Dividend-focused investments: We moved aggressively into dividend-producing investments, allocating 70% of our stock portfolio to income-generating assets and the remaining 30% to growth-oriented low-cost index funds. This strategy not only increased our passive income but also provided stability.

Real estate investments: We own six properties: five rentals and our primary home. While we didn’t purchase new properties in the last 24 months, the decision to buy when mortgage rates were near zero in 2020 continues to pay off.

The stock market’s rise: Although we don’t try to time the market by buying and selling to create profit, the last two years have been favorable for stocks. This historical growth further boosted our net worth.

Relentless Budgeting and Expense Management

We believe that every dollar has a job, and we work hard to ensure none of ours go to waste. Here are the practices that kept us on track:

Zero-based budgeting: Every dollar we earn is allocated—either toward investments, savings, or necessary expenses.

Automation: We automate everything, from bill payments to credit card autopay. With six mortgages and numerous other expenses, this system keeps us organized and stress-free.

Spending audits: We constantly review our spending to eliminate anything that doesn’t bring us joy or value.

Staying Debt-Savvy

We’ve always avoided high-interest debt. The only debt we carry is $1.69 million in low-interest mortgages on our six properties. This debt is a tool, not a burden, as it allows us to have our real estate portfolio and build wealth while minimizing interest cost.

Consistency is the Secret Sauce

Leveraging Tools and Social Media

The Road Ahead

To anyone looking to achieve similar results, my advice is simple: create a plan, stick to it, and stay consistent. Small, disciplined actions really do add up to big wins over time.

How Align Money Mastery Can Help You Achieve This Too

We offer EVERYONE a Free 30-Minute Financial Audit, a meeting with Align Coaches that will give you clarity on your current financial situation and how we can help. Click the link HERE to book one or go to calendly.com/alignmoneymastery/intro to find out how.

2025 is starting in TWO DAYS- Hard to believe. If you want 2025 to be different for you financially, you must change something. The same habits, spending, income, and lack of intentionality will bring you to the very same place you are right now.

If you want to make $1 Million Dollars in two years, or have a different money goal, why not start now? It's as easy as deciding to do so- 3..2..1..... Go.

Step 1- How to Build Wealth in 2025 🚀