Make It Contributors
A 67-year-old who ‘un-retired’ shares the biggest retirement challenge ‘that no one talks about’
In 2007, at age 52, I was forced to retire overnight. An MRI had revealed a tumor, the size of a large eggplant, sitting on my pelvis. In 98% of these cases, my oncologist told me, bone tumors are secondary cancer. He estimated that I had about six months to live. But after two successful […]
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I talked to 70 parents who raised highly successful kids—here are the 4 hard parenting rules that make them different
What is a parent’s role in raising smart, confident and successful children? What matters? What doesn’t? Though I am the mother of two happy and driven entrepreneurial sons, these are questions I never thought to ask. Looking back, I would have loved to have read stories about how entrepreneurs had grown up — not just […]
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This 52-year-old early retiree left the U.S. for Portugal with his family—and spends $2,450 a month: ‘We cut our expenses by 50%’
In 2011, at 41-years-old, I retired early from my six-figure career in law. My wife joined me in retirement four years later after quitting her job as a nurse. By the time she retired in 2015, our portfolio of high-yielding stocks and mutual funds paid roughly $130,000 a year in dividends, which covered most of our living expenses in […]
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‘I work just 2 hours a day’: A 24-year-old who makes $8,000 a month in passive income shares her best business advice
Like millions of Americans, I found myself out of work during the pandemic. At first, I was laid off from my waitressing job. Then I began working for myself as an online fitness coach, but running the business required 10-hour workdays and I was only making $1,000 to $2,000 a month. So in July 2021, […]
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‘I might have to sleep in my crappy car’: Self-made millionaire Bethenny Frankel shares the mindsets that helped her achieve success
Some people can move back in with mom and dad if they have to, or at a minimum, crash on their aunt or sister’s couch until they get their priorities in order. That provides a cushion. But that was never a possibility for me. I didn’t have a strong support system growing up. I always […]
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6 things this immunologist does every night to sleep better and boost her immune system: ‘Exercising isn’t enough’
More than two years after the emergence of a pandemic, we’re still struggling with outbreaks of Covid-19 — and that means building and maintaining a strong immune system should be a top priority. As an immunologist and functional medicine doctor, I always remind my patients that while genetics, diet and exercise all play a role […]
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A Harvard nutritionist and brain expert avoids these 5 types of foods that can make you ‘tired and stressed’
While many conscientious eaters think constantly about the food we’re eating — how it will affect our hearts, the environment and most of all, our waistlines — we rarely think about its impact on our brains, mood and energy levels. But the gut and the brain are in constant two-way communication, and the health of […]
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‘I made $245,000 in a month’: This 29-year-old got rejected from 15 medical schools—now he runs a $1.5 million business
In 2014, I was fresh out of college and thought I had my life all planned out: Go to medical school, get a six-figure job as a doctor, and make my parents proud. None of that worked out. I realized I hated blood and needles, and got rejected from more than 15 medical schools. My […]
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This 29-year-old left the U.S. for Budapest. Now he makes $120,000 — and lives in an $800-per-month apartment
In 2014, I had a life-changing wake-up call: I survived an opioid overdose that put me in the intensive care unit. Hitting rock bottom made me realize how lucky I am to be alive. I spent some time in my hometown, Memphis, to focus on my recovery and staying sober. Once I felt stable, I […]
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This 35-year-old turned her side hustle into a $141 million company—here’s the 5-step business plan she used
In 2014, I walked away from my $35,000-per-year job in insurance sales to grow my e-commerce side hustle with my husband Chris. We had been experimenting with selling clothes and accessories on online marketplaces, including eBay and Facebook. Our online community of friends and customers quickly grew from a few hundred members to over 10,000 […]
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