JG in Hangzhou
Dryer sheet wannabe
Welcome to my mind:
In 2009 shortly after my daughter was born, and having moved to Hangzhou, China, and getting my wife to quit her 6 figure job, I left my 6 figure management career, taking a generous severance package, and retired.
Or so I thought.
Live well in China, raise my daughter. Let our money in the US grow.
Well we did need money to live here, so I opened a consulting business, after about a year. It was really to secure our own VISAs and cover living expenses.
Consulting was ok, but feast or famine jobs. Then a neighbor asked me to do some small English classes for their kids. The school grew slowly but consistently as the consulting ebbed and swelled. My wife and I even opened a second larger school for a time.
This year the school + consulting is set to clear over $100K USD. I teach about 24-30 hours a week for 34 weeks a year. I spend another 4-5 hours a week on school business, more if I want.
I drop my daughter off at school everyday and pick her up in the afternoon.
I have a few good employees. But the school is relatively head-ache free now.
Investments in the US are $1.8M 50% in retirement 40% in Market Index funds and 10% in cash. Another 200K in home equity for a rental in Maine.
Working on some educational software/books but not sure how to move to publishing.
In my mind, I'm retired. No more factories, no meetings, no performance reviews, no layoff strategy or budget meetings. No US taxable income. Off the Grid.
But in reality, I guess I am still putting in 3/4 time hours at the school.
The real work left is to hire a teacher and school manager to replace me.
But then what to do?
Going to hit 50 soon. So I figure I could keep the school running for another 15 years, with the right help.
But family matters in the US and New Zealand are always pulling us and soon I hope to send my daughter to the US for Middle School.
Hope that's enough of an intro to get started.
In 2009 shortly after my daughter was born, and having moved to Hangzhou, China, and getting my wife to quit her 6 figure job, I left my 6 figure management career, taking a generous severance package, and retired.
Or so I thought.
Live well in China, raise my daughter. Let our money in the US grow.
Well we did need money to live here, so I opened a consulting business, after about a year. It was really to secure our own VISAs and cover living expenses.
Consulting was ok, but feast or famine jobs. Then a neighbor asked me to do some small English classes for their kids. The school grew slowly but consistently as the consulting ebbed and swelled. My wife and I even opened a second larger school for a time.
This year the school + consulting is set to clear over $100K USD. I teach about 24-30 hours a week for 34 weeks a year. I spend another 4-5 hours a week on school business, more if I want.
I drop my daughter off at school everyday and pick her up in the afternoon.
I have a few good employees. But the school is relatively head-ache free now.
Investments in the US are $1.8M 50% in retirement 40% in Market Index funds and 10% in cash. Another 200K in home equity for a rental in Maine.
Working on some educational software/books but not sure how to move to publishing.
In my mind, I'm retired. No more factories, no meetings, no performance reviews, no layoff strategy or budget meetings. No US taxable income. Off the Grid.
But in reality, I guess I am still putting in 3/4 time hours at the school.
The real work left is to hire a teacher and school manager to replace me.
But then what to do?
Going to hit 50 soon. So I figure I could keep the school running for another 15 years, with the right help.
But family matters in the US and New Zealand are always pulling us and soon I hope to send my daughter to the US for Middle School.
Hope that's enough of an intro to get started.
