Omar Zenhom realized at 22 that a paycheck makes you vulnerable. He watched friends with big houses and luxury cars end up in modest apartments after layoffs. Real wealth isn't what you earn, it's what you keep when the job disappears.
When I was 22 years old, I had a realization that changed the entire direction of my life. If I was relying on someone else to pay me, I was not in control of my financial future. Full stop. It doesn't matter how hard you work. It doesn't matter how valuable you think you are. It doesn't matter how much you think you deserve. If the company decides they don't need you anymore, it's over. I know people personally, friends, family members who are high earners. They were living in 5-bedroom homes with 3-car garages with BMWs in the driveway. Then the economy shifted. They got let go from their jobs and within a year or so, they were living in a 2-bedroom apartment paycheck to paycheck. This is not wealth. That is high income with no foundation under it. It could be shaken at any point.
