Sam Dogen stands as the visionary force behind Financial Samurai, a powerhouse in the realm of personal finance blogging since its inception in 2009. With an impressive track record, the site has drawn in over 100 million individuals eager to explore the secrets of achieving financial freedom sooner rather than later.
Sam is not just a founder but a pioneer in the modern FIRE movement (Financial Independence Retire Early). After writing how he planned to quit his investment banking job in 2009, he made it happen by negotiating a severance in March 2012.
Today, Financial Samurai commands a monthly viewership of about 1 million page views with countless viral hits based on real-life experiences. The reader demographic is considered mass affluent, with a median household income of $150,000, a median net worth of $500,000, and are mostly college-educated.
If interested, read more about Financial Samurai's reader demographic here. His contact information is below.
Sam Dogen's Diverse Background
Rooted in Taiwanese and Hawaiian heritage, Sam's diverse background began in Manila, Philippines, where he was born to two U.S. foreign service officers. From there, he traversed the globe, living in Lusaka, Zambia, Kobe, Japan, Taipei, Taiwan, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, before making his way to the United States for high school.
While attending his public high school, Sam worked at McDonald's for $4/hour, toiling over a hot stove and enduring constant yelling from his power-tripping boss. Recognizing his family's financial constraints, Sam opted to enroll at The College of William & Mary, a public institution, to save money. He knew that if he graduated without securing a job, he could always return to work at McDonald's to repay the affordable tuition.
Sam's frugal nature motivated him to pursue his MBA part-time at UC Berkeley over three years, all while juggling a demanding schedule of over 60 hours a week. His employer extended an offer to cover his tuition on the condition that he committed to working for them for two years following graduation. So he figured why not grind it out.
Sam Dogen's Relevant Work Experience In Finance
Professionally, Sam's journey includes working at Goldman Sachs from 1999 to 2001, followed by tenure at Credit Suisse from 2001 to 2012, where he served as an Executive Director in Asian Equities.
After retiring, he explored various ventures, including consulting at startups and providing over 500 rides as a driver for Uber. Earning close to minimum wage once more prompted him to listen to the stories of his many passengers who were striving to make ends meet in the expensive Bay Area.
Beyond the financial world, Sam unwinds with a passion for tennis, pickleball, and poker. Sam, a devoted father of two, ages four and six, brings a wealth of experiences to his dynamic life. He is currently based in San Francisco, California, where he has resided since 2001.
Sam's core motto: Never fail due to a lack of effort because effort requires no skill.
Financial Samurai Print Press Mentions
Financial Samurai is regularly hailed in the media as a reliable authority on early retirement, wealth creation, investing, and real estate. Sam is often asked by top media publications for advice about various money-related topics. After publication, these posts tend to be syndicated on Yahoo, MSN, and many other platforms.
Never Quit Your Job, Do This Instead (August 4, 2024) – One of the main rules of FIRE I proposed in 2012 was to always try and negotiate a severance package instead of quit. Because if you're going to quit anyway, you might as well try and walk away with money in your pocket.
An Early Retiree With $380,000 In Passive Income Went Back To Work (August 2, 2024) – Covered my experience and why I could only last for 4 months in this part-time consulting role.
A financially independent couple with 2 kids shares how they both retired by 35 and haven't returned to the office since (Business Insider, June 13, 2024) – Sharing our FIRE origin story.
What makes a good severance package? (Fast Company Premium, June 5, 2024) – As a severance negotiation expert who wrote the book on how to negotiate a severance, I offer my insights.
Your Neighbors Are Retiring In Their 30s. Why Can't You? (NY Times Magazine, May 12, 2024) – As the pioneer of the modern-day FIRE movement, I share my thoughts on Fat FIRE and raising a family in an expensive city like San Francisco.
Finance Experts Explains The Importance Of Sticking To The One Tenth Rule For Car Buying (Daily Mail, May 10, 2024) – Back in 2009, I created the #1 car-buying rule to follow. It has since helped hundreds of thousands of people spend more wisely on a depreciating asset.
This retirement strategy is ‘delusional thinking,' says multimillionaire who retired at 34 (CNBC, Feb 15, 2024) – I discuss why Coast FIRE is one of the most dangerous early retirement strategies to follow.
Your best option to make more passive income while you sleep (CNBC, Feb 5, 2024) – Sharing my advice so that more people can start making more passive income to one day break free from the corporate grind.
Rare Books Are A Hot Collectible. Here's How To Get Started (WSJ, Jan 2, 2024) – As a collector since the 1990s with a collection of memorabilia worth over $500,000, I share my thoughts.
‘Fleishman Is In Trouble' And The Angst Of The Striving Upper Class (NYT, Jan 20, 2023) – A mention about how high income households are just scraping by.
For Every Vacation Home Fantasy, There's A Harsh Financial Reality (WSJ, Sep 12, 2022) – My thoughts on why buying a vacation home is a bad investment.
The press also sometimes writes profile features on Sam Dogen whenever he makes big decisions around FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early).
Early Retiree With $380,000 Heads Back To Work (CNBC, Feb 3, 2024)
My Family Of Four Can't Comfortably Live On $230,000 (NY Post, January 27, 2024)
Bought A Bigger House And Feel Some Buyer's Remorse (Business Insider, Feb 2, 2024)
FIRE Movement Pioneer Who Retired At Age 34 Is Returning To Work To Pay For Kid's College (Fortune, April 9, 2023)
Video Media Interviews With Sam Dogen, Financial Samurai
After the successful publication of his bestseller, “Buy This Not That,” Sam chose to step into the public sphere and engage in media interviews. Amidst the peak of the COVID pandemic, Sam found himself disheartened by the surge of Asian hate. His disappointment was compounded by personal experiences of discrimination in the online world since 2009, and as a high schooler and college student growing up in Virginia.
As a father of two, Sam wishes for a world full of love, peace, and understanding for everyone. After empowering millions to take control of their lives since 2009, he decided to increase his public presence, aiming to foster respect and understanding for the Asian American community.
Conversation About The Dangers Of Coast FIRE, A Sub-type of Traditional FIRE
Marie Forleo YouTube Interview
The Financial Independence Show
Sam also does the occasional live TV interview as well about personal finance topics. Here's a quick video of Sam talking to Nichole Berlie, anchor of News Nation about inflation and the rising cost of living the “American Dream.” The interview came about after Sam published his raw viral post entitled, “Blew Up My Passive Income: No Longer Financially Independent.”
Bestselling Author Of Two Books
Buy This, Not That: How To Spend Your Way To Wealth And Freedom – An instant Wall Street Journal bestseller, published by Portfolio Penguin, a top non-fiction imprint from the largest publisher in the world. BTNT helps readers think in probabilities, not absolutes in order to make the most optimal financial and life decisions possible.
Due to the success of Buy This Not That, Sam will be writing two more books for Portfolio Penguin. His next book is out Spring 2025 entitled, Million Milestones: Simple Steps To Seven Figures. His third book will likely be out in 2027.
How To Engineer Your Layoff: Make A Small Fortune By Saying Goodbye – The #1 ebook that teaches readers how to negotiating a severance package and break free from a job they hate. HTEYL has sold over $600,000 worth of copies since it was first published in 2012. The book is now in its sixth edition.
Negotiating a severance package instead of quitting is the second rule of FIRE. If you plan to quit your job and retire early, you might as well try to walk away with money in your pocket. There is no downside.
The Financial Samurai Podcast
The Financial Samurai podcast (Apple, Spotify) took flight in 2017 with the aim of delivering nuanced content to its millions of readers. Additionally, the podcast serves as a historical recording for Sam's children, offering insight into their parents' thoughts and perspectives as they grow older.
Commencing in 2023, Sam made the decision to broaden the podcast's scope beyond solo episodes and interviews, introducing conversations with intriguing individuals in his field. The following are some examples of his favorite interviews.
Shaun Livingston, 4-Time NBA Champion Point Guard With The GS Warriors
Mike Ketchmark, Trial Attorney That Busted The National Association Of Realtors For Collusion
Jamie Fiore Higgins, Leaving Goldman Sachs After Making MD
Opportunities To Work With Sam Dogen
Sam is open to the following opportunities:
- Spokesperson
- Brand ambassador
- Speaker at private events or conferences
Sam only works with products and companies that are a great fit. Sam's main goal is to help people save money, make money, and gain the financial courage to live their ideal lives.
If you're interested in working with a diverse individual who has the expertise and real-life experience, contact Sam by:
E-mail: sam AT financialsamurai DOT com or financialsamurai AT gmail DOT com
or
Leave a comment in any of the over 2,500 posts Sam has published on Financial Samurai since 2009. He reads them all and will respond if necessary.
To your financial freedom!
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