Category: The Interview Series (Written Interviews)

Posted on

EP 3: Chris Mamula: One Bite at a Time

Today I’m excited to bring you an interview with writer and outdoor enthusiast Chris Mamula. Chris is a well-known figure in the personal finance community, particularly the Financial Independence community.

Chris worked as a physical therapist before achieving financial independence and leaving his career in 2017 at age 41. Shortly thereafter, Chris—along with his wife and daughter—moved across the country from Pennsylvania to Ogden, UT, where they now reside.

While Chris and his family yearned for an adventurous life out west, he’s been candid about the challenges of changing too much too soon. We discuss those challenges and how he’s worked through them. We also discuss financial and lifestyle choices that are unique to the outdoor community. Finally, we address the importance of options and flexibility for an unknown future.

Plus much more!

Continue reading “EP 3: Chris Mamula: One Bite at a Time”
Posted on

EP 1 🎙: Mike Tritt: Rocking in the Free World

Today I’m very happy to bring you a live, in-the-flesh interview with Mike Tritt, a Denver-based climber who achieved financial independence and retired from his mechanical engineering job at age 35.

Mike now climbs full-time and supports his fiancée Suzanna in her career, which she has chosen to continue pursuing. In this interview we discuss how Mike juggled climbing with a career and then walked away from mandatory work in his 30s. We address how Mike is striking a balance between a home-based relationship and the desire for long trips on the road. Finally, we take on the subject of purpose in life without traditional work. Plus, so much more!

Continue reading “EP 1 🎙: Mike Tritt: Rocking in the Free World”
Posted on

Steven Dimmitt: Taking the Big Leap

Helloooo friends, and welcome to Clipping Chains. This is your host Mr. CC. Wait…does that sound familiar? If so, you—like me—might find yourself listening to a lot of climbing’s refreshing new podcast: The Nugget Climbing Podcast, by Steven Dimmitt.

Today, we’re flipping the mic, so to speak. Steven shares with us how he decided to leave his traditional job as an engineer, move into a van, and start a podcast about life and climbing. He is cultivating a livable income from a product often given away for free. Most importantly, we discuss how Steven is honing a craft that simply cannot be ignored.

It begs the questions: What does it take to make this a repeatable path?

Continue reading “Steven Dimmitt: Taking the Big Leap”
Posted on

Eliza Marsh: We Can Make This Happen

Good morning. My ankle is doing much better. Sorry to alarm some of you with last week’s post. The photo was bad, but I’m fairly certain it’s only a sprain. Much more importantly, this week I want to welcome Eliza Marsh.

In this week’s interview, we discuss how Eliza has balanced a career with extended travel, and some of her unexpected surprises of life on the road. We examine how she manages full-time remote work, and how she recently stumbled on a new and exciting path towards saving for financial independence, which she rightfully recognizes as a great privilege. Perhaps most importantly, we’ll see how Eliza has completely reframed her mindset around money, her future, and how she plans to use this great gift of financial freedom.

Continue reading “Eliza Marsh: We Can Make This Happen”
Posted on

The Frugal Professor: Let’s Get Deep in the Weeds

Frugal Professor Interview

Alrighty, folks. This week I’m pleased to bring you a low-down-and-dirty financial deep dive with climber, writer, father of five, and lover of personal finance: The Frugal Professor. In this interview, we hold our breath and plunge into complex issues surrounding actually spending all this money we save for periods of no traditional income, meanwhile navigating the treacherous, shark-infested waters of the US healthcare system.

I’ve always said that saving and generating wealth is shockingly simple once some key concepts are understood, implemented, and doggedly followed, through thick and thin. And I’m sticking to my story.

What is not so straight-forward, however, is threading a very fine needle on living off the money we’ve saved. In a period of no traditional income⏤call it “retirement” if you want⏤we shouldn’t be just selling shares and calling it a day. We have to optimize healthcare spending, minimize taxes, and avoid early withdrawal fees and penalties meant for a much more traditional retirement.

But with a little planning, it ain’t no thang.

Let’s roll up our sleeves with the Frugal Professor and get a little dirty, shall we?

Continue reading “The Frugal Professor: Let’s Get Deep in the Weeds”
Posted on

Lee Cujes: Super Psyched on the Long Game

Lee Cujes: Super Psyched on the Long Game

This week I’m thrilled to bring you an interview with a pinch of international spice and flavor. Please welcome to the site, the legendary Australian climber Lee Cujes.

In this interview we take a hard look at the long-term aspects of finding a balance on career, lifestyle, relationships, nails-hard climbing, and future prosperity. Lee graciously shares with us how he was able to carve a career niche while climbing at an elite level, how he and his wife Sam made the big move out of the city to a small climbing mecca in the Blue Mountains, and how Lee has used the same, boring and lazy-ass methods of passive investing to build an enduring path to financial freedom. And during some of his darkest days, Lee and Sam embarked on an incredible global climbing trip. Yeah, let’s discuss that too.

Shall we?

Continue reading “Lee Cujes: Super Psyched on the Long Game”
Posted on

Mike Personick: Dirtbag Entrepreneur

Mike Personick Interview

Two interviews in a row?! Why the hell not? This week I am exceptionally pleased to bring you this thought-provoking interview with Mike Personick. Mike is a 5.14 rock climber, husband, dad, and former business owner. And now, like me, Mike is living the financially independent rock climber life.

In this interview we delve into the early days of Mike’s climbing in tandem with a remote job. We learn how Mike managed to become a nails-hard climber while simultaneously honing a craft that led to a breakout business, and in time, a lucrative buyout. We hear Mike’s fascinating story of meeting his future wife and traveling in Europe for a year, eventually adding a third human to the equation. Perhaps most importantly, we discuss the simple investing methods that can build financial freedom for us all, as well as the psychological challenges that can topple any kingdom.

Read this one all the way to the end. Mike delivers.

Continue reading “Mike Personick: Dirtbag Entrepreneur”
Posted on

Becky Switzer: The Powerful Pragmatist

Becky Switzer Interview

Becky Switzer is a Bozeman, Montana-based climber and strong advocate for education, both in climbing and in the world at large. She draws great strength from surrounding herself with like-minded females. Yet, in the end, she’s a climber, not a female climber. Becky has taken a pragmatic stance to building the climbing life, recognizing when relationships aren’t working, dream jobs don’t pay, and when vans make for a less-than-ideal daily driver, among other things.

In this interview, we discuss using training and climbing as an emotional outlet, the transition to becoming a sponsored athlete (and the reasons for doing so), a real-life and hard look at the van life movement, and even the nature of privilege in climbing. Relevant to the times, we discuss the vast shift in population, demographics, and way of life in small mountain towns like Bozeman. And of course, once and for all, we lay to rest the controversy of secret crags 😉 .

Continue reading “Becky Switzer: The Powerful Pragmatist”
Proudly powered by WordPress