The Dreamer’s Path to FI | Diego Corzo

In today's episode, Cody and Justin are joined by Diego Corzo from House Hacking Club. His story is incredible and highlights why so many view America as the land of opportunity. Diego didn't even know he was undocumented until he attempts to get a drivers license. He faced a ton of obstacles but never stopped trying. Some luck and hard work meant he ended up qualifying for the Defense Action on Childhood Arrivals and DREAMER acts. Now Diego is living a successful life, spreading his story through places like TED talks...and yes paying a healthy sum of taxes. So go take a listen, leave that 5-star review and give us some feedback! Episode Summary Diego's family came to the United States on a VISA but it lapsed and left Diego here undocumented as a child He didn't even realize it until he started trying to apply for a drivers license and didn't have all the necessary paperwork He hits more roadblocks when he looks to college Eventually, he would get into Florida State University He could make money to help pay for college by building and selling study guides to fellow students or building websites Things seemed to be going Diego's way until he realized he couldn't actually work for anyone in his current status Then came the DACA and DREAMER programs under the Obama administration This gave Diego a chance to work and be as successful as any other kid raised in America He wasn't satisfied with the status quo though Diego came across the Book: Rich Dad, Poor Dad and it changed his whole view on life From then on, he knew his focus was to have assets and make his money work for him and not the other way This led to the first of many house hacks and his entry into real estate He actually bought his first home at age 23 After three years he quit his full-time job as a software developer and now owns a plethora of properties Diego is now a Realtor in Austin, TX and continues to grow his rental property empire   Key Takeaways Someone has it worse: This one just jumped out at me. I always think about how life was different if I had a better start and then you see people who started so far behind those who we'd consider at the back. But he still succeeded. Headlines are people: Man, when we see talking heads on TV, regardless of what side you're on, it's so easy to forget that things are complicated and that these are real people who are impacted greatly by the decisions and laws we're considering. Your message is important: If I was Diego, I'd be terrified to tell my story from worrying about what might happen to my family but he realized he could inspire so many people. It's not even about having a great story. Your story will be more relatable to some person than any other story they could hear. So tell it. Call to Action Imagine a young Diego scenario. No one can hire you but you need a job. What skills can take advantage of, what creative money making opportunities are you prepared for in case someone else isn't around to hire you. Join the Community We’d love to hear your comments and questions about this week’s episode. Here are some of the best ways to stay in touch and get involved in The FI Show community! Sign up for our exclusive newsletter Join our Facebook Group Leave us a voicemail Send an email to contact [at] TheFIshow [dot] com If you like what you hear, please leave a rating/review! The FI show on iTunes The FI show on Android   Learn More About Diego! House Hacking Club More in-depth look at Diego Diego's TED Talk Contact Diego: Twitter Facebook Email Learn More About Your Hosts: Fly to FI (Cody’s Blog) Saving-Sherpa (Justin’s blog)