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Afford Anything · July 24, 2026 · 1h 14m

He Tried 30+ Side Hustles Before 3 Actually Paid Off, with Cody Berman

Cody Berman
Show Notes

Cody Berman failed at more than 30 side hustles—from a disc golf manufacturing company to biking Uber Eats in the Australian heat—before three of them got him to financial independence at 25. He contrasts the nest-egg approach to FI with cash-flow strategies, shares a four-type framework for any side hustle, and explains why the gap between earning and spending matters more than investment returns. The conversation covers how to calculate real rental cash flow, how skills from failed hustles become 'future currency,' and why AI tools make those who execute even stronger.

This summary was generated from show notes and public descriptions, not from a full transcript review. Details may contain inaccuracies.

Highlights

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Two paths to FI: nest‑egg vs. cash‑flow00:03:27
Cody distinguishes the traditional ‘big pile of money’ FI strategy from building cash‑flowing assets that deliver regular income.
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Four side hustle types framework00:14:56
Cody sorts any side hustle into one of four buckets—service, product, digital, or hybrid—based on time and scalability.
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Real rental cash flow is more than rent minus mortgage
Cody warns that true cash flow must account for vacancy, repairs, capex, property management, and other hidden costs.
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The gap between earning and spending matters more than investment returns00:52:36
Cody argues that your savings rate—the margin between income and expenses—has a far larger impact on FI speed than chasing a few extra percentage points of return.
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Skills from failed side hustles become future currency00:44:20
Even a venture that loses money can teach marketing, sales, or operational skills that pay off in later pursuits.
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AI makes doers stronger00:45:33
Cody contends that artificial intelligence tools disproportionately advantage people who already execute, widening the gap between action‑takers and passive observers.
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References

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Retire by 30 — Cody Berman — Cody's book on achieving financial independence

Misc

✧Cody biked Uber Eats deliveries in the heat in Australia.
✧Valentine's Day printables turned out to be a profitable digital product.
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