Hi Ripsters,
Today is the day I unveil my face, and launch my first service 🙂
It’s almost 5 years I’m writing on this blog, and I’ve been hiding behind the Mr. RIP pseudonym.
I will continue to call myself Mr. RIP, but from now on you can also call me Giorgio 🙂
“RIP, ahem… Giorgio, why are you doing this?”
You can keep calling me RIP, I actually prefer being called RIP on my blog 🙂
Anyway, few months ago I got mentioned a couple of times by an Italian Youtuber, Marcello Ascani, who also invited me to record a video together. I was already thinking about “going public” so I replied “Why not?”
It took several months of Covid induced procrastination but finally we met in Zurich at the end of January 2021 and recorded the video that Marcello published today on his channel:
“Yeah, but why were you – according to your own words – ‘already thinking about going public’?”
I don’t hide that I want to launch products and services connected to my blog (first one announced few paragraphs below, keep reading). I would like to monetize my blog in the most ethical way possible. Please, also check the Transparency page about my intentions and ethical principles.
I think if I’m going to offer services and products, you have the right to know who you are sending your money to.
Plus, my “secret” identity was already a joke. Everybody knew it, people started adding me on LinkedIn thanks to the spare information I disseminated on my blog… I didn’t hide myself very well 🙂
Of course I’m scared as fuck!
I removed hints about my exact domicile, I removed sources of potential (annoying) legal issue with Italian Fake Gurus, and I’m not comfortable knowing that my neighbors could Google my name and find out my Net Worth.
But we’re in Switzerland! If you break in a random house you’re more likely to find valuable stuff than at my place. If you kidnap a random kid you’re more likely to find richer parents than us…
I remember the first proverb I was told when I arrived here in 2012:
What would you do if you woke up and discover you have 1 million in the bank?
Nothing, there’s no shame in being poor in Switzerland.
Funnily enough, I’ve spent the following 6 years trying to become that poor person 🙂
This relieves me.
Probably, if we move back to Italy I’ll take a lot of valuable information down, especially about Net Worth and Income. It would kind of kill the blog, I guess.
“RIP, you didn’t give us the full picture though. Giorgio… what? What’s your last name?”
Oh, come on. Even my dog found me on LinkedIn – and I don’t have a dog. Put some effort, please.
“Right, I found you! So in the end Hooli…”
Yep, wasn’t it obvious?
Hooli = Google
You got me! 🙂
You can also find me on Google Maps 😀
“Haha awesome… anyway, you said you’re launching a service. What is it about?”
Sure 🙂
I’m launching Mock Software Interview Package, which is a 90 minutes 1:1 video call with me during which I will conduct a mock tech interview – as if you were being interviewed for a Software Engineer position at a FAANG company.
I will disclose my interview feedback with you, and help you develop a strategy to increase the chances to get a job at a dream company 🙂
Check the service page for more info, FAQ, booking an appointment, pricing etc.
“Dream Company? Didn’t you fall into burnout/depression/de-passion after few years working for a ‘dream company’?”
Sure, well… I wouldn’t call 7.5 years “few” btw.
But as I said so many times, I still think almost everyone working in IT would benefit a lot from a job experience in a large tech company. I could talk about that for hours: a lot of money, smart colleagues, awesome tools, a lot of money, impactful projects, prestige, a lot of money, unlimited internal career growth, unlimited external career opportunities, and… did I already say “a lot of money”?
My story is a bit bitter, but it’s just a story. I know many people who are happy and wealthy at Google or in other Large Tech companies.
I ended up joining Google at age 35, very late. Already a bit de-passionate from previous experiences, with a skillset not easily adaptable to web development (I fell in love with low level C++ videogame development), with a family to build and nurture, with some unlucky career moves along the way: I stayed too long in my original team, I should have changed team earlier, I should have quit the company way earlier and tried something different.
But my first 3 years at G. were awesome, even considering all the things above! I’d recommend this experience to everyone.
Unless you already have a lot of money, a few business ideas, and a strong desire to become an entrepreneur today, I think you can benefit a lot from an experience in a large tech company 😉
“Wait… isn’t this a blog about Personal Finance, Financial Independence… why do you want us to GET a job? We want to GET RID of jobs!”
Haha good point!
Well, if you’re already at a stage in your life where you need to get rid of a job… then maybe you shouldn’t even try to get a FAANG job. Prioritize your health, these jobs are very demanding.
But if you’re a passionate person who’s not already counting the days until retirement, well, maybe you should know that a FAANG job is the safest guaranteed path to FIRE.
Of course you can reach FI faster if you go the entrepreneur route, but the FAANG path is the less bumpy one, with guaranteed success in less than 10 years.
Just don’t get this job with FIRE in mind. Forget about it. Get this job and try to have fun.
Meanwhile, don’t inflate your lifestyle, save and invest 50+% of your salary and let the compounding magic work for you 🙂
Worst case, even after just 2-3 years you’ll have accumulated few hundreds thousands green soldiers fighting on your side.
Want to work for another company? Affirmative!
Want to launch your own startup? Roger! Deploy the troops!
Want to take a break? Copy that!
Want to retire?? Mayday Mayday they’re killing us! 😀
So… start early, at least a decade earlier than me, ideally in your early 20s. Fast track your accumulation phase, reach FI by 30, and then you’ll be unstoppable!
That’s all for today!
Sei un figo Giorgio! Ho visto il video di Marcello ed erano anni che non apprezzavo un intervistato come mi è capitato con te! Complimenti vivissimi! Sei l’antidoto per eccellenza ad ogni Fuffa Guru veleno!
Grazie Andrea! Viva il FIRE, abbasso il fuffFIRE 🙂
Hi Rip, we have been waiting for this moment!
I am not going to book an appointment for the mock software interview because I am a Mechanical Engineer working in a very different field but I will keep an eye on Career and personal finance coaching. Good luck for these new paths on the blog!
Matteo
Thanks 🙂
Congrats on your coming out and an other well written article..
Can we expect more articles about your lifestyle later? Being FIREd myself, I am interested to hear more about real experiences after RE, especially the psychology related to work.
Personally I don’t hide the fact I RE but I hide my wealth, because it created a lot of jealousy, especially when I was FI and still working. Sometimes I just say I am on a mini retirement, when poor people ask me.
Thanks!
Well, I’m not RE yet… not even close while we live in Switzerland.
Hey RIP,
a fellow Italian here, but living in Germany (since birth). I already knew you a bit and I really like the insights on your financials. Very motivating and inspiring! I really enjoyed your interview with Marcello since I’m in a similar situation as yourself before applying for Google. I’m 35 now and I’m realizing that the company I’m working for will not offer me the opportunities I hoped to find here when I started 3 years ago. Thus, I’m searching for an opportunity I’m really passionate about: investing. Unfortunately I have no working experience in the field of equities, however, I have a master’s degree in finance and after graduating I used to work for a Big 4 company for a couple of years. Let’s see if I will be able to start a new career, although beeing that ‘old’.
So congrats for your new career path as a non-anonymous self-employed. I’m sure you will do fine.
I would be happy seeing more of you on Youtube since you are an experienced personal finance blogger. Maybe starting an Italian Youtube-channel? In my opinion the Italian personal finance scene is pretty underdeveloped, at least compared to English-speaking and even German-speaking channels. Marcello is a very talented Youtuber, however, his topics lie more on travelling and life style. (And yes, I would do it myself if my proficiency in the Italian language would exceed that of a 15 years old 🙂 )
Saluti dalla Germania!
Thanks!
Maybe I was misinterpreted: I’m not a Self-Employed person yet 🙂
Well, at the moment I’m both an employee and a self employer person… maybe this is why I don’t have a second of free time these days :S
I will start a YT channel if I reach 1k subscribers on YT. I’m at 760 right now.
Great Great GREAT; I’ve been waiting that moment since weeks.
Good luck again for monetising your blog and yours future working career.
Bis bald Mr. RIP
Thanks ^_^
Che sorpresa! Ti immaginavo completamente diverso, sei troppo simpatico!
Adesso ti manca solo di studiare un po’ di economia austriaca e poi rasenterai la perfezione del mondo F.I.R.E. 😉
Grande Giorgio! Davvero!
What a surprise! I imagined you completely different, you’re too enjoyable!
Now all you need to do is study a bit of Austrian economics and all that goes with it and then you’ll be bordering on the perfection of the FIRE world 😉
Great Giorgio! Really!
Haha grazie!
Grazie. Di cuore. Ho sempre apprezzato il tuo blog e non ho mai ritenuto opportuno intervenire perché non ritenevo di poter apportare un contributo utile. Forse avrei dovuto, ad ogni modo, adesso, dopo un po’ che ti seguo, trovo giusto farti sapere che, per me, sei stato fonte di ispirazione, conoscenza e anche un po’ di speranza. Finalmente qualcuno che, tutto sommato, ce l’ha fatta e lo dice al mondo. Bravo. Per certi versi ti ritengo un po’ un mentore. Un saluto.
Wow, grazie mille Giuseppe, apprezzo tantissimo.
Un conto è avere una vaga idea di essere d’aiuto a qualcuno, un conto è sentirselo dire.
Congratulations on this brave step RIP! Hope your projects work well for you as source of income and you fulfill your goal of not working as Software Engineer again. I like the personal touch of your blog, it is so much more than financial advice, so now I think it would get even better!
Cheers!
Thanks!
Btw, I’m still employed in my current company AND committing more with my blog.
The exact opposite of “early retirement” 😀
The blog exploded!
If it were still hosted by BrowHost it would have died and I’d have received calls from them to increase bandwidth and cost$
The Italian Mr Money Mustache 😀
Without mustaches!
:O
Grande Giorgio RIP!
In bocca al lupo per la tua nuova avvenutura.
Attendo more info per il financial coaching.
Ciao Mattia, grazie mille 🙂
Ciaooo, vogliamo articoli in italiano già che ci sei!!!!
In bocca al lupo!!1
La vedo dura 🙂
Sei fonte d’ispirazione, ho 21 anni e ti ho conosciuto grazie al video di Marcello. Complimenti vivissimi
Grazie!
Regarding your service I have one question, which may also be interesting for others:
Does it make sense to apply if you can only work part-time 80% or even 60%?
I got the impression that these kind of companies are mainly looking for 100% (+x)
It’s hard to get hired for a part time position.
It is slightly (slightly) easier to slow down to 80-60% once you’ve demonstrated your skills as an employee, say with a promotion.
Rock on!!! Nice to “meet” you all over again! 🙂
Hi JMoney, what a pleasure to have you here 🙂
You’ve been a great source of inspiration for me!
Buy RockstarFinance back and let’s start rocking again!!
Well not to mention your name appeared on other websites you linked to (I remember seeing a Giorgio profile with photo commenting one of the article you referenced here)
As for hooli I thought it was more precautionary since you happen not to be so positive about your experience.
Wish you lot of success in what’s coming.
Yeah, as I said several times I was no that paranoid with my identity but till preferred to keep it “not explicit”
About Hooli I also thought it was just a “SEO disguise” strategy to not get Corporate interested in my rants… but you’d be surprised by how many readers couldn’t guess it right!
Hey RIP!
Thanks a lot for everything, your blog helped me in so many ways.
It’s nice to see you in person, hope your life will turn out to be great 🙂
Thanks!
Let’s see 🙂
Ciao Giorgio
era da anni che ti leggevo ed e’ bellissimo averti visto e spero di vederti piu’ spesso hai molto da insegnare.
Grazie
Farò il posibile 😉
Hello Giorgio, question: did you leave your permanent job now or you will follow two different path at othe same time: permanet job + blog?
At the moment it’s permanent + blog (+family).
It’s two (three) full time jobs.
It’s almost unsustainable (without “almost”).
Let’s see 🙂
Hey Mr. RIP,
congrats and hats off to your decision to go public. It does take guts!
I don’t think I would have it in me to go public on that scale. I live in a (relatively) safe country but I know for sure that every time I go back to Italy I would be pestered / mocked / annoyed by family & (supposed) friends for all kind of money-related reasons. From the ones who need money and now have a place to come knocking, to those who would just go on rambling about my pauper-ish lifestyle despite being big on the bank, to the disappointed looks every time you give a gift and now people expect more because “well, you made it, loosen the bag dude!” 😀
So far I haven’t received any annoying money related question from family and supposed friends.
I’ll show no mercy to opportunity seekers with our money.
Anyway, even a troglodyte could have guessed the magnitude of our wealth 🙂
Hi Rip, first time on the block.
I found out your blog few weeks ago, started reading it and absorbing as much knowledge as I could.
I’m 23, studying medicine.
I’ve been on and off from the market since this summer when, I guess, companies were showing off some of their assets. Bought some Disney’s stocks before they lunch their service in EU, that type of investing…
As a young lad though I couldn’t find much here (maybe it’s my eye sight sh*t).
I was wondering if you have any projects/advice/sources to help them at least start running.
Thank you so much.
Appreciate it, even if you don’t answer, since these days momentum stroke your website.
Hi fustmitipe, I do plan to launch a financial and career coaching service soon-ish.
Stay tuned 🙂
That was really a great video (and a good italian practice) you do great on camera if you ever decide to start a vlog 😉
Also a really courageous move to reveal your identity and that you plan to quit your current job.
I figured out Hooly (which other tech company would give free food and stock option) but was totally wrong on your new apartment area (always thought you were living way out of Zürich city considering your rent).
Thank you!
Sei stato di grande aiuto e ispirazione! Nel mio piccolo ho emulato le tue gesta e guadagnato un po’ in termini di sicurezza e libertà mentale. Perché per me tutto il percorso che racconti ha come fine ultimo la realizzazione del tuo modo di essere e la conquista della libertà, per te e per i tuoi cari. Complimenti ancora per il coraggio che hai avuto nel mostrarti in pubblico. Hai avvalorato ancora di più la tua esperienza. Spero di poter avere l’occasione di ricambiare nel mio piccolo. Keep it up! Continua assolutamente così.
Grazie, contento di esserti stato d’aiuto 🙂
Congratulations on unveiling your face and launching your first service, Giorgio! It’s a significant milestone in your blogging journey, and it’s great to see you embracing this new chapter while still keeping the Mr. RIP pseudonym. Wishing you continued success!
Basel ist nicht so weit, io parlo italiano e tedesco, ma l’inglese l’ho perso quando ho traslocato qui.
Un caffè e una passeggiata mit eine Rede entlang die Limmat mit dir sehr gerne.
Ade
Danilo