Bob Chitrathorn CPFA, CFO/Vice President of Wealth Planning. Author.
Starting your financial journey without a big inheritance, a high-powered network or a cushy head start can feel a lot like running a marathon in the wrong shoes—uphill, against the wind. You watch others begin halfway down the track while you’re still tying your laces. And if you’ve been there, you know: It’s discouraging.
I know because I’ve lived it. My parents came to the U.S. as immigrants, barely speaking English, with more uncertainty than opportunity. I watched my parents work double shifts just to make rent and buy their first mobile home in California. Vacations? Retirement accounts? Those weren’t even part of the conversation; we were focused on keeping the lights on. Survival was our reality, but survival doesn’t build wealth.
It took me years to learn that while the playing field may be uneven, the game isn’t unwinnable. There’s no magic shortcut, no secret door reserved for the lucky few. What worked for me—and for many of my clients—was building a mindset that wouldn’t quit, a strategy that made sense and habits I could stick to long enough for the results to compound.
This strategy isn’t about chasing “get rich quick” schemes. It’s about creating stability and freedom when you’re starting from a place where neither feels guaranteed. Here’s the framework that made the difference for me—and that I believe can make the difference for you too.
Define Wealth In Your Terms
The first step is deciding exactly what wealth means to you. If you don’t define it, the world will define it for you—and usually in ways that leave you feeling behind.
For some, wealth is retiring at 50 and traveling the globe. For others, it’s being debt-free, having a reliable car and knowing the kids’ college tuition is covered. Both are valid, but they require very different plans.
When you’re starting from behind, the danger is chasing someone else’s vision and burning years—and money—trying to get there. Get clear on your personal definition of “enough” so you can aim directly for it.
Make $10,000 Your First Goal
People often talk about becoming millionaires, but the most challenging and important milestone is saving your first $10,000.
Why? Because that’s where you build the habits: saving consistently, resisting lifestyle creep, thinking ahead instead of reacting. That $10,000 is proof that you can control your money instead of letting it control you.
Once you hit it, something changes. The next $25,000 or $50,000 feels less like a miracle and more like a plan in motion. Your financial “muscle” starts to grow.
Put Compounding On Your Side
Compounding is powerful. It can build your wealth or quietly drain it—and which way it goes depends on your choices.
If you’re paying 20% interest on credit cards while earning 3% in savings, compounding is your enemy. You have to flip the script:
• Pay off high-interest debt as fast as possible.
• Automate investments into things like index funds, IRAs or 401(k)s.
• Reinvest your gains instead of cashing them out too soon.
Once compounding starts working for you, time becomes your best friend. Even modest investments, left alone, can grow into something meaningful.
Create Income That Doesn’t Require More Hours
If your only income comes from trading hours for dollars, you’re stuck with a ceiling. The way forward isn’t necessarily more jobs, but more streams of income.
This might mean a small side hustle, a rental property, dividend-paying stocks or an online skill you can monetize. At first, the extra money might seem too small to matter—$50 here, $100 there—but over time, it adds up. More importantly, it frees you from relying on a single paycheck.
Choose A Circle That Builds, Not Burns
The people around you influence your financial choices more than you think. If your circle focuses on looking wealthy, with expensive clothes, flashy cars and pricey nights out, you’ll feel pressure to keep up.
But if your circle is about building—sharing investment ideas, finding opportunities, celebrating progress—you’ll feel motivated to grow.
Mentorship isn’t just for business owners. Accountability isn’t just for fitness. When you surround yourself with builders, progress starts to feel normal. But when you start from behind, your margin for error is slim. One bad move, like an impulsive purchase, a high-interest loan or a missed opportunity, can set you back years.
Others might have a safety net. You might not. That’s why discipline matters more than luck. You need to plan before you spend and automate good habits so they become a habit without relying on willpower. Then, say no to “opportunities” that pull you off course.
Wealth is rarely an accident. For most people, it’s the result of deliberate choices repeated over and over again.
The Bottom Line
You may be starting from behind on an uneven playing field, but I’ve seen and lived the truth: You can still cross the finish line strong. I’m still going and the finish line is still so far away, but that’s because I’ve made it that way. I have crossed many of my personal finish lines and continue to move the goalposts further into the future.
I’ve worked with immigrants, first-generation graduates and small-business owners who started with nothing but determination. They didn’t wait for a windfall. They built their own. They had a clear goal, consistent habits and the belief that their starting point was just that: a starting point.
You don’t need to inherit millions. You don’t even need to start with thousands. You just need to start where you are, use what you have and keep moving forward.
The information provided here is not investment, tax or financial advice. You should consult with a licensed professional for advice concerning your specific situation.
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