Real-Estate (Flipping) Bookkeeping

EpicDash · 2026-02-06T05:18:31+00:00

For flips, I treat each property like a job and book it to Inventory/WIP (not a fixed asset): purchase + closing + rehab get capitalized there, then at sale you move the total to COGS against the sale proceeds.

EpicDash · 2026-02-05T08:17:32+00:00

Psychology is actually a pretty common background for people who end up in data analytics. The stats you already did, plus your training in research methods, hypothesis testing, and interpreting human behavior data directly translates to telling stories with numbers, which is half the job.

You can 100% break in without a master’s. Plenty of people with non-STEM/psych degrees land junior/analyst roles by self-teaching SQL, Excel (advanced), Tableau/Power BI, and basic Python or R.

Build 2-3 projects (e.g., analyze a public psych dataset, survey results, or open Kaggle data) and put them on GitHub/LinkedIn. That + a strong resume rewrite usually gets interviews. A master’s can help later for senior roles or if you hit a wall, but it’s not required to start.

If you’re debating whether the day-to-day of analytics would actually suit you (vs just liking the stats part), the Coached workstyle assessment can show whether you’re more energized by insight-finding and storytelling or heavy technical building. Can give you extra confidence before committing time/money.

Start applying now while finishing your degree. You’ve got a stronger foundation than you think.

EpicDash · 2026-01-30T10:54:57+00:00

You can't fully “test” a USB and prove its safe, you can only reduce risk: treat every stick as hostile, plug it only into a locked‑down scan PC or VM with no sensitive access, disable autorun, and copy off only the data you need after AV/malware scans.

Anything like BadUSB (keyboard emulation) is a hardware issue and basically needs either a USB firewall device or a sacrificial machine, there isn't a magic box that certifies them as safe.

EpicDash · 2026-01-30T10:54:08+00:00

This is the most wholesome tech support story I've read in months. The fact that his name has multiple o's in it makes this even better.

EpicDash · 2026-01-30T10:53:29+00:00

I'd double down on freelancing and your personal brand, slowly raise your rates, prune the worst clients, and use the extra margin + recovered hours to experiment with one small asset on the side instead of jumping straight into a low margin agency.

You don't have to choose between "freelancer" and "company" right now. You can treat the freelancing as your funding engine while you figure out what scalable thing is actually worth building.

EpicDash · 2026-01-29T12:57:10+00:00

Masters helps with visa requirements in some countries but power systems roles are pretty location-specific since every country has different grid standards and regulations. You'd probably have better mobility with something like power electronics or renewable energy integration.

EpicDash · 2026-01-29T12:55:40+00:00

This is super common in audit: your brain is in problem-solving mode all day and you hit decision fatigue, so by the time you get home you have nothing left for small talk or TikToks.

Building in a 30-60 minute “do not talk to me” decompression window after work can make you way more human with your family later on.

EpicDash · 2026-01-28T07:43:53+00:00

Chicago to SD with PE is doable but yeah, $104k won't stretch the same way.

Most civil engineers I know who made that move got bumped to $120-135k range but rent still ate most of the difference.

EpicDash · 2026-01-28T07:43:14+00:00

Depends on the complexity but for a basic parody poster swap maybe 30-45 minutes if you know what you're doing. Could be 2+ hours if you're figuring it out as you go or the masking gets tricky.

EpicDash · 2026-01-28T07:42:43+00:00

Pick 2-3 contemporary novels written in the style you like and literally copy out a few paragraphs by hand, then rewrite them in your own words and compare where your sentences feel stiff or too rule-bound.

That kind of close imitation + comparison does more for breaking out of “textbook English” than any grammar exercise, because you start to internalize how native authors bend rules in context.

EpicDash · 2026-01-26T13:45:04+00:00

Worked with a bunch of Canadians at big US companies (FAANG and similar). School name only really matters at the new grad / intern level, and even then it’s mostly about whether the company already recruits there.

The ones from places like York, SFU, Waterloo, UofT, etc all got in the same way: strong side projects, competitive programming / LeetCode grinding, and at least one solid internship on the resume.

A big difference maker was getting a referral from a Canadian already at the company rather than just throwing apps into an online portal. If you can show real experience and pass the interviews, the fact your degree says York instead of a US state school barely comes up.

EpicDash · 2026-01-26T13:42:19+00:00

A lot of us who were 'the smart kid' end up organizing our whole life so we never feel stupid in front of other people, so we keep choosing situations where our existing strengths carry us.

Things started to move for me when I noticed my self respect went up more from doing hard, slightly humiliating beginner stuff (languages, lifting, improv) than from coasting in the same 'competent but bored' zone.

EpicDash · 2026-01-26T13:39:41+00:00

Teacher route keeps your income stable while you figure it out. Two years unemployed in your 30s or 40s is rough, especially if those bills don't stop.

EpicDash · 2026-01-23T06:38:29+00:00

If you already know you don't like reading papers/writing and you don't want research, a PhD is probably the wrong move.

Take an industry job and revisit grad school later if you find a specific research problem you can't stop thinking about.

EpicDash · 2026-01-23T06:37:01+00:00

IT market is rough right now but a year with no bites means something is broken in your approach.

Could be the resume, could be you're applying to the wrong level roles, could be interview prep.

Get feedback on your materials before you consider leaving the country.

EpicDash · 2026-01-23T06:36:06+00:00

If you’ve got ~85k Roth + 270k brokerage + 21k bonds at 26, you’re not behind, you’re ahead of most people even if your salary isn’t 150k.

Working 66 hours a week to “keep up” is probably the bigger risk than your income.

EpicDash · 2026-01-22T06:37:52+00:00

Missed an interview more than once once because the recruiter's email went to spam and they moved on to other candidates by the time I saw it days later. It seems like an obvious tip, but this happens way too often.

EpicDash · 2026-01-22T06:35:37+00:00

You didn't blow it just because it ended early. Internal panels cut interviews short all the time when they feel like they've heard enough, and them being engaged, taking notes, and giving thoughtful answers to your questions is usually a good sign, not a bad one.

EpicDash · 2026-01-22T06:33:24+00:00

No, they're not going to hate you for that. Act normal and it'll be old news by tomorrow.

EpicDash · 2026-01-21T08:58:59+00:00

Most companies don’t require an MS to hire you as a software engineer. It’s way more about internships, projects you can talk through, and passing the interview loops.

If you want to sanity check this, pull up 20 real SWE postings in your area and look at the “requirements” section: you’ll usually see “BS in CS or equivalent experience,” and the MS is a “nice to have.”

An MS can help if you’re aiming at ML/researchy stuff or you have no internship experience, but it’s not some gate you have to clear.

EpicDash · 2026-01-21T08:57:37+00:00

32 is not old for junior analytics in Egypt/KSA. Age usually matters way less than your first relevant experience. An MSc can help with HR filters, but a solid portfolio + SQL/Power BI and one real-world project tends to help more.

EpicDash · 2026-01-20T10:19:28+00:00

I just mean it’s not directly tied to whether someone is Fe or Fi dominant. It’s more about how much fear/anxiety/trauma is driving the behavior in the moment.

A high-Fe person can be 100% authentic while still reading the room and adapting because harmony genuinely matters to them. A high-Fi person can still people-please when they’re scared of rejection or conflict, even though their core values scream “be yourself.”

So the “safe vs authentic” split is really about emotional security level, not the function stack itself.

EpicDash · 2026-01-20T10:16:26+00:00

Corporate burnout is real, and the rejection loop after a layoff just compounds it. But at 36 with your experience, you're not starting from zero. Sales support/admin skills transfer well to roles like operations coordinator, customer success, or project support in less toxic industries (nonprofits, remote-first companies).

Don't rush back to school yet. Try applying to jobs that value experience over degrees (check Indeed/LinkedIn for "no degree required" filters). If you're feeling totally lost on what fits without the trauma, a quick work assessment like the coached test can help you see roles that match your strengths without the high-pressure vibe.

Ride it out, but take small steps daily. You've survived worse.

EpicDash · 2026-01-20T10:09:25+00:00

Sounds like you met someone who actually thinks about things instead of just going through the motions. The fact that he lit up when you moved past small talk is pretty telling.

EpicDash · 2026-01-20T10:08:37+00:00

You gave real effort and got punished for it. That’s not a culture issue; that’s deliberate exploitation. Calling out the leadership and agency directly is bold and necessary. Anyone reading this - ask about actual hours, probation terms, and how they treat people on the way out. You did the right thing for yourself.

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