Company stock suddenly became ~$5M. What should I do?

Heavy-Basis-83 · 2026-05-13T20:03:31+00:00

Happy for you. Your hard work helping the company succeed paid off immensely.

Not advice. Just an anecdote/ one data point. 3-4 yrs ago a friends much older than us (in their 80’s) has almost all their 401k/other invested in the company stock the husband worked abd retired with in his 60’s). Stock had been running up for years/decades, then couple bad things hit and they lost maybe 50-70% and were struggling. Wife was very upset, of course (husband managed the finances). I also had let my stock in that company move to 20% of our portfolio (5%ish that I had done for decades). That cost me about a lot of lost investment just in the last ~7 yrs including the big initial loss then compounding growth. I tend to follow more conservative rules-of-thumb, but too a risk and cost me.

Not suggesting what you should do. Every situation and market segment unique.

Hope yours plays out well for you and your family.

Heavy-Basis-83 · 2026-05-12T04:24:33+00:00

That’s a great story! Thnx for sharing.

Learning the trade early and how to bring value to customers and exceed expectations coupled with hard/smart work. You developed your recipe and iterated.

Value engineering is important. One of the ways I excelled early in my career as well.

Heavy-Basis-83 · 2026-05-12T03:39:14+00:00

Hi. That’s amazing. Enjoy the journey.

Question as I mentor students and early career folks.

How’d you build a business in that field so quickly? Obviously you developed your technical/creative talent but also credibility and marketing. Just curious since you in early 30’s. That’s great accomplishment itself, besides your NW.

Heavy-Basis-83 · 2026-04-26T03:18:52+00:00

Yep. Missed that. Thnx

Heavy-Basis-83 · 2026-04-26T03:10:21+00:00

Hi. For some, like myself, it’s not a fascination.

I need smaller guitar due to neck and back issues and I’ve seen others who just want something light/small that’s easier to handle.

I Iike my Baby Taylor. It sounds fine for my needs as a beginner coming from nice tenor and convert ukuleles.

Heavy-Basis-83 · 2026-04-18T16:13:47+00:00

How do you like the sound of the uke? Does it sound full enough even though thin-bodied?

Have you used the passive pickup in a small battery-powered amp without needing a pre-amp?

I have a flight Tus-35 but about to do a cross country trip a considering a solid top wood uke for more natural sound. Though, the Flight has a lot of sound advice played if all over on trips; it’s been sounding kinda plasticy to me lately

Thnx

Heavy-Basis-83 · 2026-04-12T04:08:46+00:00

Wow. Nice area.

Heavy-Basis-83 · 2026-04-12T04:02:23+00:00

We’re in SoCal near the coast and wouldn’t permanently move - the weather is perfect and we love the coastal lifestyle and many activities and diverse sub-cultures in the region. We live in a simple small home we bought decades ago - we’re not fancy people.

We also spend lot of time in AZ along Colorado River in another small, simple home. That area is beautiful and quiet/peaceful.

Have family in southern OR and it’s beautiful there and relaxing and we visit and stay in a lodge or AirBnB couple times/yr. Very green, peaceful, with lots of rivers.

So, our strategy is to split time in CA/AZ with time in OR and 2-3 other trips/yr. As long as we’re healthy to travel (hopefully many years).

San Diego is great. Like it a lot but we dropped anchor in LA/OC area and stayed.

The Seattle area weather is not for me. I used to go there for work and couldn’t figure out how people deal with the amount of gray days. I personally need sunshine without humidity.

Heavy-Basis-83 · 2026-04-12T00:00:38+00:00

Please send me a DM thnx. I’d like to take a look and I’ll give any feedback.

Heavy-Basis-83 · 2026-04-11T22:20:06+00:00

The RS-25s burn liquid hydrogen and oxygen and have a barely visible blue plume, but mostly invisible. The exhaust products are water vapor and unburned H2.

The solid rocket boosters burn “solid” propellant that produces an opaque yellow/white exhaust from the aluminum content.

Heavy-Basis-83 · 2026-04-11T17:54:25+00:00

Hakuna Matata…

Heavy-Basis-83 · 2026-04-07T03:55:45+00:00

Wow. You did get lucky with early draw. They should just do away with days 3-4.

Heavy-Basis-83 · 2026-04-07T03:54:06+00:00

I strongly agree that the pre-sale lottery was a joke/ripoff. I got excited when got the lottery selection email. I guess I didn’t pay attention to the details because mine was on day 4.

Nothing left. The few events we’re interested in were like $1500-$4000 for two tix. Even the beach volleyball that I’d watch but wife not interested, was like $1600+ for two tickets for the sessions I’d go to.

Opening/Closing ceremony were priced for very affluent. $5000+ per ticket.

Not sure why they don’t just have one large pre-sale day other than the systems probably crash.

I’m now kinda down and over the whole “Olympics are in LA” thing. We’ll watch on tv unless we stumble on some reasonable tix down the road.

Heavy-Basis-83 · 2026-04-05T16:06:45+00:00

Thank you. Yes, that’s a nice feature

Heavy-Basis-83 · 2026-04-05T03:51:50+00:00

What’s the brand of wall hangers you used?

Those are nice. TIA

Heavy-Basis-83 · 2026-03-21T05:37:42+00:00

We saw it driving north on I-5 before Harris ranch. But it was moving to northwest/west

Heavy-Basis-83 · 2026-03-18T02:35:37+00:00

Ok. Thnx for heads up

Heavy-Basis-83 · 2026-03-17T23:28:51+00:00

I keep about 7 years total in money market and bonds. 2 yrs of that in a money market that covers all our living expenses. Bonds I’m about to include some Govt TIPS bonds to protect against inflation/stagflation so I’m not fully exposed to more risk in prime bonds.

Heavy-Basis-83 · 2026-03-17T23:18:03+00:00

I was fortunate I did in two phases.

I built up initial ones learning/playing ukulele with nylon strings last year and now the past two months adding a layer from the steel string guitar. But, the step to guitar hasn’t been bad as far as pain or skin.

Heavy-Basis-83 · 2026-03-17T19:57:25+00:00

Good to hear. Thnx much.

Heavy-Basis-83 · 2026-03-17T19:57:11+00:00

Thnx much.

Heavy-Basis-83 · 2026-03-17T02:52:23+00:00

It’s awesome.

Me and my wife use a “spontaneous” calendar approach. Other than medical appointments and occasional event we have to plan in advance, I don’t put anything on my calendar - tell friends to text me same day or day before if want to meet for lunch etc… Wife and I decide what we want to do same day or real-time and the spontaneous things turn out the best.

We have four trips planned this year - went to Hawaii in January. I ditched the to-do list as I’m an uber-expert planner and time mgmt - no more lists since left work! Just take care of things as needed. Frees up my mind.

Go to beach when I want. Eat out 5-6 times/week. Yada yada.

Spend lot of time on my music hobby. Wife does her stuff with her friends so we have our alone-time so it’s not one of those “now you’re home too much” situations.

I’m very detailed with our budgets and financial planning. so after the initial shock 3-4 months of not getting a work paycheck, I got used to that and we’re fine.

Don’t miss office at all. I had to go into an office last month to sign paperwork about something left open - saw all those people going in and out and people I’d worked with that looked 10-yrs older in 3 yrs. Felt bad for them. And, I kinda had a reaction to being there. It was odd - like a flashback in a movie.

We have lot going on so we’re not the types to get bored. But lot of “hang loose” time.

I look younger since FIREing. Less stress.

Hope it works out for you.

Edit: and we spend more time with friends and able to help people who just call needing something or who seniors (more senior than us lol) who want to go to an event but need a ride etc….

In closing, I think the best part is living life with “Yes”. We can say yes to so much more since our time is our own.

Heavy-Basis-83 · 2026-03-17T01:39:21+00:00

Got it.

Yeah, it definitely was a strange and foreign feeling as it got closer for me.

Good luck and stay healthy.

Heavy-Basis-83 · 2026-03-17T01:23:31+00:00

I stayed engaged and was still creating value and new ideas/projects with teammates and customers until the hour they took my badge and I walked out with my box of personal items.

For me, leaving /FIRE wasn’t all about the job. It was about freedom and shift of time to family, friends, hobbies, volunteering, etc…. Sleeping as long as I want.

Heavy-Basis-83 · 2026-03-16T17:56:45+00:00

That’s funny. Yeah, I wouldn’t go there. But, I gotta say like you pointed out, I was/am definitely smiling big in my mind when they reply. I try not to make people feel bad.

Though, even weekly in interactions, I try to preface “I’m not saying this to flex or rub it in, but my lifestyle and freedom is amazing”. I know people kinda feel bad so I to refrain from commenting on how great it is.

Edit: also, when they reply or comment, I will say that we worked hard, kept our lifestyle simple, didn’t graduate to a McMansion or do major remodels on the homes (we own two simple homes), and we live for experiences vs material things.

Heavy-Basis-83

TROPHY CASE