June 4, 2025

Welcome Back,

Happy Wednesday, everyone! 🐪
Good morning! You’ve officially made it to midweek—may your coffee be strong and your group chats distraction-free.

Let’s start with this: Have you ever noticed how easy it is to buy things… and how much trickier it feels to own things that actually grow in value?

Today, we’re talking about flipping the switch—from being just a consumer of cool stuff to becoming an owner of things that create long-term wealth. It’s a mindset shift, but once it clicks, it changes everything. 🧠💼

Let’s talk about how to make that shift—and why your future self will absolutely thank you for it.

“Chase the vision, not the money. The money will end up following you.”
— Tony Hsieh, former CEO of Zappos

You can’t scale chaos.
Before you chase growth — in business or life — ask:
What system am I actually scaling?

— Ryan Rincon, CEO and Founder at The Wealth Wagon Inc.

Market Update

Market Update: Markets continued their upward momentum today, with the Nasdaq climbing 0.81% and the S&P 500 and Dow Jones both posting solid gains. Tech stocks led the charge—Nvidia surged 2.80%, while Apple rose 0.78%. Gold and silver remained steady with slight increases. Bitcoin slipped a negligible 0.05%, holding mostly flat. Tesla also saw modest growth, closing up 0.46%. Overall, investor sentiment appears strong as equities extend their recent rally.

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Tech

Texas Tech Sector Sees Hiring Slowdown Across Major Cities

Austin, Dallas, and Houston Hit Hard as Industry Adjusts to Uncertainty

Texas, long known as one of the country’s hottest tech hubs, is facing a notable decline in hiring across its technology sector. Major cities like Austin, Dallas, and Houston are seeing reduced job openings as companies tighten budgets and scale back on expansion plans.

What’s Driving the Downturn?

• Economic Uncertainty: Ongoing inflation concerns and fluctuating interest rates are making companies cautious about long-term hiring.

• Post-Pandemic Correction: After rapid expansion during the remote work boom, many tech firms are now right-sizing their workforce.

• Shift in Priorities: Startups and larger firms alike are redirecting focus from growth to profitability, leading to hiring freezes or layoffs.

Local Impact:

• Austin: Once dubbed “Silicon Hills,” the city is seeing fewer job postings in software development and IT services.

• Dallas & Houston: These markets are facing slowdowns in tech-adjacent sectors like energy tech and cybersecurity.

AI

AI Integration Now a Business Imperative, Say Experts

Firms Urged to Embrace Automation — Without Losing the Human Touch

As artificial intelligence rapidly reshapes the business landscape, experts are urging companies to adapt their operations by embracing AI tools that enhance — rather than replace — human work. The focus is on finding the right balance between automation and human oversight.

What Businesses Are Being Advised to Do:

• Invest in AI Literacy: Train teams to understand how AI can support decision-making and automate routine tasks.

• Start with Augmentation: Use AI for customer service chatbots, predictive analytics, and content generation — not to eliminate jobs, but to improve efficiency.

• Maintain Human Oversight: Critical thinking, ethics, and emotional intelligence remain uniquely human skills that AI can't replace.

The Stakes:

• Companies that fail to adapt risk being left behind as competitors gain speed, cost efficiency, and innovation through smart AI deployment.

• But overreliance on AI without proper governance can result in poor decision-making, customer mistrust, and reputational damage.

Personal Finance

Top CD Rates Hit 4.50% Despite Fed’s Rate Cuts

Last Call for Savers to Lock In Attractive Yields

In a surprising turn, top certificate of deposit (CD) rates have climbed to 4.50%, even as the Federal Reserve has begun cutting interest rates in an effort to stimulate the economy. This creates a limited-time window for savers looking to maximize returns on low-risk investments.

Why This Matters:

• Rate Timing Mismatch: Banks often set CD rates independently, and many are now offering higher yields to attract deposits before anticipated declines.

• Safe Growth Option: CDs remain a secure, FDIC-insured alternative to volatile stock or crypto investments.

• Short-Term Appeal: With some of the best rates available on 6- to 12-month terms, savers don’t need to tie up their funds long-term.

What You Should Do:

• Act Quickly: As more banks respond to the Fed's policy shift, these high CD rates may not last.

• Shop Around: Online banks and credit unions often offer better rates than traditional banks.

• Check Early Withdrawal Penalties: Understand the terms before locking in.

Government

Trump Administration Petitions Supreme Court to Greenlight Federal Layoffs

Push to Restructure Federal Workforce Faces Legal Showdown

The Trump administration has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a lower court ruling that currently blocks mass federal layoffs. The request is part of a broader push to reduce the size and scope of federal government agencies, a longstanding objective of Trump-era policy.

The Core Issues:

• Judicial Block: Federal courts previously issued an injunction preventing widespread cuts, citing possible violations of civil service protections.

• Executive Pushback: The administration argues that current federal employment levels are bloated and inefficient, and that reforms are necessary for budget discipline.

What’s at Stake:

• Thousands of Federal Jobs: If approved, the decision could affect tens of thousands of federal employees, potentially resulting in significant agency restructurings.

• Precedent for Future Administrations: A Supreme Court ruling could redefine the scope of executive power over the federal workforce.

Investing

Snowflake to Acquire Crunchy Data in Strategic AI Move

Acquisition to Strengthen Snowflake’s Position in AI Application Development

Snowflake, the cloud data platform giant, has announced plans to acquire Crunchy Data, a company known for its open-source expertise and contributions to PostgreSQL. The move is aimed at expanding Snowflake’s capabilities in AI agent development and deployment, particularly for enterprise customers.

Why Crunchy Data?

• PostgreSQL Expertise: Crunchy brings deep open-source database knowledge, which can enhance Snowflake's flexibility and performance.

• AI-Ready Infrastructure: The deal will allow Snowflake to improve its backend systems for real-time AI applications and agent deployment at scale.

Strategic Goals:

• Enterprise AI Integration: Snowflake wants to provide businesses with end-to-end solutions for building, training, and deploying AI models using its data cloud.

• Expanded Developer Ecosystem: By acquiring Crunchy, Snowflake is sending a clear signal that it wants to be a go-to platform for AI developers — not just data analysts.

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Today’s Snapshot

From Consumer to Owner: The Mental Shift That Builds Real Wealth

Most people spend their lives playing the wrong role in the economy.

They’re consumers—not owners.

And while being a smart consumer might help you save a little money…

Being an owner is what builds wealth that lasts for generations

This one mental shift—“How can I own a piece of this?”—can change how you approach:

• Money

• Work

• Investing

• Opportunity

Let’s break down exactly what it means to think like an owner—and how to make the shift, no matter where you’re starting from.

🧠 Owners vs Consumers: The Wealth Gap

Consumers focus on:

• Buying

• Earning to spend

• Trends and appearances

• Paying for access

Owners focus on:

• Building

• Investing to grow

• Equity and cash flow

• Getting paid from what they own

Let’s be clear: everyone is a consumer sometimes.
We all buy clothes, food, tech, experiences.

But the wealthy?
They prioritize ownership. Always.

🎯 What It Looks Like to Think Like an Owner

Here’s what this mindset looks like in the real world:

💸 Why This Shift Matters So Much for Building Wealth

When you’re a consumer, money flows away from you.

When you’re an owner, money flows toward you—often passively.

Owning the right things is what creates:

• Equity value

• Cash flow

• Tax advantages

• Negotiating power

• Long-term wealth

The game isn’t just about income anymore.
The game is about assets.

🔑 5 Ways to Become an Owner (Starting From Any Level)

You don’t need to be rich or “connected” to start thinking and acting like an owner.

You just need to take small steps in the right direction.

Here’s how:

1. Own Your Income Stream

If your only income is a salary, you're renting your time.

You don’t have to quit tomorrow, but think:

• Can you freelance or consult on the side?

• Can you productize a skill into a service?

• Can you build a digital product or asset?

When you create something that sells while you sleep, you're no longer just trading time for money.

2. Buy Pieces of Great Businesses

Don’t just buy products—buy the companies behind them.

Even with $50 or $100, you can:

• Buy stocks or ETFs

• Use fractional investing apps

• Build a long-term dividend portfolio

Every time you use a product you love, ask:
“Can I own stock in this?”

3. Build a Personal Brand (Digital Real Estate)

Attention is ownership in the digital economy.

• Start a newsletter, LinkedIn, or Twitter/X account

• Share insights, lessons, or builds

• Create a simple audience you can monetize later

Even 1,000 followers can drive serious opportunity.

Distribution = leverage = ownership.

4. Get Equity, Not Just Salary

If you’re in a startup, high-growth business, or are negotiating a new role, ask for equity.

• Stock options

• RSUs

• Profit share

• Phantom equity

Even a small slice of something big can change your life.

5. Buy Assets That Cash Flow

Assets that pay you every month are the most powerful form of ownership.

These could be:

• Rental property

• Dividend-paying stocks

• A niche website

• A small local business

• Intellectual property

Own things that send you checks.

🚨 The Trap to Avoid: Lifestyle Creep

When your income increases, most people upgrade their lifestyle.

The wealthy upgrade their ownership.

• Don’t buy the fancy car. Buy the dealership.

• Don’t just rent the Airbnb. Buy the short-term rental.

• Don’t just attend the event. Sponsor or host the next one.

It’s not about being frugal—it’s about being strategic.

🧠 Final Thought: Ask the Right Question

The next time you:

• Spend money

• Join a project

• Scroll a platform

• Hear about a trend

Ask yourself:

“How can I own a piece of this?”

That one question will pull you out of the consumer loop…

…and into the wealth-building game that the top 1% plays every single day.

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Fun Stuff

😂 Funny Joke

Why did the investor break up with their savings account?
Because they lost interest.

🏢 Guess the Company

Clue:
This company launched with a single tweet. It made sharing 6-second videos a global trend before being acquired by Twitter… and later shut down.

🌀 Wild & Wacky

Shaquille O’Neal has made more money from investments and business deals than he did playing basketball — including early stakes in Google, Ring, and Five Guys.
Turns out, Shaq doesn’t just dunk — he diversifies.

🤔 Would You Rather

Would you rather…

• Have a lifetime 2% interest rate on any loan or mortgage,
  OR

• Pay zero taxes on all your investment gains?

(Debt leverage vs. tax shelter… what's your strategy?)

*Answers at the bottom

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*Promoted

Fun Stuff: Answers

Guess the Company - Answer: Vine