May 31st, 2025

Welcome Back,

Happy Saturday, friends! 🌞
Hope your morning includes something warm in a mug and not too many urgent emails.

Here’s a thought to kick off your weekend: If time is money, why do the wealthy seem to have so much of both?

Spoiler: It’s not sorcery—it’s leverage. Today we’re climbing the Leverage Ladder (no helmet required) and exploring how smart strategies can help you buy back your time and boost your income.

So grab your coffee, stretch your legs, and let’s talk about working smarter—not harder.

“Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.”
— Henry David Thoreau

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

Market Update

Market Update: Markets slipped today with the Nasdaq and S&P 500 both closing slightly lower, while the Dow Jones edged up 0.13%. Bitcoin extended its decline, falling 1.40%, alongside drops in gold and silver. Nike and PayPal also saw notable losses, each down nearly 1.4% and 0.9% respectively. Verizon stood out as a rare bright spot, gaining 1.45%. Overall sentiment remains cautious as investors digest ongoing volatility across sectors.

PRESENTED BY 1440

Fact-based news without bias awaits. Make 1440 your choice today.

Overwhelmed by biased news? Cut through the clutter and get straight facts with your daily 1440 digest. From politics to sports, join millions who start their day informed.

Sign up now!

Personal Finance

Trump’s New Tax Plan Expands Child Tax Credit

Proposal Aims to Provide More Relief for Families

A new House bill, backed by the Trump administration, includes a provision to increase the child tax credit to $2,500 per eligible child, starting in 2025 and extending through 2028. This policy is part of a broader effort to ease the financial burden on middle-income families.

How It Works:

• The current child tax credit is $2,000. The proposed plan adds an extra $500 per child, which could result in a significant increase in annual refunds for qualifying families.

• The credit would remain partially refundable, allowing low-income households to benefit even if they don’t owe taxes.

Support and Criticism:

• Supporters say it offers much-needed relief as families face rising costs for childcare, education, and daily expenses.

• Critics argue it may disproportionately benefit higher-income families and that broader tax reform is needed to address income inequality.

Political Outlook:

• With election season heating up, this proposal is expected to be a major talking point — both as a promise kept and as a way to appeal to working-class voters.

Retail

Rite Aid to Close 300 More Stores Amid Ongoing Restructuring

Pharmacy Chain Shrinks Footprint After Bankruptcy Filing

Rite Aid is set to close an additional 300 stores, continuing a significant downsizing effort following its recent bankruptcy filing. This decision is part of a broader strategy to stabilize the company and address long-standing financial and operational challenges.

Why Is This Happening?

• Bankruptcy Fallout: Rite Aid filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2023 due to mounting debt and legal liabilities, particularly tied to opioid-related lawsuits.

• Overextended Footprint: The company has been operating too many underperforming stores, many in overlapping markets.

• Changing Industry Landscape: Retail pharmacies face rising competition from online providers, grocery chains, and big-box retailers like CVS and Walmart.

What It Means for Customers and Employees:

• Store closures may lead to reduced access to local pharmacy services, particularly in suburban and rural areas.

• Thousands of employees could be impacted through layoffs or transfers.

• Customers will likely be directed to nearby locations, where available, or encouraged to shift to mail-order prescriptions.

Business

Williams International Commits Over $1 Billion to New Florida Facility

Aerospace Manufacturer to Create Hundreds of High-Skill Jobs

In a major boost to Florida’s growing aerospace sector, Williams International has announced a $1 billion+ investment in a new manufacturing facility located in Okaloosa County. The facility will focus on the production of gas turbine engines, a key component in both commercial and defense aviation.

Economic and Strategic Impact:

• 330+ New Jobs: These positions will include engineers, machinists, technicians, and various support roles.

• Aerospace Cluster Growth: The investment reinforces Northwest Florida’s position as a regional hub for aerospace innovation and defense-related manufacturing.

• Long-Term Vision: Williams International plans to use the site as a cornerstone of its next-generation engine production strategy.

Community Reaction:

• Local officials have praised the investment for its economic potential and job creation.

• State incentives and infrastructure support played a key role in securing the deal.

Artificial Intelligence

CoreWeave Reports Jaw-Dropping 420% Sales Growth in Q1 2025

AI Infrastructure Boom Powers Massive Expansion

CoreWeave, a rising star in the cloud infrastructure space, has announced an eye-popping 420% increase in sales for the first quarter of 2025. This explosive growth reflects skyrocketing demand for AI computing power, as businesses race to adopt next-gen technologies.

What’s Behind the Surge?

• AI Gold Rush: From generative AI models to predictive analytics, companies in every sector are pouring resources into AI — and they need infrastructure to support it.

• Niche Expertise: CoreWeave specializes in high-performance GPU-based computing, making it an ideal partner for AI-heavy operations.

• Scalability: The company has invested heavily in expanding its data centers and network capacity to keep up with demand.

Industry Impact:

• CoreWeave’s rapid ascent is a sign that infrastructure providers will be as critical as AI developers in this next wave of digital transformation.

• The company is expected to draw increased attention from investors, regulators, and possibly acquirers.

Finance

Markets Close Lower as Fed Sparks Economic Anxiety

Investors React Cautiously to Central Bank Meeting Minutes

Wall Street ended the day in the red, as utilities and consumer discretionary stocks led the decline. The downturn followed the release of Federal Reserve meeting minutes from earlier in May, which painted a less-than-optimistic view of the economic outlook.

What Spooked Investors?

• Concerns Over Growth: Fed officials noted slowing indicators in consumer spending and industrial output.

• Interest Rate Uncertainty: While inflation has cooled slightly, the Fed hinted it may hold rates higher for longer than anticipated.

• Softening Sectors: Key areas like real estate, retail, and travel showed signs of losing momentum.

Sector Highlights:

• Utilities dropped sharply, often a sign that investors are pulling back from defensive plays.

• Consumer discretionary shares — companies that depend on extra consumer spending — also slumped amid worries about household financial pressure.

PRESENTED BY THE RUNDOWN AI

Learn AI in 5 minutes a day

This is the easiest way for a busy person wanting to learn AI in as little time as possible:

1. Sign up for The Rundown AI newsletter

2. They send you 5-minute email updates on the latest AI news and how to use it

3. You learn how to become 2x more productive by leveraging AI

Sign up to start learning.

Today’s Snapshot

The Leverage Ladder: How the Wealthy Buy Back Time and Multiply Income

Most people think wealth is about working harder.
But the wealthy think in terms of leverage—how to get more results with less effort.

“Give me a lever long enough, and I will move the world.” – Archimedes

In the world of money and business, leverage is the tool that lets you:

• Earn more without clocking more hours

• Scale a business without burning out

• Build wealth while keeping your freedom

Whether you’re in a 9–5, scaling a company, investing, or just getting started, the key to building real wealth is climbing the Leverage Ladder.

Let’s unpack it step-by-step.

🪜 The 4 Types of Leverage (And How to Use Them)

Leverage lets you detach your time from your income. These are the four core types:

1. Labor Leverage (Other People’s Time)

Hire people to do what you can’t—or shouldn’t—do yourself.

• For corporate folks: Lead teams instead of doing all the execution. Learn management, delegation, and leadership.

• For business owners: Outsource low-value tasks. Use contractors, VAs, or part-time help early.

• For beginners: Collaborate or partner to fill gaps in your own skillset.

You can’t scale alone. Labor lets you multiply your effort.

2. Capital Leverage (Other People’s Money)

Use money—yours or someone else’s—to generate more money.

• Investing in stocks, real estate, or private businesses

• Using business credit or funding to grow faster

• Buying cash-flowing assets instead of trading time for money

Start small, but start smart. Learn capital allocation. This is how investors build wealth without clocking hours.

Capital works 24/7, never sleeps, never calls in sick.

3. Code/Automation Leverage

Technology that works for you—even when you’re not working.

• Automate sales flows, lead gen, scheduling, emails, reporting

• Build tools, scripts, or apps that save time or create value

• Learn to use no-code or AI tools to 10x your productivity

Even basic automation can unlock hours per week and make you look like a genius.

Automate before you delegate. If it’s repeatable, it’s automatable.

4. Media Leverage

Content that keeps working long after you hit publish.

• Newsletters (like this one 😉), blogs, podcasts, YouTube, tweets

• Writing a book, creating a digital product, building a personal brand

• Anything that spreads your ideas, authority, or offers at scale

This is how solo creators earn $1M+ with no team. It’s also how execs and investors build long-term credibility and deal flow.

Media turns you into a magnet—for opportunities, money, and influence.

📈 The Wealthiest People Use All Four

If you study ultra-wealthy individuals (billionaires, top founders, power investors), they rarely rely on just one form of leverage.

Here’s how it often looks:

You don’t need to master all four right away.
But if you want to be wealthy without being chained to a desk, you need to intentionally climb the leverage ladder.

🚀 How to Start Using Leverage Today (No Matter Where You Are)

Let’s keep it practical.

If you’re in a job:

• Use labor leverage by becoming a team leader or delegating more.

• Use media leverage by building a personal brand in your industry.

• Invest a percentage of income monthly to start using capital leverage.

If you run a business:

• Automate marketing, onboarding, customer service = code leverage

• Build a content engine = media leverage

• Hire slow, but hire—labor leverage will set you free

If you’re just starting out:

• Learn a high-leverage skill (e.g. sales, copywriting, AI, code)

• Use free tools (Zapier, ChatGPT, Canva, Notion) to automate

• Post online, share learnings = instant media leverage

🧠 Final Thought: The New Rich Don’t Work More—They Leverage Better

The middle class sells time.
The wealthy buy time… and turn it into opportunity.

You don’t need more hours in the day. You need better levers.

Leverage is how you build a life of wealth and freedom, not just income.

Start where you are. Pick one lever to add this month. Stack them over time.

This is how money starts working harder than you do.

PRESENTED BY HUBSPOT

Streamline Your Entire Business with a Free CRM

HubSpot provides a comprehensive customer relationship management platform to help you grow. With powerful features to manage leads and improve customer relationships, HubSpot’s CRM is completely free, with no restrictions on users or data, making it ideal for businesses at any stage.

Sign up now and try it free, forever! →

Fun Stuff

😂 Funny Joke

Why did the startup founder get kicked out of yoga class?
Because every time they tried to "relax," they pitched a new app.

🌀 Wild & Wacky

Pepsi once had the 6th-largest military in the world — for a moment.
In a bizarre Cold War deal, the USSR traded warships for Pepsi products. Pepsi briefly "owned" 17 submarines and 3 warships before selling them for scrap.

🤔 Would You Rather

Would you rather…

• Be guaranteed a 5% return every year with no risk,
  OR

• Get one shot at a 50% chance of doubling your wealth instantly, but lose half if you fail?

(Calculated growth vs. bold gambles — where do you land?)

🧠 Brain Teaser

You buy an antique coin for $10 and sell it for $20.
Then you buy it back for $30 and sell it again for $40.
What’s your total profit?

*Answers at the bottom

More Newsletters

The Best of The Best Newsletters in:

Making Money - Side Hustle Weekly by TWW - Subscribe Now →

Artificial Intelligence - The AI Report - Subscribe Now →

Technology - Techpresso - Subscribe Now →

Startups - TLDR Newsletter - Subscribe Now →

Stock Market - Early Bird - Subscribe Now →

Personal Development - Field Notes - Subscribe Now →

Look For More →

*Promoted

Fun Stuff: Answers

Brain Teaser - Answer: $20 profit (+10 from first trade, +10 from second trade)