[Post 405] Why A $100,000 Salary Can’t Buy The American Dream

Summary

More than half (52%) of Americans say they would need at least $100,000 a year to be financially comfortable, according to the August 2023 CNBC Your Money Survey. It’s becoming increasingly more difficult to achieve the American Dream, especially as younger generations are beginning their adulthood with thousands of dollars in student loans. Watch the video above to learn more about how much it costs to achieve the American Dream.

[Post 404] My Korean Restaurant Brings In $1.8 Million A Year – Here's What It Costs To Run

Summary

At 27, Ji Hye Kim quit her long-time job at a medical administration company to become a cheese monger at Zingerman's Deli in Ann Arbor, MI. Eight years later, she opened her own Korean restaurant: Miss Kim. Ji Hye is now a James Beard Award semifinalist. In 2023, her restaurant brought in $1.8 million in sales. Ji Hye passes much of that revenue on to her staff, paying them $12-$15/hour and sharing the restaurant's profits with them.

This is an installment of CNBC Make It's Millennial Money series, which profiles people across the globe and details how they earn, spend and save their money.

[Post 403] I Bought An Ice Cream Shop — Now It Brings In $1.2 Million A Year

Summary

Shawn Allard, 27, quit his job as a dental consultant and decided to buy two Arizona ice cream shops called Novel Ice Cream. In 2023, the business brought in $1.2 million in sales.

[Post 402] My Side Hustle Now Brings In $25K/Month - Here's How I Did It

Summary

Liz Chick started making and selling art to get reprieve from her "windowless office" job. Now, she runs an art studio in Brooklyn and makes $5,500 per month.

[Post 401] I Spent 14 Years As A Stay-At-Home Dad For My Son. Here’s Why It’s Time To Reclaim My Life

Summary

“Why is an abled-bodied man being a stay-home dad?” For 14 years, father of two, Lee Kwong Luen dedicated his time and energy to caring full-time for his son, Jue Ming who has autism and bleeding disorder, haemophilia B. 

He shares candidly about the criticism he faces, his struggle with social isolation and depression, and how he’s slowly reclaiming his identity after putting his career and life on hold for over 10 years. 

[Post 400] Why Japan’s Economy Is So Fiercely Inefficient | WSJ

Summary

Japan is a country of contradictions. From bullet trains to pioneering robotics, it’s often seen as a land of innovation; but it also has a strong attachment to tradition with practices like hanko. Japan used to be the third largest economy in the world but lost the title to Germany last year. So why is the country falling behind?

WSJ’s Peter Landers explains how being fiercely traditional is weighing down Japan’s economy.

[Post 399] Our Japanese Bakery In A Hawker Centre: Meet The Shio Pan Sisters | On The Red Dot - I Am A Hawker

Summary

It had always been 28-year-old Danielle Tan’s dream to be a baker and own a bakery. She honed her skills by baking and selling cakes at pop-up stalls both as a student and a working adult. After two years of working, Danielle decided to start her own pastry business, specializing in “shio pan” – a Japanese salt bun. Teaming up with her 32-year-old sister Serene, they opened Butter Town.

Butter Town quickly became a roaring success, consistently selling out their breads within two hours of opening. However, their small oven, single mixer, and few trays couldn’t keep up with the overwhelming demand. Within three months, the sisters faced the urgent challenge of scaling up their operations to meet their customers’ needs.