“It doesn’t matter where you start: you can find acres of diamonds no matter where you are at.” Are you excited for this new year? Or are you thinking, "This year, I want to REALLY homestead, but I don't have the money." Your concern is valid. Growing a farm- or farm business- does require money. So how do you do it if you don’t have any money? On this episode of Homesteady, we look at the steps it takes to walk away from a "typical" job and responsibly take charge of your finances- and your life. John Pugliano, of The Wealthsteading Podcast, and owner of Investable wealth, LLC, currently runs, "independent investment advisory firm that specializes in helping clients build wealth with active portfolio management." John’s clients start with an investment portfolio of $250,000 to invest. Oh wait, you don’t have an extra $250K hanging around? Here's a secret: John didn't start out that way either. "To me, wealth means freedom."-John Pugliano, The Wealthsteading Podcast In our first interview, John shares with us his Seven Lessons to Building Wealth. Lesson One: It doesn't matter where you start. John comes from Western Pennsylvania- mining country.  My father passed away when I was six months old, passed away unexpectedly of an annurism. Learned a very important lesson from his dad: Find value wherever you are. In many ways, I was a slow starter, but at the same time I was constantly improving myself and building my wealth. It doesn't matter where your start from, as long as long as you start at that point and move and advance from there. Lesson Two: Identifying what wealth actually is. "My perception of wealth is that wealth is just an extension of your life. You are trading your time for money and the reason you build wealth is so you have more control over your time." John shares that when you have investments, you are really building "time in reserve." The goal is not to be rich in money, but to be able to enjoy your passions in life while maintaining your responsibilities- to care for yourself, your family and loved ones. Lesson Three: Don't Believe the Myth "The 'ah-ha' moment came for me when I was about 35," John shares with us, "instinctually I knew wealth was built by having a business." We are often taught that the way to build wealth is to attain advanced levels of education and procure a while-collar job. This path, and these jobs, are closely associated with financial security. The source of the myth for John started with schooling and his mom. But all around him, he saw individuals in the neighborhood he grew up with their own businesses and his definition of wealth: having what you need, and the freedom of time. "The 'ah-ha' moment came for me when I was about 35," John shares with us, "instinctually I knew wealth was built by having a business." We are often taught that the way to build wealth is to attain advanced levels of education and procure a while-collar job. This path, and these jobs, are closely associated with financial security. The source of the myth for John started with schooling and his mom. But all around him, he saw individuals in the neighborhood he grew up with their own businesses and his definition of wealth: having what you need, and the freedom of time. When John looked around his corporate environment, he didn't see wealth. He saw consumption, and he saw individuals stuck always reaching for more. Do you see yourself in this description? Fear not, there is a way out. The Millionaire Next Door is an inspirational story about individuals who developed true wealth by finding their own path, developing their own business, and are financially independent. Which brings us to the next lesson. Lesson Four: Saving Money is Just as Important as Making It Instead of investing increases in income in more lavish expenditures, put that money in the bank and use it to pay down existing debt. Lesson Five: Don't Quit Your Day Job Use it to fund your side hustle. John continued on his corporate path in his