🟢 Airbnb Investments

Hello Thursday. My kids went to the Providence Day (7-2) vs Latin (8-2) football game last Friday night. Providence Day was up 45-0 at halftime!

My 10 year old son is still talking about David Sanders Jr. At 6'6" and 290 pounds, he's the #7 high school player in the country and #1 offensive lineman. He committed to Tennessee and is a potential future first round NFL pick. 

I don't know David, but I've heard he's a great guy. He’d like to be an orthopedic surgeon, receives "lots of NIL offers," has a clothing line, partnered with Quest Nutrition, and opponents say he's polite (while dominating them). Anyways. 

💼 Hot Job: Software Research Analyst at Stacksphere, a digital media startup backed by Three Ships. Hybrid (3 days per week in SouthPark office). 401K match. Learning stipend. HR lead is Red Ventures alumni Brittan Locke and CEO is HBS alumni Aarti Sura.

👨Shout-out: Kristen Miranda, former TV star at WBTV, for starting a new role as Director of Community Impact and Partnership at Blumenthal Arts. Savvy hire by CEO Tom Gabbard.

MARKETS: YEAR-TO-DATE

THE LEAD

Airbnbs with Instagram-worthy amenities providing best cash flow

Daydreaming about buying an Airbnb investment property that becomes a cash flow machine? Me too.

So I hit up our city's biggest Airbnb nerd, Emir Dukic, CEO of Rabbu, an Airbnb investment marketplace.

Example: His buddies purchased a log cabin near Asheville, invested in the property, and it’s now marketed as "Luxe Artisan Resort-Asheville's Ultimate Getaway!"

Deal breakdown:

Investment picks: Emir’s 3 favorite N.C. Airbnb investment properties for sale — and 15 trends to watch in 2025

PRESENTED BY BLACK WEDNESDAY

Black Wednesday grows business 125%

Black Wednesday is a small (but mighty) marketing and PR company working to connect businesses with their audiences in meaningful ways — from public relations to influencer campaigns.

Prior to the pandemic, they were mostly focused on food and beverage, which crushed them in early 2020. Since, founder Corri Smith has expanded their industry focus and they've rebounded by more than 125% in annual revenue. They love repping Charlotte and are committed to making it cool.

LEGIT MEDIA STAR

37 year old Youtube star hits 2 billion views and prepares for fall tour

Danny Coleman worked at Lowe's corporate in Mooresville for 13 years before starting his Youtube channel, Danny Go, with 3 friends.

Getting recognized: "Usually it's a parent that will recognize me first and point me out to their child. They often don't connect it immediately without the outfit and hat, but then I'll do the Danny Go voice and they light up. It's so bizarre and wonderful."

Youtube money: "My rule of thumb is that whenever you see an 'M' on YouTube, just change it to a 'K' and that's a pretty good estimate of the ad revenue that video generated. So a video with 1M views resulted in that creator receiving $1K in ad revenue.”

2025 focus: "Building out both the touring and the merchandising side, while still putting out tons of music."

Restaurant pick: "Me and the other 2 DG guys are all big fans of Azucar in Huntersville. It's a hidden gem Cuban spot. Order the Masas lunch special!”

Youtube tip: “Be super experimental, just have fun with it. If you see some reaction spikes and it seems like a viable path for building a solid content library, go super focused and commit to it. You don't have to upload 5x a week to find success.”

TINY MONEY JOB BOARD

Who’s hiring in Charlotte? 5 Trending jobs

Hiring? Post a job

Hunting? View all 64 postings on the Tiny Money job board

MONEY TALKS

31 year old startup CEO hopes to retire at 40 with $5M

Money Talks is a weekly series showcasing how real people in Charlotte approach money. Participate.

Salary: “$50K right now. My corporate job out of college paid $60K, but I quit to start a business. Net worth is often tied up in equity. I've kept in touch with friends from my corporate job and they're all making roughly $200K – $225K. I've sold 2 businesses for a combined $1.8M."

Charlotte money hack: “Get into private lending. The yields are amazing and the downside is protected by underlying assets. Especially if the fund you're investing in is targeting growth markets like Charlotte.”

Investments: “I try to split my portfolio up this way — 15% in risky things (startups, art, alternative investments), 35% in real estate, and 50% in equities.”

Advice: “Save as much as you possibly can early in your life. There are a lot of ways to have fun without having a $150+ bar tab at the end of the night.”

Retirement: “I'd love to retire by 40 with $5M. This could generate $300-$500K in annual income, which is more than enough to live off of.”

Full story: 31 year old CEO with $1.8M net worth chooses Eight Sleep mattress pad

MONEY SNACKS

5 other financial headlines I’m snacking on

HOUSEKEEPING

Family social club offers free childcare while you vote

The Grove, a family social club in Myers Park, is offering free childcare for voters on election day. They have 120 bookable slots.

Background: Founder Stephanie Muhs opened The Grove in February. The 5,000 square foot space (it’s beautiful inside) features a full service cafe, age-guided playspaces, studio/fitness room, quiet rooms for parents, and events of all kinds.

Fun fact: Stephanie went to high school with me in Vero Beach, FL! And yes, I was the prom king, but I’m not one of those guys that brings up their high school stats.

Happy Halloween! I’m heading to the Charlotte FC playoff game with my son tomorrow night (tickets $20), so if you’re going too, say hello 👋

– Ted

MONEY POLL

Last week’s poll results: Do you think working with a private college counselor is a good investment? (4,989 subscribers)