Instead of a traditional prenup focused on a divorce payout, Anne gifted her husband a significant sum. This equalized their financial footing, removed money as a source of conflict, and ensured he felt like a partner rather than a dependent living on borrowed time.
Instead of leaving a large inheritance, Anne actively gives money to her family now, when it has the most impact. She flies everyone on vacations and covers major expenses, arguing that gifting money to a 98-year-old sibling is pointless. This creates shared memories and reduces financial burdens.
To combat the tendency to hoard money, Anne sets a minimum monthly spend of around $200k. If she's under budget, she proactively gives money away or books experiences, forcing herself to live the life her wealth affords rather than letting it accumulate passively.
Despite her startup success, Anne keeps most of her wealth in public equities. She argues the 'fun and sexy' world of private investing rarely beats the S&P 500, requires locking up capital for years, and has an extremely low success rate of around 1%.
After her exit, Anne started another company, only to realize she was recreating the same high-stress life. She shut it down to avoid trading another decade for money she didn't need. She consciously chose a new identity—her 'volleyball era'—instead of defaulting to her founder persona.
Anne almost bought a lake house driven by nostalgia. She backed out after realizing she wanted the *feeling* of creating family memories, not the actual burden of a second home. The better solution was renting a house for a week, achieving the goal without the logistical overhead.
Anne admits her $100M exit goal for Solid Core wasn't based on financial need. It was a number large enough to silence any debate about her skill and talent as an entrepreneur. Many founders chase arbitrary numbers to satisfy emotional needs, not to fund a specific life.
Many successful people make more than they let themselves spend. Anne argues you must intentionally 'up your expensive game' by making progressively larger purchases. This normalizes spending and closes the gap between earning and living, preventing you from 'strangling' your money.