We had the good fortune of connecting with Joji Davenport and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Joji, do you disagree with some advice that is more or less universally accepted?
I disagree with the conventional advice to stock away 15% into retirement and retire at the age of 65. Most of your life is gone by then. What can we do today and over the next 5 or 7 years to build freedom for ourselves to live life they way we want to live it? Without time tables set by society. I think foregoing certain luxuries or societal norms early in life helps you realize that humans need very little to thrive. So, live on much less than you make (aim for saving 50% or more) and invest the rest to reach your freedom number in your 30s or 40s.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I taught high school chemistry for 7 years. During that time, I learned how to buy and sell books on Amazon — all from the comfort of my home. My wife, an elementary school teacher, started her own side hustles around the same time. We managed to live off the income of our side hustles and max out our retirement accounts every year (ROTH IRA, 457(b), and 403(b)). Our businesses steadily grew and eventually our side hustle incomes out grew our teaching incomes. My wife decided to leave the teaching profession after year 3. I left after year 7 when we hit our freedom number of 1.5 million in invested assets and no debt.

Despite retiring early at the age of 30, we both are incredibly active with our work. The goal was to build the life that we wanted. To not be constrained by societal time tables. Currently, I’m still buying and reselling books on Amazon. I’m good at it, it’s incredibly fun, I can do it whenever and wherever I want, and it also makes great money! I essentially use software to find books on Amazon that are incorrectly priced, buy them, and simply resell them back on Amazon for their intrinsic value, profiting the difference. I’m also spending more time teaching other people how to start selling books on my YouTube channels (Joji Davenport/BookMine).

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Let’s definitely go play pickleball at Pointsettia Park! Let’s make some home cooked meals, plan a picnic or two in mission bay or at the local park, and take a walk on the Oceanside Pier.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’ve had the privilege of growing up middle class. My parents were selfless in many ways, which gave me the opportunity to learn in school and put it to use.

My wife, Maya, despite all of my crazy business ideas, has always believed in me and never held me back.

ChooseFI Podcast– my introduction to a different way of living life.

The Simple Path to Wealth by JL Collins — living below your means (like a monk — read the book) helps you build freedom while also teaching you that life is quite simple. You don’t need things to be happy. Family, friends, good food, and an active lifestyle will do it.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joji_davenport/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jojidavenport ; https://www.youtube.com/@bookmineco

Other: email: jojidavenport@gmail.com

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutSoCal is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.