afterFI/RE Life after FI/RE
People
Selected life timeline 2024—2026

He sold the company. It took years to stop being its founder.

A large startup exit did not end u/h2m3m’s work habit. He started another company, burned out again and finally stepped away. Later updates trace the harder separation: losing the old professional identity and finding satisfaction in woodworking, teaching, golf and time with his children. By the third-year update, even his LinkedIn profile was gone.

Finances
Net worth at retirement2024-08 · Household
$11,000,000

Approximate reported wealth at the final work exit; includes the paid-off house and education/retirement accounts.

Source
Posts3
2024At departure
Post 01

The first exit did not break the habit

“It hit me that I fell right back into my old overwork habits despite my entire goal in starting the company I just sold being to break out of the intense grind and rat race that is capitalism in America.”

u/h2m3mRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Tried another startup after selling his company and spending time with the acquirer.
  • Stopped the second attempt and left work in August.

How it felt

  • Recognized that the new venture had brought back his old overwork habits. “I fell right back into my old overwork habits”
  • Questioned why he was sacrificing family time for a goal already reached. “grinding for a goal I already reached”
IdentityRecoveryFamily
u/h2m3m (opens in a new tab)
Notes

Update date at the available precision. Recollections, current circumstances and future plans are distinguished in the summary.

Startup sale, second company, fear and guilt.

Editorial summaries with short, attributed quotations. The original contains the full story.

2025Year 2
Post 02

Boredom no longer justifies the old life

“I’d happily trade a few moments of post-retirement boredom for the meetings, sleepless nights, presentations, sales pitches, employee turmoil, work travel, and complete uncertainty that came with running a business.”

u/h2m3mRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Spent more time with his children, learning skills, playing golf and pursuing hobbies.
  • Wanted more travel as the children grew and fewer renovation disruptions.

How it felt

  • Sometimes felt bored, but preferred that to the demands of running a business. “There are days where I get pretty bored”
  • Found continued learning an important part of the new routine. “always learning new things”
ParenthoodCuriosityIdentity
u/h2m3m (opens in a new tab)
Notes

Update date at the available precision. Recollections, current circumstances and future plans are distinguished in the summary.

Opening; It’s not all roses; next-year plans.

Editorial summaries with short, attributed quotations. The original contains the full story.

2026Year 3
Post 03

The professional identity finally loosens

“That doesn't mean I'm hanging out with them all the time, but I'm there for everything important in their lives.”

u/h2m3mRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Attended a startup event and deleted LinkedIn that night. “I deleted my LinkedIn that night”
  • Spent time on woodworking, teaching projects, golf and his children.

How it felt

  • Recognized that his attachment to the startup world had weakened.
  • Valued being available for the important moments in his children’s lives. “I'm there for everything important in their lives.”
IdentityCreativityParenthood
u/h2m3m (opens in a new tab)
Notes

Update date at the available precision. Recollections, current circumstances and future plans are distinguished in the summary.

Startup event; My new life; Why fatFI/RE.

Editorial summaries with short, attributed quotations. The original contains the full story.

See how these posts compare with other people’s experiences.

Research

Last checked Sep 2026. The accounts are self-reported. This timeline follows selected accounts, including recollections where labeled; it is not a complete archive.

  • The milestone labels use the author’s own count from the earlier business transition. His 2024 post says the final work stop was August 1, 2024 after another startup attempt.
  • The starting balance includes a home and education accounts and is not all available retirement spending capital.
  • This is a selection of reviewed updates, not a complete account history. No later life outcome is inferred from the absence of another indexed post.

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