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Let My Downfall in 2008 Save Your Portfolio Today

Chris’ note: If you’re like most folks, you’re hurting this year. Stocks and bonds are plunging. Energy bills are spiking. And inflation is eating into your dollar savings like termites through dry timber.

That’s why, all week, you’ve been hearing from friend of Legacy Research Brad Thomas. He’s one of America’s most widely followed income investing experts. And he’s been showing how you can build your wealth by creating reliable streams of income in the stock market.

His strategy isn’t a flashy one. It won’t make you rich overnight. But as Brad reveals below, it’s helped him build back a comfortable nest egg after losing his shirt as a real estate developer in the 2008 housing crash.

And as he talks about in a new presentation he’s put together… you can use the same strategy to help you through this bear market.


If you’re losing sleep over the bear market, take a deep breath.

Let me tap into my more than three decades of investing experience and share two messages with you…

  • I’ve been where you are today.

  • It doesn’t have to be that way.

If you’ve been following along with me this week, you’ll know I went from running a prosperous real estate empire… to losing it all. So I get how it feels to be up against the markets.

But that experience led me to find a more sustainable way to build wealth. And today, I’m headed for a rich retirement.

I turned my focus away from flashy trends and FOMO (fear of missing out) investing. And I started investing in reliable income-paying stocks.

These may look boring. But they offer enviable “SWAN” (sleep well at night) returns.

I have a major announcement to share at the end of today’s insight. It’s all about the best way to access these kinds of SWAN stocks. Plus, I’ll share how you can get the name of my favorite stock… for free.

But first, more about my journey from boom to bust and back again…

How I Lost It All

Real estate is in my blood.

My grandfather was a hotel owner. My hardworking, single-parent mom was a real estate agent.

And after I finished college, I became a leasing agent.

But I didn’t stay one for long. Opportunity knocked, and I became a commercial real estate developer.

I built standalone properties and strip malls for Blockbuster, The Athlete’s Foot, Advance Auto Parts, and Dollar General.

I also bought two Papa John’s franchises and two Athlete’s Foot franchises – and the properties they worked from.

At the peak of my career, I had more than 100 rent checks coming in every month.

I was working hard to make money. But I was enjoying spending it, too.

I went on lavish vacations… sent my five kids to upscale private schools… and bought my wife expensive jewelry in the spur of the moment.

Then 2008 came… with its subprime mortgage mess and the financial crash that followed.

And I lost my properties, my franchises, my millions, and my career.

I was more broke than I’m willing to write even now. I had five children. The youngest wasn’t even two years old.

And I had no idea how I was going to provide for them.

I’d reached the end of my financial rope. That’s when I realized what I needed to do to make it through…

It applies to every business opportunity I’ve seen since. And it’s a lesson you can use today to preserve your wealth through these difficult times.

Moment That Changed Everything

My wife had asked me to pick up diapers and milk.

I was sitting in the parking lot of a $15 million property I had developed. And I remember thinking, “Why is it I have just $20 in my pocket, and the bag boys – in jobs I helped create – are better off?”

I’m not ashamed to tell you I prayed in my car that day. And I got an answer…

It wasn’t an easy one. It would take hard work and time. But I realized I had a message to offer… and I was uniquely positioned to present it.

I just had to act.

So I set about profiting from real estate all over again. But this time, in a more intelligent, sustainable way.

In 2010, I started an income-investing research advisory from my kitchen table. I wrote to folks like you to warn about what I did wrong… and how to do better.

I reached out to some of the CEOs I’d met over the years. That included people in charge of the country’s best real estate investment trusts (“REITs”).

REITs trade on major stock exchanges like the New York Stock Exchange. But they have a unique business model.

They own income-producing properties. They rent out real estate. And they return 90–100% of that rental income to shareholders. This lets regular folks invest in real estate via the stock market.

My connections gave me an edge in the newsletter business. And my insider’s grasp of real estate – from foundation to fulfillment – sharpened that edge.

I worked hard. And I put my money where my mouth was, buying into REITs with what little money I had.

Slowly but surely, I pulled in readers. And slowly but surely, I built back my nest egg.

And it wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t decide to go the slow and steady route… even amid miserable economic conditions.

I focused on building reliable streams of income… and invested in well-managed companies that offer things people want in novel ways. And I learned this approach can help you weather even the worst bear markets.

That’s why I’m so excited to share some big news with you today…

Your SWAN Investing Blueprint

I’m launching a new advisory focused on finding the world’s greatest SWAN investments.

It’s called Intelligent Income Investor. And it includes a model portfolio with more than two dozen actionable recommendations you can invest in today.

To find out more about it… and how you can access my model portfolio of SWAN stocks… check out my new video presentation.

I also share the name of one of my favorite REITs for today’s market. You’ll get that name and ticker symbol – free – just for watching.

I know this year has been rough. This is the worst downturn since the 2008 crisis that put me out of business and forced me to rethink everything I knew about building wealth.

But if you follow my SWAN strategy, you’ll look back on 2022 as one of the best opportunities life ever handed you.

Don’t let it go to waste. Go here now to watch my presentation.

Happy SWAN (sleep well at night) investing,

Brad Thomas
Editor, Intelligent Income Daily

P.S. I believe hundreds of popular stocks could fall even further than they already have before this year ends.

My portfolio of SWAN stocks will help you retire wealthier than you could by betting against stocks… trading options… or investing in supposed “safe havens” such as gold and Treasury bonds. So you won’t want to miss it.