Escaping the 1% Prison: Why I Took Back Control of My Wealth

Jun 10, 2025

Most people don’t realize they’re in a prison.

Not one with bars, but with statements, fees, and passive portfolios managed by someone else.

For years, I trusted financial advisors to do what I should’ve done myself: manage my investments. And it worked…until it didn’t. It wasn’t until I filed my taxes and realized the losses from my investment company weren’t “active” enough to write off that I had my wake-up call.

The system wasn’t broken; it just wasn’t built for me. Or you.

It was built to keep us busy earning while quietly extracting a percent of our wealth, year after year.

The Restaurant Analogy

Imagine eating out every day. Sure, the meals are convenient. But eventually, you start wondering what’s really going into them and whether you could do it better yourself.

That’s what traditional wealth management feels like.

It's a $145 trillion industry, growing at 6 %+ per annum. At $1.5 trillion in fees, that's a lot of meals out!

Yes, there’s a lot to learn. But the freedom and satisfaction are unmatched once you learn to “cook” your own investment strategy.

Why Traditional Portfolio Advice No Longer Works

We’re entering a new era: volatile, unpredictable, and fast-moving. Wars. Debt. Meme coins. Gold and Bitcoin are climbing for entirely different reasons. Seven stocks holding up the S&P 500. The bond vigilantes are finally waking from a decades-long slumber.

Yet advisors still hand you a risk tolerance quiz and recommend a 60/40 portfolio, or 70/30, or 80/20.

You'll have the conversation. And then you'll log into your account and see 40 stock positions and 20 bonds. You've lost control.

That’s not a strategy. That’s a sleep aid.

It's Huxley's Brave New World—SOMA for the investment masses.

Do you want the Red Pill or the Blue?

What I’m Doing Instead

I broke up with my advisor.

I opened my own account.

I built my own system: one that reflects my goals, my risk tolerance, and my worldview.

Now, I follow a 30/30/30/10 model that adapts to the times and the signals (hint—it may be changing very soon):

✅ 30% Precious Metals & Miners
✅ 30% Stocks
✅ 30% Short-Term Fixed Income/Cash
✅ 10% Bitcoin

It's based on my research, the tools I use, and what lets me sleep at night.

In future editions, we'll get into the research. I will give you what you need to develop your own tools, filter the noise, and make decisions you can understand and live with.

Introducing: The Fearless Investor Community

If you’re ready to think for yourself…

If you want to stop relying on traditional advisors who treat you like a line item…

If you’re curious about building your own system with clarity and confidence…

Then welcome to Fearless Investor.

It’s a private community for people who want to understand the macro trends, build smarter portfolios, and reclaim control of their wealth: without the fluff, hype, or 1% fees.

✅ No stock tips.
✅ No managed accounts.
✅ Just smart conversations, macro insights, and hands-on education.

Ready to Escape?

Subscribe to the newsletter to follow along. And when you’re ready, consider joining the community.

Together, we can build systems that work for us, not against us.

👉 Join the Community Now: https://neil-winward.kit.com/community

Neil Winward

Founder, Dakota Ridge Capital

Host, MacroMashup Podcast

Builder, Fearless Investor