Hi there! I’m Brandon-Richard Austin, founder of Rinkydoo Finance.
Starting a personal finance website has been in the back of my mind since I began investing in 2017. I didn’t spring into action until observing the economic fallout of 2020’s COVID-19 pandemic, however. That situation reinforced two ideas.
First, financial literacy is vital – and not easy to establish without access to reliable information. I was fortunate enough to realize this years before COVID-19 was a phrase on the tip of everyone’s tongues. The hundreds of hours I spent gobbling up as much quality information as possible helped me keep a level head and continue growing my portfolio even as global markets shed trillions of dollars in value.
Second, building something for yourself is also important. Life changed in previously-unimaginable ways during the pandemic. Jobs that were once seen as stable all but evaporated into thin air. Those of us who avoided layoffs still dealt with the stress of having to prove ourselves to employers and clients that were just looking for excuses to trim the fat.
In the tensest moments, I was grateful to know that my investments and savings would be there to shield me from the financial pressure of a potential job loss. Still, I felt the drive to finally establish a source of income and fulfillment less-tethered to external turbulence.
Rinkydoo Finance is my attempt to combine the momentum of these reinforced ideas. I’m building a platform that helps others establish hope for their financial futures during the best and worst of times.
Core values
Here are the core beliefs that reverberate through everything I do on this website.
1. Anyone can become good with money.
From childhood right through to my late teens, I was terrible with money. It slipped through my fingers like sand. Saving, let alone investing, was not even a thing I considered. If I can go from that level of perpetual brokenness to now saving regularly and confidently managing a substantial investment portfolio, anyone can. All you need is the right information. You’d be surprised at how quickly your view of money changes from there.
2. Money doesn’t have to be a dirty subject.
I understand that some aspects of personal finance (particularly investing) may not sit well with socially-conscious people. However, I believe there are ways to honor your personal compass while still achieving financial freedom.
3. Getting rich quick is not the goal of investing.
You will never see me promoting anything that promises quick riches on this site because those “opportunities” are scams 99.9% of the time. History has repeatedly shown that investing for the long haul is how you make lots of money. Anyone selling “get rich quick” schemes will never be given a platform on Rinkydoo Finance.
4. Personal finance is about more than just money.
I believe that taking control of your finances changes everything about the way you live. It makes the world a more exciting place and prompts you to take better care of yourself in order to enjoy the fruits of your efforts down the road. You will become more disciplined and savvy in all areas.
5. It’s never too late – or early – to start caring about your personal finances.
If you think you’re too far down the rabbit hole of debt or not making enough money yet to start caring, you’re dead wrong. While you won’t completely elevate yourself overnight, there’s no harm at all in doing even a tiny bit better. In fact, chances are you’ll end up doing much better than you think.
My background
I’m a journalism graduate, digital marketer and aspiring programmer from Toronto, Ontario. At my day job, I oversee content creation for startups and public companies alike.
My foray into investing began with cryptocurrency in 2017. My experiences got me hooked on markets and I quickly began diving into any books and YouTube videos I could find. Before long, I made the move to stocks and have been holding a mix of American, Canadian, and international equities ever since. I’ve also become passionate about saving and minimizing debt as much as possible.
My work in both journalism and web content has made me particularly adept at researching and distilling information. As such, the guides you’ll find on Rinkydoo Finance are among the most in-depth ones around.
What’s with the name?
The name Rinkydoo Finance was inspired by two things. Foremost is the children’s song Skinamarink from The Elephant Show, which I used to watch as a kid growing up in Canada.
I settled on that playful name after observing how the watch blog HODINKEE masterfully positioned themselves. As you probably know, the world of high-end watchmaking can be very snobby. A silly name makes content about that market seem more accessible and less pretentious. I hope to achieve that in the finance space.