The 10% Rule That Protects Your Future From Layoffs
Control part of your income before your company controls it all.
The story is always the same. The call comes at 9 AM on a Tuesday. By 9:06, the $250,000 job is gone.
One "restructuring" decision wipes out 15 years of loyalty. Fifteen years of 60-hour weeks, missed dinners, and climbing the corporate ladder.
But here's what hits hardest about these stories: it's never some struggling company. It's always a Fortune 500 firm with "record profits." And it's always their top performers. The ones everyone comes to when things need fixing.
These stories taught me job security is dead. Even for high earners like you.
The people who bounce back fast from these layoffs have something different. Income they controlled. Money that couldn't disappear with a signature on a restructuring memo.
In this newsletter, you'll discover:
The 10% Rule that builds real financial resilience
How to productize your existing expertise (no new skills needed)
The 3-step process that turns problems into paychecks
Why your first $5,000 changes everything psychologically
Let's get into it.
The Reality
Corporate loyalty is worthless currency in today's economy.
I've watched this story repeat itself dozens of times. Fifteen years of dedication doesn't matter. Being the go-to problem solver doesn't matter. Having the best performance reviews doesn't matter.
What matters is one thing: do you control your income, or does it control you?
The people bouncing back from layoffs aren't smarter or luckier. They just understood something most high earners miss.
There's a simple rule that changes everything.
The 10% Rule
Never be 100% dependent on one income source.
Here's the math that creates freedom:
Get 10% of your total income from sources YOU control
$250,000 salary = $25,000 target from controlled sources
That's just $2,083 per month
Suddenly manageable, right?
But here's what most people get wrong. They think they need to learn coding or start dropshipping or become a social media guru.
The easiest path is right in front of you.
Productize Your Expertise
You're already making great money because you solve expensive problems.
That expertise has value beyond your payroll. You fix things others can't. You see solutions others miss. You deliver results others struggle with.
Stop thinking like an employee. Start thinking like an owner.
The process is simpler than you think.
Step 1: Define Your Superpower
What do you fix at work that others can't?
Don't overthink this:
What problems do colleagues bring to you?
What tasks do you handle that others avoid?
What results do you deliver that seem "impossible" to others?
Pick one. Get laser focused on that single expertise area.
Don't learn new skills. Monetize the ones you already have.
Step 2: Find Your Market
Your best prospects already know your work.
Start here:
LinkedIn connections who've moved companies
Former colleagues at new firms
Industry contacts from conferences or projects
People who've seen you solve problems firsthand
They trust your expertise because they've witnessed it. That trust is worth more than any marketing campaign.
Time to turn expertise into income.
Step 3: Package and Price
Your time has value—price it accordingly.
Here are the formats that work:
Consulting calls: $200-300/hour minimum
Project work: $2,000-15,000 depending on scope
Monthly retainers: $1,000-5,000 for ongoing expertise
Start with consulting. It's the fastest path to your first check.
But here's what really happens when that first payment hits your account.
The Psychology Shift
Your first $5,000 check changes everything.
Not because of the money. Because of the proof.
You prove to yourself that your skills have market value beyond your employer. You stop feeling completely dependent and start feeling capable.
That restructuring meeting becomes scary, not devastating. You're still vulnerable, but you're not helpless.
Most importantly, you see yourself differently. Not just as someone who receives paychecks, but as someone who creates value. Someone who can generate income.
The 10% Rule isn't about immediate freedom. It's about building the foundation for it.
That's it.
Remember that story pattern I opened with? The $250,000 earner who loses everything in six minutes? It's the reality for thousands of people every month.
Some bounce back quickly. Others spend eight months scrambling—salary cuts, stress, and the crushing realization that their "secure" job was anything but.
You get to choose a different path. Pick your expertise area this week. Find one person who needs that problem solved. Send one message.
Most people won't do this.
They'll read this newsletter, nod along, and go back to crossing their fingers that their company stays loyal.
But corporate loyalty died years ago. The only loyalty that matters now is the loyalty you build with yourself—by proving you can create value beyond a single paycheck.
The moment you control 10% of your income, you're not just building a side business. You're building the foundation for a life where you call the shots.
Your expertise is waiting to be monetized, and your first $5K check is waiting to change how you see yourself forever.
Thanks for reading.
Whenever you're ready, there are 2 other ways we can help you:
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Opulus, LLC (“Opulus”) is a registered investment advisor in Pennsylvania and other jurisdictions where exempted. Registration as an investment advisor does not imply any specific level of skill or training.
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