If you run a company, busting your butt every day, you likely know the feeling, “Another twelve‑hour work day passes... and still no closer to owning income-producing assets that multiply my passive income making my time forever more valuable.”

Ok, nobody's thinking exactly that... but you are now!

Over the next few weeks we will unpack three ways to free up cash for your War Chest:

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1. “Build the War Chest itself” – automatically withdrawn savings that grow quietly.  

2. “Trimming bloated benefit costs”… without hurting employees.  

3. “Plug profit leaks” by optimizing your business.

Today’s article goes deep on 1. above. The other two will follow in weeks to come… unless we get distracted by shiny stories that we want to tell you. In that case, we promise we’ll eventually get you all three parts. Cross my heart.

Why a War Chest Matters More Than Ever

Let’s face it, every extra dollar counts. We all know someone who’s business makes good money. Somehow, like most business owners, they reach the end of their month, bills get paid, the family gets what it needs and ZERO makes it into savings/investments… this example isn’t you… but I’m sure you know someone. (wink wink)

We all have the friend who’s on his 18^th book on investing in real estate. He’s learning every thing there is to know about BRRR or some other strategy… but for some reason he still owns no property.

Likewise, we all know the person who’s business is scaling RAPIDLY, but has zero time to dig in and start investing. Here’s the equation: Perfectionist in business + zero time + high expectations = no investing.

In all these cases, there’s a pattern. In all these cases, there is a simple first solution. Start saving something. Start building that war chest. Because, no money, nothing above matters. You ain’t buying anything anyways.

Waiting until you “know enough” to invest only gets harder because the cash you need is being pulled in other directions. Building a War Chest as we do, protects those dollars and keeps them on standby for you alone.

The Real Blocker: Cash, Not Knowledge

You might love the sound of the BRRR real‑estate strategy—Buy, Renovate, Rent, Refinance—but feel frozen by questions:

“Which neighborhoods are worth a look?”  

“How do I run rehab numbers?”  

“Where do I find a good property manager?”

Those and a million others are all valid questions, yet they often hide the bigger truth: you do not have the cash to pull the trigger anyway. Without a War Chest you can research forever and still miss deals. Capital turns theory into action.

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Why Cash-First Beats Know‑How-First

1. Opportunities move fast Sellers aren’t going to pick buyers who can’t close.  

2. Cash buys time to learn. Inspectors, appraisers, and mentors respond quicker when you can pay their fee.  

Ok, these seem a little sarcastic but they are the truth. You miss every pitch you don’t have a bat to swing with.

In short, building a War Chest fixes the problem you can control—your liquidity—while you learn the tactics at a healthy pace.

How to Build Your War Chest in Three Simple Steps

1. Pick a Percent, Not a Dollar. Start with 5 to 10 percent of your average net profit over the last 12 months. When revenue dips, you’ve already been over stuffing and can pull back.

2. Automate the Move. Set a monthly transfer that coincides with income that hits your operating account so you never “see” the money. (We’ll expand upon this.)  

3. Use a Growth‑Friendly Account. Special accounts exist that grows tax‑favored, shelter from major market corrections and lets you borrow later… yeah, I get it, that’s a LOT to unpack.

Quick Wins to Boost Funding Speed

Create a holding account. Into it:

- Round up daily sales. If the register rings $483, sweep the extra $17.  

- Bank unexpected refunds. Vendor credit? Straight to the War Chest.  

The Tale of Two Categories

You either fall into one of two categories - You read the above “quick wins” and calculate the 10% of average net profit and

- The minority of you think, “Awesome! I’ll be ready to buy property in no time” (Such the minority)

- The vast majority of you think, “Well that’s depressing… I can maybe buy property in 2 to 3 years…”

For those in the second bucket, I ask you: What were you doing 3 years ago… didn’t that feel like “Just yesterday” The fact of the matter is this, your small consistent actions will ALWAYS outpace the mad dash. Always.

For those in the first bucket, good for you. We reward those who are the awesome-est. Step right to the front of the line. We make no apologies for putting those most able to the top of the pile… we’ll service everyone really well, just not with equal urgency.

One‑Month Starter Plan

0. Name out what you actually want. Is it a duplex? Where? What would it take to make the down payment? How much we talkin?

1.  Assess 12 month income/profit - Open War Chest and set auto‑transfer - Habit started – Treat it like a bill. Don’t cancel it. You already figure out your bills come hell or high water, treat your wealth the same.

2. Add round‑up sweep - Extra fuel.

3. Identify unexpected refunds and stash that s*#t - Quick boost.

4. Review balance with us, your trusty Forge advisers - Next milestone set, next strategic reduction in cost discovered, next boost in income/ability added.

By month 12 of REAL savings, you will see dollars working for you. Then, your next learning step—whether that is reading a book on property analysis or touring assets—will feel urgent and purposeful. Heck you might even finish that book.

Looking Ahead

Next week we will tackle Move 2: Trimming Benefit Costs—a straightforward path to free up 15‑20 percent of payroll spend without cutting coverage. For now, focus on the one variable you control immediately: cementing the War Chest habit.

Ready to see how fast your War Chest will grow? Book a 20‑minute call with our team and we’ll build you a custom investing path.

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Till next time.

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By Curtis Johnson, CEO, Forge Financial Services – “We build your wealth while you build your business.”

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