Princeton grad. BlackRock trader. Making $180k at 22. But the...
Dickie Bush@dickiebush
61 views
Feb 01, 2025
~3 min read
1
Princeton grad.
BlackRock trader.
Making $180k at 22.
But the biggest "jaw-drop" moment in my 20s?
Getting this $5,000 PayPal payment from a stranger on the internet.
Here's my full story (and how you can do the same):🧵
BlackRock trader.
Making $180k at 22.
But the biggest "jaw-drop" moment in my 20s?
Getting this $5,000 PayPal payment from a stranger on the internet.
Here's my full story (and how you can do the same):🧵
2
After college, I was checking every box:
• Princeton grad
• NYC finance life
• BlackRock trader
• 22 years old on track to make $180k
But then I witnessed something that changed everything:
• Princeton grad
• NYC finance life
• BlackRock trader
• 22 years old on track to make $180k
But then I witnessed something that changed everything:
3
A 38-year-old colleague asked for permission to go to his son's Little League game.
His boss said no.
I thought: "If I do everything right for 14 more years, I'll be sitting here having to ask permission to go to my kids' game?"
Uh oh.
His boss said no.
I thought: "If I do everything right for 14 more years, I'll be sitting here having to ask permission to go to my kids' game?"
Uh oh.
4
But I didn't quit right away (a big mistake most people make).
Instead, I looked for ways to passively pursue new opportunities while working a full-time 9-5.
My schedule:
• Wake up at 4:30 AM
• Write for 2 hours
• BlackRock during the day
• Build in the evenings
Instead, I looked for ways to passively pursue new opportunities while working a full-time 9-5.
My schedule:
• Wake up at 4:30 AM
• Write for 2 hours
• BlackRock during the day
• Build in the evenings
5
I started a newsletter inside BlackRock.
After 3-4 months I realized:
"Why am I capping myself with people in this company when I could use social media and unlock millions of new eyeballs?"
That led to starting my own newsletter in January 2020.
After 3-4 months I realized:
"Why am I capping myself with people in this company when I could use social media and unlock millions of new eyeballs?"
That led to starting my own newsletter in January 2020.
6
After 9 months, growth was slow.
So, I committed to a 30-day writing challenge:
Write and publish something every single day for 30 days on 𝕏.
If it didn't work, I'd find something else.
So, I committed to a 30-day writing challenge:
Write and publish something every single day for 30 days on 𝕏.
If it didn't work, I'd find something else.
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On Day 27, I hit publish.
Zero likes. Zero comments. Zero retweets.
Went to bed thinking, "Cool, this is almost over."
When I woke up, the post had been retweeted by Naval and others. 4-5k likes.
I went from 250 subscribers to 1,000 overnight.
Zero likes. Zero comments. Zero retweets.
Went to bed thinking, "Cool, this is almost over."
When I woke up, the post had been retweeted by Naval and others. 4-5k likes.
I went from 250 subscribers to 1,000 overnight.
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Then the DM that changed everything:
Someone wanted me to write a thread about their work.
When they asked how much I'd charge, I froze.
I had never made a single dollar online.
Someone wanted me to write a thread about their work.
When they asked how much I'd charge, I froze.
I had never made a single dollar online.
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Afraid to quote a price and get rejected, I said:
"I have no clue what to charge. This would be my first time. How about I do it and you pay whatever value it provides?"
(I was going to ask for $500...)
"I have no clue what to charge. This would be my first time. How about I do it and you pay whatever value it provides?"
(I was going to ask for $500...)
10
At the weekend, I went ALL IN.
Spent Saturday and Sunday immersing myself in their content.
15 hours diving deep into every article, interview, and keynote I could find.
I delivered. Their response? "This is sooooooo good! Super helpful."
Spent Saturday and Sunday immersing myself in their content.
15 hours diving deep into every article, interview, and keynote I could find.
I delivered. Their response? "This is sooooooo good! Super helpful."
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Then came the payment question.
They asked, "Where can I send the payment?"
I sent my PayPal and $5,000 hit my account.
Here's what I responded back to him:
They asked, "Where can I send the payment?"
I sent my PayPal and $5,000 hit my account.
Here's what I responded back to him:
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$5,000?
I thought it was a typo.
I messaged them: "Did you mean to send this much?"
Their response: "Dude this was amazing, is that enough for you?"
That moment completely broke my brain about the potential of ghostwriting.
I thought it was a typo.
I messaged them: "Did you mean to send this much?"
Their response: "Dude this was amazing, is that enough for you?"
That moment completely broke my brain about the potential of ghostwriting.
13
As I continued writing, my 30-day writing challenge turned into my @ship30for30 program with @nicolascole77.
Today, we've built multiple 7-figure businesses:
• Ship 30 for 30
• Premium Ghostwriting Academy
• Write with AI
• Typeshare
Today, we've built multiple 7-figure businesses:
• Ship 30 for 30
• Premium Ghostwriting Academy
• Write with AI
• Typeshare
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If you take away one thing from this thread, let it be this:
You never know which post, thread, or article will change your life trajectory forever.
• Start writing today
• Put in the work
• Hit publish
But if I was restarting today, here's what I'm bullish on:
You never know which post, thread, or article will change your life trajectory forever.
• Start writing today
• Put in the work
• Hit publish
But if I was restarting today, here's what I'm bullish on:
15
Premium Ghostwriting.
It's how I landed that $5k client with almost zero writing experience.
So I put together this free, 5-day email course to help you get started as a Premium Ghostwriter.
Get instant access here: x.premiumghostwritingblueprint.com/?el=dickie_aut…
It's how I landed that $5k client with almost zero writing experience.
So I put together this free, 5-day email course to help you get started as a Premium Ghostwriter.
Get instant access here: x.premiumghostwritingblueprint.com/?el=dickie_aut…
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Boom, thanks for reading!
If you enjoyed this, then follow me @dickiebush for more posts on digital writing.
Then, I'd appreciate it if you jumped back to the top and reposted the first post to share it with others:
x.com/dickiebush/sta…
If you enjoyed this, then follow me @dickiebush for more posts on digital writing.
Then, I'd appreciate it if you jumped back to the top and reposted the first post to share it with others:
x.com/dickiebush/sta…