By Brad Thomas, Editor, Intelligent Income Daily

If you feel like you’re losing everything in the stock market these days, I’ll use my decades of investing experience to share two messages with you:

• I understand how you feel.

• It doesn’t have to be that way.

Last month, I shared with readers my humble beginnings… How I began building a commercial real estate empire after college…

And then lost it all in the crash of 2008.

Yet here I am today, headed toward a rich retirement because I found a sustainable wealth-building model after all.

Moreover, I’m not the only one who’s found sleep-well-at-night (SWAN) style success this way. My team at Intelligent Income Daily is filled with similar stories of getting burned, only to rise from the ashes stronger than ever.

We did it by turning our focus away from flashy trends and the fear of missing out (FOMO)… to dividend-paying stocks that might look boring to outsiders – but actually offer enviable returns.

I have a big announcement to share about the best way to access these kinds of stocks at the end of today’s essay.

But before I do that…

I want to follow up from where I left off in September. And show you exactly why I understand what frightened investors are feeling today.

As I explained then, “I was at the bottom of the business barrel – this time with a family of seven to provide for and bills to pay.” I’d reached the end of my financial rope when I realized what I needed to do to make it through.

It’s something that applies to every business opportunity I’ve ever seen since… And it’s a lesson you can use right now, too, if you’re looking for ways to preserve your wealth.

The Moment That Changed Everything for Me

On May 18, 2002, my local paper ran a story about me titled, “Thomas Casts His Own Shadow.”

I had recently left my business partner to strike out on my own and was now the proud owner of a brand-new shopping center. One I’d constructed from the ground up.

It wouldn’t be the last time I built something big or made the headlines. I was flying high back then, with every indication that I’d be retiring a rich man by age 50.

Then the housing crisis hit in 2008… taking my house of cards with it.

You see, I hadn’t managed my money well. My investments weren’t diversified. And I’d done nothing to prepare for rainy days.

That left me sitting in the parking lot of that “Shadow” property in early 2009, which I no longer owned. In fact, I no longer owned much.

I was more broke than I’m willing to write even now. I had five children, the youngest no older than two. And I had no idea how I was going to provide for them.

My wife had asked me to go pick up diapers and milk.

I was sitting in the parking lot of a $15 million property I once developed. I remember thinking, “Why is it that I have just $20 in my pocket and the bag boys – in jobs that I helped create – are better off than me?”

I’m not ashamed to admit that I prayed that day in my car. Or that I got an actual answer.

It wasn’t an easy one. I knew it was going to take hard work and time.

But I realized that I had a message to offer and a unique ability and take on presenting it.

I just had to act on it.

So, I set about capitalizing on real estate all over again. Just this time, it was in a much more intelligent, sustainable way.

I became an analyst, writing to tell others what I did wrong and how to do better.

How I Can Use My Experience to Help You

I began by reaching out to some of the CEOs I’d met over the years. This included some in charge of real estate investment trusts (REITs), corporate landlords that pay big dividends.

Those connections gave me a unique edge in the new arena I’d decided to break into. My insider’s understanding of real estate, from foundation to fulfillment, added another.

Admittedly, finding an audience to share that wisdom with took time.

I began in 2010, working hard and putting my money where my mouth was, buying into the sector myself.

So slowly but surely, I pulled in readers. And slowly but surely, I built back my wealth.

Today, those efforts and investments have paid off immensely. But it wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t decide to go the slow and steady route even in the midst of miserable conditions.

Nor would it have happened if I hadn’t made sure to build my business based on angles only I could offer… or to invest in companies that were equally unique.

I learned that when you look for well-managed companies that offer what people want in ways nobody else can – you can weather any kind of stormy market.

And that’s why I’m excited to share some big news today…

I’m launching a new service focused on finding companies just like that. It’s called Intelligent Income Investor. And it contains a full portfolio of income-focused investments. Thanks to the recent market downturn, almost all of them – over two dozen – are actionable immediately.

To find out more about this new service and how you can access this portfolio, check out my brand-new video presentation. In it, I share the name of one of my favorite REITs right now in this market. You’ll get that name – free – just for watching.

Here’s the bottom line for you today: It might feel like it’s tough going at times… But you could find yourself looking back on 2022 as one of the best opportunities life ever handed you.

Don’t let it go to waste.

Happy SWAN (sleep well at night) investing,

Brad Thomas
Editor, Intelligent Income Daily