Financial independence, yes. Retirement as a goal? He doesn't buy it.

Accountable author and operator

Galen Weston

CEO, AdvisorWorld.com Inc.

Galen Weston has spent over 25 years at the intersection of financial services and technology.

In 1999, while working as a financial advisor with RBC Insurance in Toronto, Galen built ProfessionalReferrals.ca. Instead of selling one lead to ten people, he raised the price, called and qualified the lead, and sold it once. In his words: “Not exactly genius—common sense.”

“I would lean towards financial independence, which is what I have. Cash flow. Learn what I want to learn, build what I want to build, practice when I want to practice.”

Before his recent building-with-AI run, Galen's business was automated and he spent time playing guitar. Now he says of that work: “Look at our code base and find the work... there is none. I am having fun.” The point is not to stop doing things; it is to make room to choose them.

Galen acquired Early Retirement Dude and is reviving it under his own name. The acquisition is public by design: the archive earned links from outlets including The New York Times, Big Think, and Get Rich Slowly, and Galen has to make the site useful enough to deserve that standing.

Early Retirement Dude is operated by AdvisorWorld.com Inc. Galen is accountable for new articles and for corrections to the site.