Mad FIentist

Brandon Ganch is a computer programmer-turned-financial expert, musician, blogger, and podcaster.

The Mad Fientist emerged from his laboratory in early 2012 with two goals:

1) Research and develop strategies to reach financial independence sooner

2) Talk to other people who already retired early to find out how they did it

To achieve the first goal, he analyzed the tax code, created a lot of spreadsheets, and ran experiments.  These efforts lead to the discovery of many innovative tax-avoidance methods that helped him retire years earlier.

For the second goal, he launched the Financial Independence Podcast and has since interviewed dozens of early retirees to find out their financial secrets.

In 2016, at the age of 34, the Mad Fientist was able to walk away from his career as a computer programmer for good.  He now spends his time creating free financial and travel-hacking software, writing, and making weird noises on synthesizers.

Now, he’s conclusively reached an audience with over 300,000+ pageviews per month amassed on his website, and 2.5 million podcast downloads.


Isn’t it better to be rich than to look rich?
— The Mad FIentist

watch playing with fire

A documentary about the FIRE movement and one families quest to achieve financial independence and retire early. Available on the following:

Get your copy of the

book

A perfect follow up on the film to dive deeper into the philosophies and "how-tos of the FIRE movement"
Playing the FIRE book image

Reading material

We have assembled the foundational information to get your start on the right foot down the FIRE path to financial independence.

The Importance of Savings Rate in FIRE

Explore the essential role of savings rate in the FIRE movement for achieving financial independence and early retirement. Learn how to balance frugality, investment strategies, and lifestyle to accelerate your journey towards financial freedom.

Trust vs. Living Will: Setting Up Your Estate Plan

Estate Planning is an often overlooked, yet incredibly important step in your path to Financial Independence. Let's dive into the world of Trusts and Wills, and why you need to create one as soon as you can.

Achieving Financial Independence: A Step-by-Step Guide

Explore a step-by-step guide to achieving financial independence. Understand the core principles of the FIRE movement and strategies for early retirement.