Aaron Cirksena

03/06/2026

I got over 400 reactions on my posts last week! Thanks everyone for your support! 🎉

02/25/2026

Early retirement isn’t just for the lucky—it’s for the prepared. Here’s how you do it:
Save aggressively. Invest smart. Minimize debt. Create multiple income streams. And most importantly? Have a withdrawal plan that doesn’t drain your savings too soon.

Follow to learn how to retire early the right way.

02/25/2026

✈️ 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗜 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝟮–𝟰¢ 𝗣𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝘅 𝗣𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 (𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲)

After my last post, a few people messaged me asking:
“Okay, you’ve got 12 Amex Business Gold cards… but how do you actually use all those points?”

Here’s what I’ve noticed — most people are using their Amex points the wrong way.

If you’re redeeming for statement credits, Amazon purchases, or even flights booked directly through the Amex portal, you’re usually getting about 𝟬.𝟲–𝟭 𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁. 😬

But the real value?
It comes when you transfer your points to airline mileage or hotel loyalty programs. That’s where I consistently get 𝟮–𝟰 𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁.

Which means 600,000 points could be worth anywhere from $12K to $24K in travel. (Yes, that’s how we fly international business class for free.)

The downside?
It’s a pain to do.

You have to dig through different airline and hotel programs, search award availability, compare transfer partners—it’s basically points sudoku.

That’s where tools like points.me and concierge services like GoSomewhere (shoutout to Colin Stroud) come in.

They let you:
👉 Search multiple programs at once
👉 See where your points stretch the furthest
👉 Even have a team help you book it for a small fee

Totally worth it if you’re sitting on a ton of points and want to get the most out of them — not 0.6¢ at Amazon checkout.

Want to see how I booked my last trip entirely on points?
Drop a comment or DM me — happy to walk you through it.

Search and book award flights and maximize the value of your points. Travel on points for less with point.me's flight award search tool.

02/25/2026

✈️ 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝟭𝟮 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝘅 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗚𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 (𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗺𝘆 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲)

Most people look at me sideways when I say that — but it’s true.
Here’s how it works — and why it’s one of the smartest moves I’ve made as a business owner.

At MDRN Capital, we spend a lot on online advertising. The Amex Business Gold gives you 4X points on your top 2 categories each month (including online ads) up to $150K per card annually. That was great… until we started hitting the cap in just a few months.

Then I found out:
👉 Amex lets you open a new Business Gold card for the same business every 90 days.

So I did. Every quarter. Same EIN, new card, new $150K 4X cap. Yes, the annual fee is $375 per card.

But here’s the return:
• $150K spend × 4 pts = 𝟲𝟬𝟬,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝘅 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀
• Points redeemed at 2–4¢ value = $𝟭𝟮𝗞–$𝟮𝟰𝗞 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹
• That’s an 𝟴–𝟭𝟲% 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 in tax-free first-class flights and hotels

Now multiply that across 12 cards…

Yeah, we don’t pay for international flights anymore.

This isn’t a “hack.” It’s just about aligning spend with the right rewards structure. Most business owners leave tens of thousands in rewards on the table. If you’re already spending it, why not earn more from it?

Curious about the strategy or want help applying it to your business?
Drop a comment or DM. I’m happy to share more.

02/25/2026

A 401(k) match is free money. Yet people still leave it on the table. If your employer matches 5% and you’re not contributing at least that, you’re throwing away thousands every year. It’s the easiest investment return you’ll ever get. Don’t ignore it.

Follow for more ways to maximize your wealth.

02/25/2026

Market’s down? Most people panic and pull their money out. That’s a mistake. If anything, downturns are a discount. Keep investing, stay consistent, and don’t try to time the market. The people who get rich? They stay in the game when everyone else is scared. 💰

Follow for smart investing strategies.

02/25/2026

Should you pay off your mortgage before retiring? It depends. If your mortgage rate is low, your money might grow faster in investments than paying down your house. But if peace of mind is your priority, paying it off might be worth it. The key? Know your numbers. Do the math before making the call.

Follow for real financial strategies that actually work.

02/25/2026

Passive income isn’t really passive. Real estate? It takes management. Stocks? You need to research and stay invested. Businesses? They require strategy. The truth? Wealth takes work upfront. But once you build it, your money starts working for you. That’s how you retire early.

Follow to learn how to build real wealth.

02/25/2026

Markets may be shaky, but your financial plan shouldn’t be. Panic doesn’t build wealth—strategy does. I’ll always advocate for proactive planning, especially when headlines get loud.

Honored to be featured in MarketWatch alongside other top advisors. Read the full piece at the link in bio.