Tired of trading hours for dollars, watching your bank account yo-yo while your dreams of financial freedom feel like a distant mirage? What if I told you there’s a proven, no-BS way to build a passive income empire?

I’m Braden Chase, and I’ve spent over 17 years helping business owners and real estate investors like you turn their hustle into hands-off wealth. Today, I’m spilling the beans on three dead-simple steps to create a passive income machine that keeps pumping money into your pocket—whether you’re working, sleeping, or binge-watching your favorite series.

This isn’t some get-rich-quick scheme or a hype-filled guru pitch. It’s a battle-tested recipe, backed by the habits of wealthy clients. If you follow these steps, you’re not just hoping for wealth—you’re engineering it. Ready to ditch the liabilities and stack assets like a pro?
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Let’s dive in.

Imagine this: every dollar you earn is a seed. Plant it wrong, and you’re stuck in the paycheck-to-paycheck swamp. Plant it right, and you’re growing a money tree that shades you for life. The first step to your passive income empire is the 70/30 Rule, and it’s so simple you’ll kick yourself for not starting yesterday.

Here’s the deal: live off 70% of your take-home pay. That’s the cash hitting your checking account after taxes—your real money. The remaining 30% gets split three ways:

The 70/30 Rule is your financial discipline bootcamp. It forces you to live below your means, crush debt, and build a giving habit that attracts opportunity. Most importantly, it funnels money into investments that grow while you sleep. Think of it like baking a cake: skip the flour for sand, and you’re eating a brick. Follow the recipe, and you’re on your way to a delicious wealth pie.

Now that you’re saving 10% for investing, where do you put it? The easiest first step is to open a Roth IRA, a tax-advantaged account where your investments grow tax-free, and qualified withdrawals in retirement are also tax-free. For 2025, you can contribute up to $7,000 annually ($8,000 if you’re 50 or older), provided your income qualifies (under $161,000 for singles or $240,000 for married filing jointly). This is your wealth-building rocket—contributions are after-tax, but the growth and withdrawals are yours, tax-free. Platforms like Schwab, Fidelity, or Vanguard make it simple to set up and start investing with as little as $100.

But how do you allocate the money inside your Roth IRA? Forget picking random stocks or chasing crypto hype. Instead, follow the All-Weather Portfolio, a strategy inspired by hedge fund legend Ray Dalio, as outlined in Tony Robbins’ Money: Master the Game. Dalio designed this portfolio to thrive in any economic environment—growth, recession, inflation, or deflation—by balancing risk across asset classes. It’s perfect for building passive income while minimizing volatility. Here’s the breakdown:

This All-Weather Portfolio is your financial fortress, designed to generate passive income through dividends (stocks), interest (bonds), and stability (gold, commodities, cash). In a Roth IRA, all growth—dividends, interest, and capital gains—is tax-free, supercharging your wealth. Rebalance annually to maintain the 30/40/15/7.5/7.5/10 split, ensuring you’re positioned for any market condition. For example, if stocks surge and become 35% of your portfolio, sell some and buy bonds to restore balance.

Start with stocks in your Roth IRA, aiming for $50,000, then add bonds, gold, and commodities as your contributions grow. Once your Roth IRA is maxed out or you hit $100,000, open a taxable brokerage account and continue the All-Weather strategy, or explore real estate (e.g., REITs) outside the Roth. This approach minimizes risk, maximizes tax advantages, and builds a steady income stream. In Vegas, where I live, rents soared during the 2008 crash because people needed homes. The All-Weather Portfolio weathers any storm, keeping your passive income flowing.

Here’s where the magic happens. You’ve built a portfolio of stocks, REITs, and maybe rentals, all churning out dividends and rents. Now, step three: leverage your assets to fund your lifestyle or buy more income-producers, without selling or triggering taxes. This is the rich person’s playbook, and it’s called Buy, Borrow, Die.

Example: Your $100,000 stock portfolio yields 3% dividends ($3,000/year). Borrow $50,000 at 2% interest ($1,000/year). Your dividends cover the interest, and you use the $50,000 to buy a rental property generating $500/month. The rental pays its own mortgage and your stock loan, while you pocket the profit. You’ve doubled your income without selling a share.

This is the passive income empire: assets buying more assets, funding your dreams, and shielding you from taxes. It’s not about working harder—it’s about working smarter.

These three steps—70/30 Rule, 30/30/30/10 Allocation, and Levering Assets—are the DNA of wealth. I’ve seen it work for clients across 25 years, from startup founders to real estate moguls. It’s not my invention; it’s what the rich do, distilled into a system anyone can follow. Ignore the noise—market crash predictions, day-trading scams, or “buy low, sell high” hype. Wealth isn’t about timing; it’s about consistency.

Start small. If you’re making $4,000/month, live on $2,800, give $400, pay $400 toward debt, and invest $400. In a year, you’ve got $4,800 in stocks and cash, growing passively. In 10 years, with compound growth, you’re looking at tens of thousands, maybe more. Add covered calls or a REIT, and you’re accelerating. By year 20, your assets could cover your living expenses, freeing you to work because you want to, not because you have to.