INTERVIEW | Make Money Using Leverage, Velocity, and Smart Wealth Strategies with George Antone

George Antone, founder of Finance, reveals a radical shift in wealth-building philosophy: stop obsessing over individual assets like real estate or stocks and instead focus on the 'finance first' approach—combining leverage, velocity, and strategic sequencing to accelerate wealth growth. He argues that the real power lies not in what you own, but in how fast you move money through a diversified portfolio using positive leverage, cash-flow-positive assets, and smart timing. Drawing from his 25-year journey after leaving Intuit, George debunks the myth that all debt is bad, showing how strategic borrowing can act as an inflation shield and fuel exponential growth—when paired with stable assets like income-producing ETFs. He shares a powerful example: buying ETFs before real estate allows investors to leverage their gains to fund property purchases, reversing the traditional path. For young earners, he emphasizes building domain expertise first, then layering in investing as 'practice'—not just savings. The key insight? 90% of your energy should go toward earning more, not cutting expenses, because income is infinite while expenses have a ceiling.