Roads to Retirement: The Journey Begins

In Roads to Retirement: Act I – The Journey Begins, Jeff Snyder sets the stage for a thoughtful exploration of what retirement really means by introducing two people whose lives could not look more different. One is an artist in Marin who has chosen a simple, creative life living on a sailboat and staying grounded in what matters most. The other is a Northern California firefighter working hard to build stability and opportunity for his growing family.

Jeffrey Snyder, Broadcast Retirement Network

Hello everyone, I'm Jeff Snyder. I've devoted over two decades of my life helping Americans across this country save and plan for their financial future. I'm starting out on a journey to educate Americans and help get people in this country saving.

Join me as we go on the roads to retirement. Marin County is one of the top five richest counties in the United States, but it's also home to artists, shipbuilders, and tax-free, anchor-out citizens who avoid rent by settling in the open waters of Richardson Bay. Sean here pays his rent and makes a decent home of his 25-foot shoreliner with his loyal first mate and unassuming guard dog, Oscar.

It's really a beautiful location you live at. This marina is wonderful, real serene, quiet.

So you went from being an almost professional skateboarder and now you're an artist. I'm a sign painter, sign maker, floral designer. I wear a lot of different hats.

You know, living in SF, I'd probably be sharing a room. I'd be living with five roommates paying like, what, $1,800 a month for a tiny little closet. I got this, you know, 25-foot sailboat and I get to live here alone with Oscar and not have any roommates.

You know, it makes more sense. I do a lot of work on this boat, believe it or not. I've had this about five years now.

It's definitely living within my means, you know. It'd be crazy to have like a huge house and not use any of the rooms, you know, and I use everything in here. It's perfect.

Let's talk a little bit about the art, the business that you're in. I mean, you service many of San Francisco's businesses. You're designing art.

I do a lot of stuff with restaurants, any type of business. You know, I've done stuff downtown and, you know, office buildings. It's been a pretty fun ride.

It's definitely tough, you know, one man banding it, but it works.

I would imagine you have to balance the financial aspect of the business as well or get some personal.