Most people think they’re investors until the market crashes.
In 2008, Frank Buchholz was working at Bank of America when the financial world began to burn.
Clients were calling in full panic. Some begged him to sell everything. Some disappeared entirely. He watched the stock drop from $50 to $3 while everyone around him scrambled for the exits. But Frank didn’t flinch. He stayed invested. And what happened next changed his life.
This isn’t just a story about surviving a crash; it’s about preparing for the next one.
The Market Collapsed. He Stayed Put.
Frank Buchholz was sitting at his desk at Bank of America when the system started to crack.
It wasn’t a dramatic explosion. It was slow erosion. First the headlines. Then the fear in clients’ voices. Then came the crash of Lehman Brothers, the failure of Washington Mutual, and the free fall of every major index. Bank of America stock plummeted from $50 to just $3. Clients were calling him in tears. Others just disappeared. Frank had skin in the game too. His own deferred comp was at risk. His job. His future. His sanity.
But while the world panicked, Frank didn’t. He didn’t sell. He didn’t flinch. He stayed.
That decision would change everything.
It’s time in the market, not timing the market.
He Wanted More Than Money. He Wanted Proof
Frank wasn’t trying to beat the market. He wasn’t looking for a hack.
He believed in a simple principle: time in the market beats timing the market. Most people hear that line and nod along. Frank lived it.
He had seen what panic does. He’d watched clients liquidate at the bottom, then spend years trying to buy back in at the top. He wanted to be the exception. Not to be contrarian, but to be consistent.
He understood that investing isn’t just technical. It’s deeply psychological. And staying invested while everything burns? That’s where the real growth begins.
This wasn’t optimism. It was conviction. And it paid off.
Watch the full podcast:
The Real Crisis Was Emotional
Frank says the most dangerous part of the 2008 crash wasn’t the numbers. It was the fear.
One of his clients called in a frenzy. He wanted everything sold. He couldn’t sleep. Frank tried to calm him down. But the man insisted. They sold it all. That client never recovered. He missed the rebound. Missed the decade of compounding that followed. He let fear rob him of his future.
Frank learned that a financial advisor is part strategist, part psychologist.
When the panic hits, the plan doesn’t matter. What matters is who’s next to you and whether they can keep you from jumping ship. He made it through that fire, and it made him sharper.
🧠 Did you know? 💡
1. The average investor earns nearly 50% less than the S&P 500.
From 1994 to 2023, the S&P 500 produced an average annual return of about 10.1%, but the typical equity fund investor earned just 5.3%, according to Dalbar’s annual study on investor behavior. Emotional pitfalls like panic-selling and trend-chasing cost investors nearly half their potential gains. (learn more)
2. 40% of Americans have no retirement savings.
Research from the U.S. Federal Reserve shows a shocking 40% of adults don’t even have a savings account for retirement or emergencies. That means nearly half the population is financially unprepared for major life events like job loss, illness, or market crashes. (learn more)
3. Investing early could mean millions more in your 60s.
Thanks to compound interest, investing a modest $10,000 at age 25 with a 7% annual return grows to $150,000 by age 65. However, the same investment made at 35 only grows to $75,000—just half as much, despite the same returns. (learn more)
From Wall Street to Main Street
Years later, Frank retired. He didn’t need to work anymore. But he wasn’t done helping.
He started writing. The result was The Investor’s Golden Playbook—a direct, no-nonsense guide to what actually works. Not theory. Not fear-mongering. Just the timeless stuff that helped him and his clients build real wealth.
Frank saw a problem. There were 70 million Americans with money in 401(k)s and no idea what they were doing. He wrote the book for them. And then he gave away every cent of profit to charity.
Because some people retire with cash. Others retire with wisdom. Frank wanted to share both.
His Warning for the Next Generation
Frank is 73. He doesn’t chase yield. He doesn’t panic during dips. He still believes in the S&P 500 and compound interest over 30 years.
But what scares him isn’t the market. It’s the mindset he sees in younger investors. People chasing crypto gains with no risk tolerance. Twenty-somethings day-trading on emotion. Smart founders who never touch their 401(k). Frank’s message is clear. That’s not investing. That’s gambling.
He’s not anti-innovation. He’s pro-foundation. You can invest in Bitcoin or startups or whatever you believe in. But build your base first.
Because another crash is coming. And when it does, those without a plan will repeat the same mistakes.
🔑 Five Tangible Takeaways
Time beats timing
Staying invested through 2008 made Frank wealthier. Panic would’ve wiped out decades of compounding.
Automate your savings
Use a 401(k), IRA, or SEP account. Set contributions on autopilot. Let the system do the work for you.
Use the $10-a-day rule
Invest the cost of two coffees daily into an index fund like SPY. Over 35 years, that’s over $1 million.
Never make emotional decisions with money
Fear is expensive. Set your plan while you’re calm so you don’t self-sabotage when the pressure hits.
Start with education
Read The Investor’s Golden Playbook. Ask questions. Don’t outsource your future to anyone—not even your advisor.
👉 Want the Blueprint?
Frank didn’t just survive the crash—he turned it into a playbook anyone can follow.
If you want the exact strategies, mindset shifts, and compounding habits that helped him and his clients build long-term wealth, grab a copy of his book:
This isn’t theory. It’s what actually works.
Thanks for reading!
Talk soon,
Roman
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