How I Plan to Retire at 50 Using E-Commerce, Investing, Passive Income

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Jesse Frimpong, the 27-year-old founder of Prestige Knowledge and an e-commerce expert who plans to retire by age 50 and is based in Florida. It has been edited for length and clarity.

I’m the CEO and founder of Prestige Knowledge, a company I started in 2019 that educates people on starting their own online businesses.

I started out working at Taco Bell, Macy’s security, McDonald’s, Noodles & Company, and Olive Garden. Each job taught me crucial life lessons about hard work, perseverance, and the importance of resilience.

After these jobs and prior to launching Prestige Knowledge, I built and sold e-commerce stores. I sold three of these businesses, and this experience provided me with the expertise to teach others how to build wealth.

With the income from my current business and a few other income streams, I have a plan and a goal to retire at age 50.

I watched my father struggle as an immigrant

My father worked tirelessly to provide for me, often juggling multiple jobs. His determination and work ethic inspired me deeply. It showed me that no matter the odds, you can create opportunities for yourself and your family.

My motivation to start my own business stemmed from my experiences with financial hardship. I wanted more freedom in my life, and that drive eventually led me to entrepreneurship.

I earn around $6 million a year in revenue, which includes the various ventures under my company’s umbrella, like our SaaS platforms, digital education offers, and consulting. I have five employees and a few contractors. I personally take home seven figures annually.

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I used to live paycheck to paycheck

I struggled to afford a decent meal or even diapers for my newborn. I didn’t have a work visa, as I was born in the UK. That pressure pushed me into survival mode and to look for something different.

I started diving into free content, YouTube videos, podcasts, and anything I could find on building an online business. Books like “Rich Dad Poor Dad” and “The Lean Startup” completely changed how I thought about money.

I built my first e-commerce store and just kept going. After trial and error, I started generating real revenue. That experience gave me both the capital and the confidence to launch Prestige Knowledge.

Retiring by 50 is about freedom

I plan to retire by 50. I want to be able to pick up and travel with my family whenever I want. I want to spend time with my two sons, be present, and create memories, not just moments squeezed between work.

I chose 50 because it gives me time to build wealth while still being young enough to enjoy it. By that age, my goal is to have at least $25 million in invested assets so I can live entirely off passive returns while continuing to fund projects and causes that matter to me.

My plan includes multiple income streams: my business, real estate, index funds, and digital products that generate passive income. I invest heavily in systems that scale, so infrastructure can grow without me needing to be hands-on all the time.

For example, automated marketing funnels bring in leads and sales 24/7 without manual follow-up, course platforms and digital products can be sold repeatedly with no additional fulfillment effort, and real-estate properties managed by others provide passive rental income.

These systems are all designed to scale up, meaning they can serve 10 or 10,000 people with relatively the same effort on my part. The goal is to keep increasing income without increasing my personal workload.

If I moved to a country like Thailand, where money stretches a lot further, I could probably retire today

Once you become an entrepreneur and find something you’re passionate about, retirement starts to look different. It’s not about quitting, it’s about choosing. For me, retirement will mean never having to make decisions based on money again.

I don’t want to take on a client or project just because it pays well. If it doesn’t align with my values or passion, I can pass without worrying about the money.

Even small things, like deciding how much time to take off or hiring help instead of doing everything myself, come from a place of freedom, not financial pressure. That’s the goal: making decisions based on what feels right, not what’s financially necessary.

A big mistake people make when it comes to retiring early is focusing only on saving

You can only cut so much, but your ability to create income is unlimited. People also underestimate the power of compound assets: a business, a good investment, or even digital products can scale your income without requiring more of your time. If you’re only thinking about how to save, not how to build, early retirement will always feel out of reach.

Everything I’m doing now is about breaking cycles. I wasn’t taught about investing, financial literacy, or entrepreneurship. I had to figure it all out on my own, and that’s why I talk to my kids about money and started my company.

It’s not just about making money — it’s about making change, creating a legacy, and making sure the next generation starts where I only dreamed of beginning.