Cashed out my startup for Palladium, 5 years later feeling pretty good.

• •Thought I'd share my experience for anyone on the fence about alternative assets, specifically Palladium IRAs.
• •Back in 2019, after grinding for over a decade, I finally sold my tech startup.
• •It wasn't Facebook money, but it was enough to set my family up for life – we're talking a solid 8-figure exit.

Thought I'd share my experience for anyone on the fence about alternative assets, specifically Palladium IRAs. Back in 2019, after grinding for over a decade, I finally sold my tech startup. It wasn't Facebook money, but it was enough to set my family up for life – we're talking a solid 8-figure exit. I was pretty risk-averse at that point, seen too many friends ride the crypto wave and then get wiped out. My financial advisor (who I trust implicitly, he actually told me not to invest in my last startup, good eye on him) suggested diversifying a significant chuck into precious metals, and after a lot of research, we landed on Palladium.

My reasoning was pretty simple: industrial demand was only going to keep going higher, supply was constrained, and it felt less speculative than something like Bitcoin. I poured about $3.5 million from the sale into a Palladium IRA. Fast forward to now, late 2024, and I'm sitting here in my Dublin, Ohio home, looking at my portfolio. To say I'm pleased would be an understatement. The initial investment has grown considerably, outpacing what I would have seen in a more traditional S&P 500 index fund during that same period, especially considering the volatility we’ve seen. It's been a fantastic hedge against inflation, and frankly, it just feels stable.

The peace of mind knowing a substantial portion of my retirement is in a tangible, high-demand asset is huge. We just put a deposit down on a vacation home in Kiawah Island, something I wouldn't have even considered five years ago without that additional growth. I'm curious to hear from others who've moved substantial assets into precious metals. What was your experience? Any regrets? Any success stories with other less common metals like platinum?