Investor Background:
Maria, a retired professional, was growing increasingly concerned about how to maintain her lifestyle without the fear of outliving her savings. Like many retirees, she needed a portfolio that would provide stable income while still allowing for growth. Her previous financial advisor, Stephan, struggled to meet these goals due to limited access to resources, leaving Maria feeling disconnected from her investment strategy. Recognizing the need for a more personalized solution, Stephan recommended Maria to Mohamad Mrad, a financial engineer known for creating customized financial plans tailored to critical situations like hers.
The Challenge:
Maria’s concerns were twofold: she needed a reliable income stream to cover her monthly living expenses while preserving her savings for the long haul. Specifically, Maria’s monthly expenses came to around €3,000, which covered her rental bills in Florence, accommodation, food, utilities, transportation, health bills, and even care for her beloved cat, Mandu. On top of that, Maria had a strong preference for ethical investments, which added another layer of complexity in finding the right balance between returns and values.
Maria’s financial goals weren’t just about covering the basics—she also wanted the flexibility to travel. Every five months or so, she’d fly to Romania to visit her family during the summer or take trips to Dubai to reconnect with old friends. The combination of these goals, along with her preference for ethical investing, meant that Maria was stuck in a generic strategy that didn’t align with her priorities, leaving her without the peace of mind she desperately needed in retirement.
The Solution:
When Mohamad came on board, he took a more personal and hands-on approach. For the past 2.5 years, he’s been meeting with Maria every Thursday, working side by side with her to build both her portfolio and her understanding of how the financial markets tick. They dug deep into research together, finding ethical companies that matched Maria’s values, all while crafting a strategy that blended trend-based moves with contrarian tactics to get the most out of her equity portfolio.
This wasn’t about handing Maria some off-the-shelf plan—this was a real collaboration. They spent months researching and pinpointing companies that met her ethical standards. When big names like Apple, Tesla, or Nvidia didn’t quite fit the bill, they got creative. They invested in structured products so Maria could still take advantage of market shifts without directly buying into those companies.
On top of equities, Mohamad and Maria built a high-dividend-paying portfolio that they constantly fine-tuned to keep the income flowing smoothly each month. With the extra capital, they diversified into investment-grade corporate bonds and even dipped a toe into crypto, with a small allocation in Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple (XRP). It took about 6 to 7 months to fully roll this out, carefully spreading the capital across different asset classes.
Their steady, weekly collaboration consistently delivered results and fostered a strong connection, which eventually grew into a genuine friendship.
In the end, this personalized approach really delivered. Over the 2.5 years, Maria’s portfolio achieved an 18% annualized return, outperforming market benchmarks while sticking to her ethical standards. Her high-dividend strategy now provides a steady 1.5% monthly income, and the bond allocation offers stability with a 11% yield from investment-grade assets. The Crypto allocation has grown over 30%, adding an extra layer of diversification.
More importantly, Maria gained confidence in navigating her investments and staying aligned with her values. What began as a business relationship evolved into a true partnership, empowering her to take control of her financial future. Thanks to Mohamad’s commitment and their weekly collaboration, they’ve built something high-performing, sustainable, and deeply personal. Financial success paired with a meaningful connection—that’s the real outcome here.
