About David Em

David Em's headshot.

The short version:

  • David Em was born and raised in Seattle, WA, and currently lives in Kansas City, MO with his wife.
  • David Em is an investor and trader. He focuses on stocks and invests in high-quality businesses with durable competitive advantages and growing free cash flows.
  • He founded Everyone Media Group, a portfolio of websites with a mission to connect everyone with inspiration and information. He also founded Willow Point Digital, a global marketing agency. He ran it for 5 years and helped businesses grow their revenue and reach.
  • Connect with David on LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, X (Twitter), and YouTube.
  • David enjoys photography, outdoor activities, and cooking.

Early life

I’m a first-generation Asian American. My parents moved to Washington from Cambodia. They took a risk for the opportunity for my sister and me to have a better life.

I grew up playing basketball and baseball. I decided to shift and put all my attention on baseball. It taught me discipline, perseverance, leadership, and teamwork. I played until I broke my hand in high school. It was a painful but life-changing moment.

I began thinking about my future, as baseball was no longer an option. I didn’t want to go down the traditional path of working a job and retiring before enjoying life. So, I searched for other ways to make money. I came across blogging and investing. I spent a few years learning everything possible about the two.

When I turned 18, I opened a brokerage account and launched a blog. While I made many mistakes, it drove me to continue learning.

I also dropped out of college after two days, got a bank job, and built my business outside of it. After four and a half years, I quit my job and became a full-time entrepreneur.

Professional life

In 2016, I began my journey as a trader and value investor. I trade stocks and invest in high-quality businesses with durable competitive advantages and growing free cash flows.

In 2018, I launched Next Level Gents, a men’s fashion, lifestyle, and grooming site. It was the first site in the Everyone Media Group portfolio of websites. I also began helping businesses and publishers get more website traffic through Willow Point Digital. I offered digital marketing consulting and services.

What makes me different?

I have a contrarian mindset and experienced many failures. I believe you need to embrace and expect failure. While many self-help gurus talk about failure not being the end, living through it is a different story.

Sometimes, failure isn’t the point before your greatest success. But it’s part of the journey, and you can’t avoid it. I’ve failed at many things. The following are a few examples:

  • Online course.
  • Direct sales.
  • Lip balm company.
  • Hand-stamped pet ID tags.

I believe grit is the most significant factor of success. It takes a lot to keep trying. There’s nothing wrong with failure, but perseverance is essential. It leads you to the next phase of your journey.

The following publications and companies have featured me or my work:

  • Samsung
  • WikiHow
  • PicMonkey
  • Toms Shoes

Closing thoughts

Thank you for taking the time to read about me. I’m glad you’re here and want to be part of your journey. I’ll never share the key to success or get-rich-quick ideas because neither is possible or true. My goal is to share my experience and inspiration. I want to help you continue moving forward and live a fulfilling life.

Cheers and I look forward to connecting with you.

-David Em