From Journalist to Wall Street to Main Street Mogul

Codie Sanchez is a formidable force in the world of finance, known for her bold, contrarian thinking, financial acumen and entrepreneurial prowess.

Codie Sanchez in buttoned top and dark jacket smiling with her arm resting on the arm of a chair.

Sanchez’ parents, a special education teacher and a self-made blue-collar builder, taught Sanchez the value of education and ownership. They inspired her to take risks and build her own future.

My dad once told me, “You’re not really in the game until you find yourself in the dead of night, sitting in the dark, head held in hands, wondering what the hell do I do next.’

After graduating early from Arizona State University with a degree in journalism, Sanchez traveled to Juarez, Mexico to document the atrocities there. Her coverage earned her the Robert F. Kennedy Award for print journalism. It also taught her that people must have financial resources and education to change their future. 

That’s when Sanchez switched from journalism to finance. In 2008, Sanchez took her first job at Vanguard, right before the financial crisis struck. Once again, she witnessed the devastating impact of financial illiteracy on ordinary people. She dedicated herself to learning how to earn more money so she could help others do the same. 

Over the next several years, Sanchez continued to master the financial world, climbing the ranks at Goldman Sachs, State Street, and First Trust. But she never forgot her blue-collar entrepreneurial roots. She began to buy, build and invest in an array of businesses, like laundromats and cannabis companies, creating a diverse investment portfolio.

Codie Sanchez in white top and jacket speaking to a large audience while striding across a stage.

Being an owner is hard. Being an employee is hard. It’s all hard. But you’ve got to choose your hard. And personally, entrepreneurship is always worth it.

Then, after mastering the language of finance, dealmaking, mergers and acquisitions, Sanchez began empowering and educating others to do the same. In 2020, when a global pandemic brought the world to a standstill, Sanchez launched Contrarian Thinking, the world’s first free-thinking finance and media company. In just a few short years, Contrarian Thinking has empowered tens of thousands worldwide to take control of their financial destinies and become successful small business owners.

My mission is to create 1 million financially free humans through business ownership

Codie Sanchez standing in front of an audience

I Don’t Just Teach. I Do.

Through the Main Street Hold Co. and Contrarian Thinking Capital, Codie and her partners buy and invest in Main Street businesses.

Many investors overlook these “boring” businesses, but we think we need more laundromats and window-washing companies, and less AI-driven dating apps. Below are a few of our portfolio companies:

Learn more about Main Street Holding Co.

Watch, Listen and Own

The BigDeal Podcast with Codie Sanchez

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Learn, Own, and Grow

True Wealth Is Built in Community, Not Isolation.

Codie Sanchez, in dark shirt and jacket, standing with a microphone amidst a group of seated people.

Contrarian Thinking isn’t just about adding a few additional zeros to your bank balance. It’s about freedom and sparking a new generation of free thinkers and business owners.

  • 8m+ followers on social media
  • 750,000+ subscribers on the Contrarian Thinking newsletter
  • 200,000+ subscribers on the Main Street Minute newsletter
  • 3,000+ members learning biz buying, growing, and expert deal-making
The book 'Main Street Millionaire' by Codie Sanchez standing on a shelf.

Main Street Millionaire

How to Make Extraordinary Wealth Buying Ordinary Businesses