Co-founder of real estate platform didn't draw a salary for three years

He chose to reinvest every dollar in the company, a move he feels has paid off

- Timothy Goh

Mr Adam Wham says his biggest asset right now is his business, both in value and meaning. “It’s something I actively build every day and have spent the past nine years building.” He invests “only in things I understand and have seen work”, and avoids chasing trends.

(ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR)

Mr Adam Wham spent the first years of building his business without drawing a salary, choosing instead to reinvest every dollar back into the company.

The co-founder of Form & Matter Group, which runs real estate reporting and analysis blog Stacked Homes and home decor retailer Stacked Store, said he and his partners had no income between 2017 and 2019.

“It was challenging, but not in the sense of struggling with basic needs because I was lucky enough to still be living with my parents, so that support helped a lot - the hardest part was the mental side,” said Mr Wham.

“Once the initial excitement faded, and we still had no clear way to monetise, that’s when the doubts set in... 1 was putting in all my time and effort, while friends around me were progressing steadily in their careers, so it was tough not to compare.”

Over the years, the brands under Form & Matter Group have built “strong traction”, said Mr Wham, with Stacked Homes supported by a subscription model and advertising, and the Stacked Store growing steadily through its retail offerings, making six digits monthly now.

“Stacked Homes’ first cheque was for a 3D photoshoot of a home which we launched at a promotional price... | have never been so excited over $29 in my life, and even took a picture of it,” said Mr Wham.

“Choosing to reinvest, whether in hiring, inventory or technology, made the biggest difference in where we are today.”

Mr Wham, 36, has a degree in economics from the University of Manchester. He is married with two children.