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Devin: What is your superpower?
Craig: Empowering ordinary investors to take control of their money whether they are young or old.
Most of the wealth created by today’s fastest‑growing companies never reaches ordinary investors.
Innovative firms like Uber stay private for years, creating massive value for venture capitalists and insiders before ever listing on a public exchange. By the time these companies finally go public, most of the growth is already “cooked in.” That leaves people investing through retirement accounts buying stock at a premium while much of the upside has already been captured.
In this episode of Superpowers for Good, guest Craig Stephens, founder of Anatoc Media, shares how he helps everyday investors understand and, where possible, tap into this elusive pre‑IPO and IPO economy through AccessIPOs.com and his Retire Before Dad blog.
Craig explains the core problem bluntly: “From 1996 to this year we went from about 8,000 public companies to just 4,000.” That shrinking universe means the broad market funds many people depend on for retirement are drawing from fewer companies, while an expanding slice of innovation remains locked up in private markets.
He points to the rise of giant private companies as a turning point. “These companies really started with Uber. Uber waited a long time to go public and by the time it went public most of its growth was already built into the company.” When firms can command higher valuations and easy capital while staying private, they have little incentive to list, especially when secondary markets and tender offers already provide liquidity for insiders and employees.
The result is a widening access gap. “With fewer companies going public that wealth is getting sort of sectioned off in this venture capital world which is just not accessible to everybody,” Craig notes. Regulated crowdfunding and other exemptions appear as part of the solution, opening a window for retail investors to participate earlier, even if only on a small scale compared to institutional players.
Craig distinguishes between his two platforms. Retire Before Dad focuses on what he calls the “boring stuff” — index funds, sound retirement planning, smart personal finance habits. Access IPOs is intentionally more speculative, a place for investors to allocate a small slice of their wealth to higher‑risk, higher‑potential pre‑IPO and IPO opportunities.
The discussion underscores a growing conviction among advocates for retail investors: the financial system needs more pathways for ordinary people to participate in the wealth generated by innovation. While regulation crowdfunding alone cannot fix the system, it is an essential part of a broader effort to ensure that elites are not the only ones who benefit from the most dynamic companies of this era.
tl;dr:
The episode explores how shrinking public markets prevent many ordinary investors from sharing in innovation‑driven wealth.
Craig explains why companies stay private longer, shifting most gains to venture capital and other private‑market players.
The conversation highlights how regulation crowdfunding and Reg A create limited but meaningful early‑stage access for the crowd.
Craig shares his path from IT consulting to launching Retire Before Dad and Access IPOs to educate DIY investors.
Craig presents his superpower of empowering investors, illustrated through his IPO community and practical guidance for smarter participation.
How to Develop Empowering Investors As a Superpower
Craig’s superpower is empowering investors to take control of their own money. His work is about “empowering ordinary investors to take control of their money whether they are young or old.” Through his two platforms, he supports younger people “interested in these hot companies that are going public or that are private” and retirees he “empower[s] to manage their own money as DIY planners and investors.” Craig challenges the aura of complexity built by the financial industry, insisting “investing doesn’t need to be that difficult or complex and ordinary investors can do it on their own,” accessing both traditional assets and, where appropriate, “the other economy that a lot of people don’t have access to.”
Craig described a small investing community that began on Facebook and later moved to Patreon. He does not give formal advice but offers tools, education, and a trusted space to discuss IPO and pre‑IPO opportunities. Within that group, members identified and accessed the Circle IPO. “At some point it was up six or seven hundred percent and that’s very unusual,” Craig explains. Because the community had developed knowledge and shared strategies together, ordinary investors were ready to participate through available brokerage channels. Craig emphasizes there are also deals that “didn’t jump out of the gate,” highlighting both the potential and the real risks of this approach.
Tips for Developing This Superpower (Actionable)
Demystify investing
Learn basic concepts in public markets, IPOs, and private offerings to see that they are understandable and navigable.Adopt a DIY approach
Take responsibility for core decisions about saving, allocation, and risk instead of defaulting everything to professionals.Anchor most money in simple vehicles
Use broad index funds and long‑term retirement accounts as the foundation of a personal investing strategy.Limit speculative capital
Treat IPOs and pre‑IPO deals as a small, clearly defined portion of an overall portfolio.Build or join trusted communities
Engage with smaller, higher‑trust groups rather than anonymous online forums crowded with bots and hidden agendas.Increase access thoughtfully
When appropriate, open accounts at reputable brokers or platforms that offer IPO, pre‑IPO, or crowdfunding access.Stay clear‑eyed about risk
Remember that “IPO investing carries significant risk” and expect that not every deal will be a winner.Prioritize habits over hype
Pair occasional high‑upside opportunities with disciplined saving, consistent investing, and long‑term planning.
By following Craig’s example and advice, empowering investors can become a skill. With practice and effort, it can become a superpower that enables more good in the world.
Remember, however, that research into success suggests that building on your own superpowers is more important than creating new ones or overcoming weaknesses. You do you!
Guest Profile
Craig Stephens (he/him):
Founder, Anatoc Media LLC
About Anatoc Media LLC: Access IPOs help ordinary investors explore opportunities to invest in the world’s most innovative and disruptive pre-IPO companies.
Website: accessipos.com, retirebeforedad.com
Company Facebook Page: facebook.com/accessipos
Twitter Handle: @RetireBeforeDad
Biographical Information: Craig Stephens is a former IT consultant for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) turned full-time writer and podcaster.
He’s also the founder of Retire Before Dad (RBD), a website and YouTube channel about DIY investing for retirement and financial independence. He’s a former contributor to TIME.com, US News & World Report, and HumbleDollar, and his writing has been featured on Yahoo Finance, Seeking Alpha, Apex Money, WTOP, Becoming Minimalist, Optimal Finance Daily, and Business Insider.
He’s a retail investor advocate, promoting equal investment opportunities for all investors.
LinkedIn Profile: linkedin.com/in/craighstephens
Personal Twitter Handle: @AccessIPOs
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