Last updated: April 2026
Financially free for over a decade
Jérôme, in his fifties. I started investing when the dot-com bubble was bursting, survived two major market crashes, and progressively reached financial independence in my forties. Today, my portfolio of around fifty positions covers all my living expenses.
What sets me apart from other financial independence blogs? Over a quarter century of real-world experience, three strategies tested in the field, and an evolution driven by data rather than dogma.
No €997 courses here, no paid newsletter, no ads, no affiliate links disguised as advice. I am first an investor, financially independent since my forties — and then a blogger. In that order. This blog exists because I write about what I do, not to fund what I claim to do.
The only exception: two published books, details at the bottom of this page. These books were not written to finance anything. They exist because some ideas deserved a longer form.
🎯 The journey: three phases, three strategies
Phase 1 (2000–2017): trial by fire and defensive dividends
I started investing at the peak of the dot-com bubble in 2000. There were few worse moments to begin: a major bear market from 2000 to 2003, followed by another in 2008–2009.
I lost a great deal of money on my early mistakes. My most spectacular failure? JDSU (JDS Uniphase), a perfect symbol of the speculative frenzy of the era. I learned the hard way that my first enemy was myself: my emotions, my impatience, my greed.
Those two major crashes pushed me toward a defensive strategy: dividend aristocrats. Solid companies, paying growing income for decades. A reassuring approach after the turbulence. I went 100% dividends.
In 2010, I launched dividendes.ch, one of the first French-language blogs on financial independence in Switzerland, well before the FIRE movement became popular.
Phase 2 (2017–2020): transition to value investing
Around 2017, I noticed that dividend stocks had become too expensive. The market had changed. I broadened my approach toward value investing: seeking undervalued companies, whether or not they paid dividends.
Dividends were no longer my target, but the consequence of sound value investing. This transition allowed me to keep progressing despite an overvalued market.
Phase 3 (2020–present): quantitative investing
From 2020, I systematised my approach by developing a quantitative methodology. Out with intuition and emotional biases: in with data, backtests, and scientifically proven factors.
This evolution coincided with the publication of my book "Les Déterminants de la Richesse", where I explain in particular why, from a FIRE perspective, dividends are not the best approach — too costly in time and fees.
My current portfolios (PFD & PP 2.x) are built on these quantitative principles: systematic value investing and intelligent diversification.
💰 Financial independence: a progressive process
Financial independence is not an on/off switch. It is a continuum.
From 2012, my passive income allowed me to see the future differently. Having worked up to 60+ hours a week in a multinational company during my thirties, I progressively reduced my working rate from 80% down to zero through my forties. Today, my portfolio of around fifty positions covers all my living expenses.
And no, I did not save 50% of my salary to get there. A savings rate of around 20%, combined with a good investment strategy and the elimination of professional expenses post-FIRE (commuting, work lunches, professional clothing), is enough to reach financial independence in less than 20 years. Extreme frugalism is not a prerequisite — it is often a trap.
🏆 My greatest achievement?
Getting on the path to financial independence before everyone was talking about it. Starting in 2000, I was a pioneer. Today, it has gone mainstream.
📚 My contributions
Published books
🔬 Les Déterminants de la Richesse
The science of financial independence (in French)
📝 Pioneer of financial independence in French-speaking Switzerland
dividendes.ch has existed since 2010. It is one of the oldest French-language blogs on financial independence, launched well before the FIRE movement became popular in Switzerland. Cited in the Swiss financial magazine Bilan as early as 2012.
💡 My current philosophy
I believe in an investment approach built on six principles:
- Quantitative value investing: decisions based on data, not emotions.
- Constant evolution: what worked yesterday does not necessarily work today.
- Questioning dogma: neither "dividends at all costs" nor "100% passive ETF".
- Learning from failure: I have made every mistake so you do not have to.
- Long-term vision: a quarter century in markets, two major crashes survived.
- A critical approach to consumer society and the traditional world of work.
🎯 Who is this blog for?
✓ dividendes.ch is for you if:
- You are looking for a long-term, battle-tested investment approach.
- You want to go beyond simplistic strategies (dividends-only or ETF-only).
- You are interested in value investing and quantitative analysis.
- You want to reach financial independence with a scientific method.
- You appreciate transparency: I explain my mistakes as much as my successes.
✗ This blog is NOT for you if:
- You are looking for short-term trading or crypto.
- You want promises of quick wealth without effort.
- You prefer to follow dogma rather than question your certainties.
🚀 Start here
New to the blog? Here are my recommended starting points:
Frequently asked questions
How did you reach financial independence?
Progressively, between the ages of 40 and 48, by reducing my working rate as my passive income grew. A savings rate of around 20%, a good investment strategy, and the elimination of professional expenses post-FIRE are enough to reach financial independence in less than 20 years. Extreme frugalism is not a prerequisite.
Why did you abandon dividends as your main strategy?
Several converging reasons. First, dividend stocks became structurally overvalued from 2017 onwards. Second, dividends are not a quality signal in themselves — they can even penalise net performance through taxation and opportunity cost. Finally, and this is often underestimated: a dividend-centred strategy requires a larger portfolio to generate the same income, which mechanically pushes back the FIRE date. I detailed this analysis in "Les Déterminants de la Richesse".
What method do you use to live off your portfolio?
Primarily the VPW (Variable Percentage Withdrawal) method, which adapts the withdrawal rate each year based on age, portfolio allocation, and actual portfolio results. It is a far more robust approach than the 4% rule, which remains too rigid an approximation to adapt to each investor's reality.
How often is the blog updated?
Regularly. I publish new articles and update older ones to reflect the evolution of my strategies and market data. In-depth articles are reviewed at least once a year.
What makes dividendes.ch different from other FIRE blogs?
Three main things: active since 2010 (one of the oldest FIRE blogs in French), a documented 25-year evolution with three distinct strategies, and a resolutely data-driven approach — backtests, quantitative factors — rather than generic advice. I document my failures as much as my successes.