A Letter From The Chairman
My Life’s Work

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings—nor lose the common touch,

—Rudyard Kipling

My life’s work is dedicated to appreciating all intricacies of the global economy – from the micro ground and on up. For many, the question remains as to whether the American Dream is alive and well, or if the End Game of free market capitalism will ultimately degenerate into a full-blown nightmare of one-percent cronyism, political favors, and staggering wealth inequality.

I have personally maintained a steadfast belief in my own thesis:

It is very much possible to scale the ranks of society through hard work and common sense. Yes, Horatio Alger would be quite proud.

Beginnings

On January 12, 2004, I filed Onyx Investments articles of incorporation paperwork with the Illinois Secretary of State. Shortly thereafter, I signed a lease for Chicago Loop office space at 111 West Jackson Boulevard.

I immediately homed in upon available commercial space at the corner of Clark Street and Jackson Boulevard, as a fortunate omen: my own late mother’s name is Tommie Jackson, the youngest daughter to my grandparents Thomas Jackson and Bertha Clarke.

To set up shop, I enlisted 111 management to scour the building for abandoned furniture and to deliver those pieces to my office, free of charge. The Onyx Investments balance sheet then included one telephone, one Dell laptop computer running Microsoft Office software, and $12,500 in cash. I was 23 years old.

For Onyx, my first official day at the job had me working the phones to scrape up business, drawing up financial plans, and purchasing shares of stock in Exxon, 3M, and Berkshire Hathaway.

I thought that I was the next Warren Buffett.

Empire Builder

Now, in 2023, our humble and fruitful Onyx Empire has multiplied into a dynamic, multi-million-dollar stock market portfolio holding the likes of Apple, Visa, Hershey, Google, and Berkshire Hathaway shares. Beyond Onyx, I have built up a commanding personal property portfolio in my own right, with several cash flowing holdings between The Bronx, NY, Chicago, and Central Minnesota.

For me, dabbling in real estate is reminiscent Michael Jordan taking time off to play AAA baseball in Birmingham. I can more than hold my own in real estate, but the stock market is my first love, and the arena where I can truly dominate.

At this level, I may best describe myself as blue collar rich or even the proverbial Millionaire Next Door. Quiet as kept, thousands of freelance articles written, 15,795 Uber trips, 2,158 Lyft rides, and more than 5,000 food deliveries further support my initial bootstrap thesis.

I learned the value of a dollar running rideshare through the Chicago ghetto and completing Door Dash orders in The Bronx barrio for $3.00.

Last May 2023, I graduated with my MBA from the University of Illinois – Urbana Champaign. From here, I expect for my knowledge base, connections, investment returns and Onyx Investments itself to compound exponential wealth.

Respectfully,

Kofi Bofah

Founder and Chairman,

Onyx Investments

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