Reflecting on Elon's entrepreneurial journey compared to regular people (a la me)
Confession, I was an Elon fan boy, so my team bought me a t-shirt with his face as the messiah as a joke, but then I stated to wear it.
At times it would evoke a strong response from people as some hate him, some love him. Let's explore his journey for those that haven't used Wikipedia before and see what we can learn from his example and how we can make ourselves feel better as regular people, a la me.
(Trigger warning: this blog contains satirical content that some may not find amusing.)
Let's delve back into history, way back to June 28th 1971 when Elon was born in Pretoria, South Africa. Same year as me! He had a tough childhood, ditto. Taught himself to code and sold his first game at age 12 for $500 - I taught myself how to ride a bike and had a paper round for $10 week. So far, so good.
He wen to Pennsylvania University and got a degree in physics and economics, I went to RMIT for a Bachelor of Business in Marketing. Same, same.
But then he moved to California in 1995 to go to Stanford and dropped out - I went to Swinburne and graduated with my Masters in Entrepreneurship - one up to me! Take that smarty pants.
Here is where our paths diverge slightly. Musk dropped out to co-founded Zip2 (not sure what happened to version 1...) providing online directories to newspapers. I worked at my family office products business for $22k a year. His share of the Zip2 sale to Compaq computers was $22m, whilst I worked at Hewlett-Packard who merged with Compaq for $120k pa and thought I was rich.
Elon doubled down on the red pill and created X.com which wasn't social media but an online banking company which merged with PayPal, which he subsequently sold to eBay and his cut was $176m. Not too shabby for a man on the spectrum. I was working at Sensis who owned Yellow Pages and also Trading Post so similar area, except my salary was around $150k pa.
Then in 2002 he creates a rocket ship company, as you do. I escaped corporate and created Social Star. Similar space theme businesses and we both had a few projects blow up, but that's where the similarities end.
He then invested and took over that little car company called Tesla, trying to make golf carts sexy and fast, while I started BYOB and built my business community. Both massive risks, we both did ok. I think my journey was more fun, alas less profitable.
Not to be outdone, Elon saw my success and wanted to rise, so bought Twitter for $44 billion with the mission to create a platform for free speech and gloat at all his social cred. I started CampusLife to help students get their first job as a social enterprise. We made a profit, he didn't. So I call it even.
But then he listed X, Space X and his AI company which must have an X in the title and gazumped me becoming the richest man in the world. Bastard. So I'm listing my three entities on the Mildura exchange for a meat platter and two slabs next year. At least I will not have to give the Govt 47% of my company profit.
So what can we learn from Elon's meteoric rise in wealth over a short lifetime?
Brand - you don't need to be popular to be rich. You just have to make others rich along the way.
Short memories - remember DOGE anyone? None of his shareholders who just made a motza does.
USA - if you want to be rich, don't stay in Australia or South Africa. Go where the money and opportunities are.
BYOB - there isn't much chance of being rich if you don't run your own business, unless you work for a start up that IPOs. You might not get rich, but you have a better chance.
He also outdid my kids production, fathering 14 whilst I stopped at a sensible 2; he just doesn't know when to stop showing off.
The scoreboard shows he is ahead now, but life is long and there is time to catch up!
I still wear the Elon t-shirt to see how people will react, plus it matches my red Tesla.
Life is too short to be too serious,
Andrew
