Here are some ideas for you entrepreneurs who want to get rich. The first thing is, you sometimes have to be a bit mean. You shouldn’t be too generous. John Paul Getty, one of the richest men in history, put payphones in the bedrooms of his house so that his friends couldn’t make free phone calls.
Number two. You should start early. Really rich people know they want to be rich even when they are children. Matthew Freud sold mice to his school friends. He said he would be a millionaire by the time he was twenty-five years old. He was right.
Number three. Don’t be too extravagant. You mustn’t waste your money on stupid things. Bill Gates doesn’t wear a suit. He doesn’t care about looking good because he doesn’t have to look good. If you spend all your money on expensive holidays and presents, you will probably never be rich.
Number four. Be confident. You must believe in yourself. Everyone has great ideas but ninety-nine point percent of us never do anything about them. Anita Roddick, the boss of Body Shop, said, ‘It’s all about having a good idea and having the confidence to sell it to the public.’
Number five. You have to work hard. Work long hours. This is the most important thing. No one ever got rich by sleeping half the day. Rupert Murdoch goes to five o’clock meetings. That’s five in the morning. Bernie Ecclestone, the Formula One billionaire, went to his office at six in the morning. Every day. Even when he reached the age of seventy.
Number six. Think big. Be ambitious. You shouldn’t think about the limits of your business. Sell yourself to the world, not only your home town. Of course there are lots of other ...