Wealth Exposed: Insurance Planning for High Net Worth Individuals and Their Advisors

CHAPTER 1

Welcome! You Are at the Next Level

Who doesn’t love an inspiring “rags-to-riches” story? We’re fascinated when we learn about a Harvard dropout who fails in his first venture but goes on to build one of the most successful computer software companies ever. We’re enamored with the young man who sold Coke bottles to stay in school and ate charity meals before collaborating with another young man in his parents’ garage to create the world’s first personal computer. His creation ultimately built the world’s most valuable company in terms of market capitalization.

Why do we love these stories? Because many of us start off with nothing and aspire to make a success of our lives. They help us believe that anything is possible. But, some people find it’s hard to imagine rich and famous people ever struggling for money. While all success stories are not of the rags-to-riches variety, what is lost on those with that mindset is that the vast majority of successful people began their careers from the same hole in which we all start. It’s difficult for the average person to fully gauge, let alone appreciate, the time and money commitment that goes into building a successful business or career.

A REAL-WORLD SUCCESS STORY

I could blindly pick from the files of my high net worth clients and find story after story of how they began their climb in settings familiar to most people. One in particular, I’ll call John, is the founder of a very successful multinational company with a thousand ...