When people talk about wealth, the conversation often circles around numbers—stocks, real estate, and millions made in a single year. But the truth is, wealth isn’t only about money. It starts much deeper: in the way we think, what we believe we deserve, and how we choose to use what we already have.
Recently, I came across a powerful conversation with a woman who became a millionaire at 33, built a tech company, and left her Wall Street career where her job was, in her words, “to keep rich people rich.” Her journey and insights carry lessons that can reshape the way we see money, wealth, and ourselves.
1. Wealth Has Nothing to Do With Where You Come From
She didn’t come from a wealthy family. She grew up middle-class, was the first in her family to go to college, the first entrepreneur, and the first millionaire. Background is not destiny. Your starting point doesn’t determine your finish line.
2. Belief Is the First Currency
On Wall Street, she noticed something about the 1%: they believe they belong in rooms of power. They believe they are supposed to be wealthy. That belief alone sets them apart. Many people never even dare to believe they deserve a seat at the table, and that mindset quietly robs them of opportunities.
3. Doubt and Destiny Walk Together
She admitted to feeling like she didn’t belong, being the only Black woman on her floor at Wall Street. Yet at that same moment of doubt, she decided: If I’m in this room, I can be a billionaire. The lesson? Doubt doesn’t disqualify you. What matters is the decision you make in the middle of it.
4. Money Needs a Job
Here’s where her advice gets practical. Wealthy people don’t let their money sit idle in savings accounts. They assign it a job.
- 80% goes into marketable securities (stocks, bonds, ETFs).
- 10% sits in cash for liquidity.
- 10% flows into alternative investments (real estate, startups, private equity).
This isn’t about copying numbers—it’s about the principle. Savings protect you, but investments grow you.
5. Ownership Is the Key
Her closing words were powerful: “Wealth does not have a color. It looks like you, it looks like me. And it starts in the mind. But the key is ownership.”
You cannot save or work your way to wealth—you can only invest or create it. Whether it’s owning shares of companies you believe in or building your own business, ownership is the foundation of long-term wealth.
6. Success Requires Time and Patience
She started her company in 2013 but didn’t make real money until 2017. Four years of building, waiting, and holding the vision before results showed up. Wealth is rarely overnight—it’s the compound effect of consistency and belief.
Final Thought
Wealth isn’t reserved for the few. It doesn’t have a color, a zip code, or a family name. It’s available to anyone willing to believe, act with patience, and put their money to work.
So, ask yourself today:
👉 Do I believe I deserve a seat at the table?
👉 Have I given my money a job?
👉 Where in my life can I shift from being just a consumer to being an owner?
Because in the end, wealth begins not in your bank account—but in your mind.
✍🏽 Journaling Exercise: Step Into Wealth
Take 10–15 minutes today with your journal and explore these prompts:
- Belief Check-In: What is the story I currently tell myself about money and wealth? Do I secretly believe wealth is for “other people”?
- Money at Work: If my money had a job description, what role would I assign it? (Protector? Multiplier? Builder of freedom?)
- Ownership Reflection: What is one area of my life where I can move from being a consumer to becoming an owner?
- Future Self: Imagine yourself five years from now, financially free and abundant. What does your life look like? Write a page as if it’s already happening.
Salima
Just me thinking out loud over here