Do you think it's possible to create 1b net worth?

[Brandon Schlichter]

I've been pondering this over the past few months when I was out of town on vacation.

I'm curious about the possibility of setting a lifetime goal of developing a company with a 1b net worth over a lifetime.

I've delt with individuals from the most of the financial spectrum. From a joe six pack with $1 in the bank and no assets all the way up to a individual with over $150m in net worth.

So I'm quite curious about the goal of developing a net worth of $1b starting out at 0 and working up to the $1b goal over many many years.

I don't see how it's impossible if you're young (As am I) In a little over a year my brother and I should be able to break the $1m net worth goal in about 2 years from start to finish, starting at nothing.

What are your thoughts?

[Blake Copeland]

1B Net worth. Ya it is possible. As a matter of fact, the Forbes 400 is littered with people who started with no money whatsoever. Sam Zell, Kirk Kerkorian, David Murdock, Alex Spanos, Thomas Flatley, Jorge Perez, Sheldon Adelson, George Argyos, Roland Arnall, Ronald Burkle, Wayne Huizenga, and a whole bunch of others.

Someone posted earlier about Sam Zell. I highly admire him as well. He had $35 in his wallet when he was 23 years old. As of right now I think he's worth over $5Billion. Started with a small 3 unit building which he bought for no money down by exchanging management services for a cut of the deal. As of 2000 his companies owned over 220,000 units of apartments, and over 135 Million square feet of commercial real estate, this was all done in less than 40 years. Is it possible?? If you think it is, then it is.

Also look up Kirk Kerkorian and a guy named Philip Ruffin. Kirk dropped out of 8th grade, and now owns half of the casinos on the Las Vegas strip. Ruffin started out flat broke, now owns RE all over the country including 40 acres on Las Vegas Blvd. the list goes on and on.... A guy named Stephen Seigel is on his way, google him he bought his first apartment building in his 30's in 2001, flipped it a year later and made $4Million. Now his companies own 20 hotels, 3 casinos and a bunch of other stuff. Yes, it is possible..... will you have to sacrifice a lot? No doubt.... just depends how far you can go and how bad you want to know what can be accomplished.

But, what do I know. I'm not a billionaire just a 25 year old trying to duplicate what Sam Zell did, and so far I'm ahead of where he was. Hopefully it continues to stay that way.