A “Self-Made” Millionaire Rant
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Hello, there!
So, as a general rule, I don't follow other "money people" on IG, email lists, etc.
(I'd like to say it's for noble reasons, but it's ACTUALLY because I'm VERY prone to comparison-itis so the less I see the better! I'm actively working on dismantling this tendency, but holy cow, these patterns and stories run DEEP and things take time.)
Anyway.
I was on a call with a client a while ago, and she mentioned a money coach she used to follow, but now no longer does. After the call I of course go and Google this person.
On her homepage is, among other titles, "Self Made Millionaire".
Umm... No.
Let me be clear:
There is no such thing as a "self-made" millionaire.
Even if you don't come from family money, don't have a trust fund or an angel investor, and "earned your money the hard way", you are not self-made.
Because you did, in fact, have help along the way:
The friends who emotionally supported you
The business coach you hired to help you grow your business
Your designer, VA, OBM, and photographer
And oh yeah, the many people who bought your programs, services, and books. Without them you wouldn't have a business.
Putting aside the idea of giving credit and sharing success (I'll come back to that in a moment), I think the most harmful part of the self-made millionaire idea is that it perpetuates the idea of the individualist, the "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" mentality that is so prominent in our Capitalist, patriarchal society.
Individualism is simply an idea that we're sold. To keep us separate. To see ourselves as other. Better than those who "haven't made it yet".
Individualism, separateness, feeling "better than" keeps us from seeing our own humanity. From seeing other's humanity. And losing touch with our shared humanity is, to put it mildly, NOT A GOOD LOOK FOR US.
And so, to not fall into the "mean girl" trap of only pointing out problems and not presenting an alternative (thanks Erika Tebbens for that reminder and modeling of self-awareness!), let's normalize sharing and showing appreciation for ALL THE HELP AND SUPPORT we receive as we grow. Not just privately in emails, but in public as well.
Thank your team: My mom is my only team member at the moment (she helps with a bit of client work). But she doesn't have a website or IG or anything I can link to, so I'll just shout her out here. Thanks, Mom!!
Shout out your supporters, clients, customers, and people you've learned from: Echo, Christine, Anna, and others - thanks for being ah-mazing clients! Coach Jennie, Tarzan Kay, and Dr. Val and Michael - I so appreciate everything I've learned from you.
Talk openly about the community that helped you build your business: Annie, Megan, Claire, Erin - y'all are the BEST biz friends a person could ask for.
Because that's who's behind your millionaire status, friends.
All the consensual money hugs,
P.S. Remember: your financial status is NOT a barometer of your success as a person or business owner. If you’re a millionaire, great! I’m proud of you. If you’re not a millionaire but aim to be one, great! I’m proud of you. If you’re not a millionaire and have no desire or reason to be one, great! I’m proud of you.
P.P.S. If you feel like you've read this email before, you may very well have. I sent a (very) slightly different version back in 2021. I think it's worth resending!
Psst! You're cordially invited to join the Love Your Numbers club, the monthly membership that helps take the "deer in headlights" feeling out of your business finances. There's monthly co-working, quarterly CFO planning sessions, and even Voxer access to your truly! You can get all the details and sign up here. 💸
Lastly: as always, thanks to Tarzan Kay for the inspiration to put email newsletters on one's website like this!
