Take 100k and invest 20k in five early stage startups for five to ten percent of equity.. pray for the next two years that one of them gets acquired for a billion
The most realistic way for you to get there is this:
1. Have the tech skills to launch a complete web application or project that can either easily be acquired or generate revenue. If the former, aim for something viral and exciting. Think Threewords.me, which supposedly sold for 6 figures days after Mark Bao launched it. If the latter, price high and build a product for businesses or high-net-worth individuals. Assuming 30k of yearly living expenses, and not factoring in taxes (too complicated to calculate this right now), you'll need about 1,060,000 dollars. 1000 customers each paying 49 each per month over 2 years is $1,176,000.
2. Get paid at a salaried job / freelancing using said skills. Assuming you've got enough experience to do (1), you should be able to pull at least 100k. Live frugally and you can save 50k-100k from this job alone after two years.
3. Work on various iterations of (1) in your off-time from (2). Don't be afraid to sell a site on Flippa for a middling price if it doesn't seem to be growing huge. 10 sites at 5k each is still 50k.
Find a niche that you can offer something that people will want or better yet, pay for. It's better to start small or find a way to enter a market that you can easily differentiate yourself and go from there. Also, you shouldn't try to hide your idea, most ideas aren't unique, it's how you execute them off that can make or break them. So don't be afraid to tell friends and acquaintances and have them give you feedback. There is no easy way to a million but with the internet there are now more ways then ever.
Start a company get 5 million dollar valuation and investment by making people think your in it for the long haul. Retain 20% that can't be diluted and has no strings attached. Get fired. sell said precentage once new CEO takes over.
I am not a drug dealer (and have no intention of becoming one), but I could see that pretty much anything mainstream and illegal would have a high markup, and almost guaranteed demand if you are willing to take the risk.
I suppose cannabis / ecstasy / cocaine were the ones I had in my head when I made the comment.
I am just back from Nepal on vacation, where one could easily get hashish for a fraction of the price it costs here in Europe. I have reads before that drugs trafficking is significantly more efficient than any other market, arriving from producer to end consumer in way less steps than legal products.
Startups are overrated. Start a service-based business. Start alone. For the first 3 - 6 months, focus on building a portfolio of good work and references. For the next 6 - 12 months, focus on steadily increasing your rates/prices and bring on-board one or two technical people to help you on a freelance basis. You must continue to do sales and ask for referrals. The next 12 - 24 months, focus on scaling your services and capacity. I know it's easier said than done - but this is what worked for me.
Background: 25 years old this year, software development firm made $500k in revenue so far in 2013.
Caveat: 1 million dollars revenue != 1 million dollars profit. Huge difference.
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1. Have the tech skills to launch a complete web application or project that can either easily be acquired or generate revenue. If the former, aim for something viral and exciting. Think Threewords.me, which supposedly sold for 6 figures days after Mark Bao launched it. If the latter, price high and build a product for businesses or high-net-worth individuals. Assuming 30k of yearly living expenses, and not factoring in taxes (too complicated to calculate this right now), you'll need about 1,060,000 dollars. 1000 customers each paying 49 each per month over 2 years is $1,176,000.
2. Get paid at a salaried job / freelancing using said skills. Assuming you've got enough experience to do (1), you should be able to pull at least 100k. Live frugally and you can save 50k-100k from this job alone after two years.
3. Work on various iterations of (1) in your off-time from (2). Don't be afraid to sell a site on Flippa for a middling price if it doesn't seem to be growing huge. 10 sites at 5k each is still 50k.
I suppose cannabis / ecstasy / cocaine were the ones I had in my head when I made the comment.
I am just back from Nepal on vacation, where one could easily get hashish for a fraction of the price it costs here in Europe. I have reads before that drugs trafficking is significantly more efficient than any other market, arriving from producer to end consumer in way less steps than legal products.
Background: 25 years old this year, software development firm made $500k in revenue so far in 2013.
Caveat: 1 million dollars revenue != 1 million dollars profit. Huge difference.