You want to be a billionaire … So what are you doing about it?

There are some elements of business which we can all aim to improve. If we do it correctly, we could even become millionaires, possibly. And who knows, if we perfect some of these fundamentals, we might just go all the way and become billionaires. Bravado aside, let's understand what is involved before we buy the Rolex.

Firstly, and very importantly, we must become experts in using technology for business: Computer and mobile devices have become affordable, sophisticated, and accessible. Today, we can do more from a coffee shop than the most prominent firms could do in their ivory towers 15 years ago. We are business people with superpowers who can do more in one day than a team of people could have accomplished in a week. It is exceptionally encouraging.

Our ability to interact with clients and colleagues digitally is almost effortless these days. We should carry an attitude of appreciation for the wonderful comfort afforded to us. Being irritated that people can get hold of us all the time is entirely the wrong mindset. Instead, may I suggest you go for a long walk and pull out your phone. Try to get a work task done while on the go. If you do this often enough, you'll realise that being in work mode is not restricted to just when you sit at your desk. Get into the habit of operating from everywhere.

As the years go on, we will work with many people. Some will lift us, and others will need lifting. See every interaction as an opportunity to meet someone new, learn something new, teach something new or get something good done. We never know where the path will take us, no matter how much planning we do. If we are pleasant and mindful of others, I believe opportunities will effortlessly find their way to us.

If we want to grow into someone of value, we must strive to add value and improve our world. To do so, we must earn our right to suggest a better way of doing things. We can develop more efficient processes if we work in an industry for many years and make a concerted effort to observe as much as possible. At the right moment, with all this industry insight firmly under our belt, we can open our own business and re-enter the market as a, hopefully, industry disruptor. If we have found the gaps that others did not, we should be in a solid position to bring something new and dynamic to others. Or, we can take lessons learnt from one industry and adapt them to an entirely different industry. This cross-pollination can be exceedingly prosperous, and there have been many examples of outsiders shooting the lights out in?previously uninterrupted markets. A simple example would be Elon Musk re-inventing space travel and vehicle manufacturing. He did so well when others had spent decades trying to break glass ceilings and failed because his approach was new. Another example could be the Airbnb team. They did not come from a hotel school background but rather from a tech one.

An overarching theme of the billionaire mindset is the belief that something better is out there. Having the conviction for driving that improvement train out of the station is more important than the belief itself. If we are to conquer the impossible, we must learn to set off on the journey alone. It is a fact that a team can accomplish more but we must not seek validation and support before setting off on such adventurous trips. Set the roadmap and clear the path. Once the signs are up and the business starts to take shape, others will join the adventure. If we seek validation before setting off, we will squander the opportunity and be stuck waiting for others to tell us what they think of the journey ahead. Unfortunately, most people are in the habit of missing great opportunities.?

It would make sense that the future business person would not walk into a room carrying a large brown briefcase. This is because everything we used to carry in a brief case can now fit into our pocket. Embracing efficiency is extremely important as efficiency and fluidity are fundamental to success. The do-it-all super money-making person can do business from anywhere and everywhere. They are sneaking onto the balcony, not for a cigarette, but to close a mega-deal in Dubai. They are casually joining you for sushi at the top of Table Mountain and sourcing a commodities deal halfway up the cableway. Dare you to ask about the phone call they just received, and they will probably tell you they are finalizing a quick booking to Cypress, off to see some colleagues halfway around the world. Please understand, they are not carrying a Filofax anymore. They are experts at running a paperless office.

Everybody took a severe knock during the most recent pandemic. Did anybody get through it unscathed? Those who run regular companies with large rentals and fixed overheads were stuck paying salaries and employees asking for a handout. The alternative could have been a group of professionals operating with a lean mindset, all pulling together to keep the ship afloat. The drive and motivation to push through the rough seas comes from a shared vested interest in the success or failure of the business.

The millionaires and billionaires of tomorrow will not be victims of old worn-out business models. They strive for new, improved and more efficient business models like consortiums. A consortium allows those involved to be responsible and take their destiny into their hands. This mega gig economy is like a scrum of independent professionals working together to beat the slow-moving large corporate. Suppose one chooses to work for someone else for their entire career, then it's best to keep the name badge pinned on. But for those who see greatness as their destiny, finding more efficient business models is the way of the billionaire.

A surprising trend has emerged which has far-reaching ramifications for success over the next decade. However, we may fail to notice or adapt to this new trend. As we gained experience in our careers, we earned a seat at the boardroom table, where we had the privilege of interacting with more senior executives. Our ticket to success! We strived for conversation and opportunities with older business people who taught us to earn higher salaries and bonuses. My dear friends, the dream we have been sold is for the risk-averse, not the adventurous! And so, what is this trend we do not know that could be the golden ticket? It is the ability, and desire, to connect and nurture the support of a younger audience.

Those who pioneered the trend have enabled their audience to grow with them, understanding that if one wishes to grow a business, it is best if it is an emerging one, not an older audience. The one nobody saw coming was so new; it didn't exist before the billionaire created it. A billionaire will create a trend which did not exist before. Look at Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat or LinkedIn. Those founders were not inspired by a room full of senior managers who spend 20 years climbing the corporate ladder. We must learn to enjoy activities fit for a generation younger than us. This task can be exceptionally challenging. Always seemingly late to the party, we are made aware of apps emerging which are frankly irritating. We notice stupid videos entertaining a less mature market, and we do not relate to the humor or language. But if we are to carve out a future that puts us at the top of the pile, we must learn to build sandcastles with the school kids.

And finally, the spotlight of success has two purposes. It exposes what you create so you can light it up for others to see. It also means when the spotlight is on, you need to put something in front of it or risk looking empty. If the billionaire's path appeals to you, you will need to create content for others to consume. There are very few people who became billionaires by sitting on the couch. Most needed to get out into the world and do things. If you become a billionaire, others will constantly be looking to you for inspiration or an opinion on a popular matter. If you have inspiring things to say or your idea is well thought out, you will achieve fantastic success. However, if you have the mic and you have nothing to say, your success will most probably fade away very quickly. When the light is on, you make sure you put on a good show.

Today, with online self-publishing being so accessible, a spotlight is cheap. Finding the content is the challenging part. We all have access to incredible networks online. These networks are happy to engage if we can add value to their entertainment hungry appetites. As the personal brand world continues to emerge, we must ask ourselves what theme are we attaching to this musical. Will it be worth watching? Will the vocals and lyrics blow away the audience night after night? We feed off stories of billionaires telling their extraordinary tales of space travel, underwater exploration, and seamless connectivity. Who wrote their musical, and why are we so fixated, waiting in angst, for the next story to transport us into wonderland?

What you may find is that it was a founder-driven story from start to finish. Personal brand-driven businesses can captivate audiences as never before. Content going viral is the stuff of legends. If we tell the world who we are, we must do so because we feel what we are doing is new and exciting. The people we are working with are also unique and exciting. The business we are telling our clients about is new and exciting. One thing is for sure; you will never meet a boring billionaire. May I ask you what came first, the billionaire or the ability to be interesting? The answer is that being interesting came first. Always remember that when you feel slightly uncomfortable expressing yourself online.

We will never really know the secret to achieve the success needed to gain title of Billionaire. However, we can say with conviction that we are moving into an era of technology-driven businesses. Those who understand how to interact with these new gadgets will do significantly better than those who prefer to do things the traditional way. We are also moving towards universal acceptance. We are now more aware of the previously marginalised around the globe, and we support their fight for equality. As we become more aware of these changes, let us not watch from the side-line but rather be the ones to spearhead these changes from the front. The world is always ready for advancements in various industries. Let's take ownership of being instigators for change. And who knows, by doing so, we might get invited to the club reserved for business people who eat escargot on fancy yachts.