What Entrepreneurs Make the Most Money?

Entrepreneurs are natural problem solvers. What comes with solving problems and starting businesses that are successful is money. Some people may want to become entrepreneurs because of the big paycheck that is involved in leading businesses. There is no income limit for an entrepreneur who is hungry for success. 

Entrepreneurs need to know where to focus their efforts in order to make the most money. The bigger risk, the bigger reward. Entrepreneurs can take massive risks that result in massive paydays. If your aim is to become a billionaire, you need to push yourself out of your comfort zone. Starting a business is an effective way to increase your wealth.

Starting A Business

Entrepreneurs who make the most money started or co-founded a business. Most people will never become millionaires if they are just employees working to enrich the business owner. Starting your own business can greatly expand your earning potential. Entrepreneurs often start their own business to solve a problem that businesses or consumers are facing. 

One study found that over a lifetime, entrepreneurs make more money compared to salaried workers. Even if the business fails, entrepreneurs learn skills and gain experience that the normal worker will not. This experience can lead to higher salaries if an entrepreneur needs to get an office job. 

When deciding to pursue a career as an entrepreneur, it may be helpful to know exactly what makes a great entrepreneur. 

Traits of Entrepreneurs Who Make the Most Money

Understanding what makes a great entrepreneur can help you decide if starting a business is right for you. There is no set of characteristics that guarantee success. However, there are some common traits that entrepreneurs who make the most money have. 

Tenacity

Entrepreneurs will stop at nothing to accomplish their goals. When starting a business, there are countless roadblocks that could sink your business. Entrepreneurs will need to put out countless fires to create a successful business. If you are persistent, you may be able to navigate these obstacles and find success. 

Even when entrepreneurs fail, they are willing to start all over again. Some studies estimate that more than 90% of startups fail. There is a real chance that your business will not make it past its fifth birthday. Entrepreneurs who are successful learn from their past mistakes and persist until you reach your goals. Being tenacious will help you start another business and find success. 

Risk Takers

Starting a business is a risky venture for even the most skilled entrepreneurs. Successful entrepreneurs are not afraid of failure. They are risk-takers who are willing to lay it out on the line in order to see their vision come to fruition. Entrepreneurs believe in their idea and can navigate the complexities of starting a business. 

Versatility

Businesses need to respond to changing market conditions. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, large organizations had to quickly adapt and set up their operations to allow employees to work from home. Entrepreneurs need to have a flexible mindset in order to handle all of the complexities of starting a business. Startups often require employees and founders to wear multiple hats and juggle responsibilities that could be out of their job description. Flexibility is key to becoming successful as an entrepreneur. 

Sales

Being persuasive is another key trait of successful entrepreneurs. Selling your big idea is key to raising money and getting your business off the ground. Sales skills will be pivotal throughout your journey. As an entrepreneur, you need to be able to not only sell your product or service but convince your team as well. Sales skills will also help you raise the capital you need to take your business idea from inception to full-fledged success. 

Thought Leaders

The entrepreneurs who make the most money are innovators. These out-of-the-box thinkers apply problem-solving skills to find solutions where one may not exist. Successful entrepreneurs also welcome change and are open to new ideas. They see opportunities where others see problems. Entrepreneurs are naturally curious and will want to learn about the newest technologies and trends. 

If you do not believe you have these skills do not fret. Many of these traits can be learned if you are willing to put in the work. Even entrepreneurs with all of these traits may not be successful if they are operating in certain industries. 

Industries Where Entrepreneurs Make the Most Money

Knowing what business area to focus on can help you decide where you want to focus your entrepreneurial efforts. You do not want to waste your time on an industry that is contracting. These are a few industries that are growing and where entrepreneurs are currently growing their wealth. 

Technology

Technology startups have created a number of billionaire entrepreneurs in the past decade. From Facebook to VMWare, technology entrepreneurs routinely make the most money. Technology services and products can be quickly developed and scaled at a massive rate. This is a perfect storm for entrepreneurs to make a lot of money quickly. These companies apply innovative technology to meet market demands. 

Artificial intelligence startups are currently raising money in nearly every industry. The technology industry is currently booming. The COVID-19 pandemic pushed businesses and consumers to adapt more technology. This has been great for technology companies. Many technology businesses have posted record profits and massive amounts of growth. 

If you did not benefit from this massive growth, you have not missed the opportunity. Investors are looking for the next unicorn company and are willing to back technology-related startups. Entrepreneurs may find it easier to raise money when they start a technology company. You may be able to raise the money you need to get your startup off the ground. 

Real Estate

Real estate has long been an attractive industry for entrepreneurs looking to make money. Studies estimate that real estate investing has created 90% of the world’s millionaires. Real estate is a reliable, wealth-building structure that can allow entrepreneurs to make a lot of money.  

Entrepreneurs can create passive income that allows them to take even bigger financial risks. The real estate industry is also ripe for disruption. There are a number of venture-backed startups that are looking to change the way the real estate industry operates. Entrepreneurs are using artificial intelligence to improve the home buying process and purchase properties. 

Biotechnology and Healthcare

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of pharmaceutical and healthcare companies. This industry is rapidly growing and entrepreneurs are looking to develop treatments and solutions for patients. Researchers believe that personalized medicine is the next big wave in healthcare. The cost and cycle time for biotechnology companies to develop treatments has dropped dramatically in the past decade. 

Biotechnology and healthcare startups can be developed based on university research. Once these potential concepts are proven in a laboratory setting, entrepreneurs can raise massive amounts of capital from outside sources. Entrepreneurs can then develop these innovative treatments for patients around the world. Many of these biotech companies eventually get bought by large pharmaceutical companies. 

Logistics and Transportation

The logistics and transportation industries have minted their fair share of extremely wealthy individuals. Some of America’s wealthiest families, such as the Vanderbilts, created their fortunes in transportation, more specifically the rail industry. This still holds true today and there are more opportunities than ever before in the logistics and transportation space. 

Autonomous vehicles have the potential to revolutionize how the automotive industry operates. This technology will change every part of the shipping and logistics process, from last-mile delivery to operating barges. There are multiple venture-backed companies that are changing the trucking and logistics industries. 

Space

Space was originally the final frontier for the human race, but now entrepreneurs have set their sights on this space as well. Morgan Stanley estimates that the space industry will be worth more than $1 trillion by 2040. There are endless possibilities for technology to be applied in space and could completely revolutionize how the world thinks about space. SpaceX and Blue Origin are two of the most widely recognized companies in the private space industry. 

The space industry will impact multiple industries, including telecommunications and defense. There are many exciting ways that entrepreneurs are planning to create innovative companies that operate in space. Entrepreneurs are looking to mine asteroids for valuable minerals and materials, as supplies begin to dwindle on Earth. Launching satellites to offer broadband to customers around the world is a well-established business that will only continue to grow. The next group of billionaires may very well come from the space industry. 

Energy

The world needs to increase the amount of energy and clean energy that it produces, as populations increase and utilities continue to demand more energy. This is great news for aspiring entrepreneurs who are looking to make their mark on the world. The energy industry has already created extremely wealthy individuals. 

There are plenty of opportunities for new businesses in the energy industry. The continued push for renewable energy is a prime opportunity for entrepreneurs. Innovative businesses can receive funding from governments, as well as private investors. Technology is changing the energy industry as well. Battery-related startups have the potential to revolutionize how energy is stored. 

Government

Governments are behind the curve when it comes to technology. Many local governments are utilizing outdated software that leaves valuable data vulnerable to potential hackers. Working with government agencies can be very lucrative. Government contracts can provide businesses with a steady stream of revenue. With tens of thousands of government agencies in the United States alone, there is the potential for entrepreneurs to create serious wealth. 

Finance

The finance industry has often been slow to adopt new technologies. But now, innovative fintech startups, such as Robinhood, are reshaping the entire financial landscape. These companies are changing the way that financial services are delivered to end-users. Cryptocurrency, blockchain, artificial intelligence, and other technologies are transforming how traditional financial institutions work. For entrepreneurs, there are still plenty of market opportunities to increase their wealth. 

The Richest Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs are the richest individuals on the planet. These entrepreneurs have built incredible fortunes by being innovative in their industry. 

Jeff Bezos

Jeff Bezos started Amazon as an online book-selling service all the way back in 1993. Bezos could never have envisioned what Amazon has turned into when he first started the company. But, his open-mindedness and forward-thinking has turned Amazon into one of the largest, most profitable companies in the world. Bezos will continue to be a leader in the tech industry and likely amass even more wealth. 

Elon Musk

Along with being the richest person in the world, the most famous entrepreneur today might be Elon Musk. The serial entrepreneur has founded and led a handful of companies in various industries, including SpaceX and Zip2. His entrepreneurial spirit has amassed great wealth. Musk will continue to push the boundaries both here on Earth and in space with his companies.  

Bill Gates

The co-founder of Microsoft is worth more than $100 billion. Gates has been on Forbes list of the world’s wealthiest people since 1987. Microsoft has been a leader in the technology industry for decades. The wealth that he has gained has allowed him to start the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which spends billions of dollars each year attempting to reduce poverty and fight against infectious diseases. 

Mark Zuckerberg

The founder of Facebook has been leading the technology giant, now known as Meta, since its inception back in 2004. During that time, Zuckerberg has rapidly expanded the capabilities of Meta from a simple social media service to a fully-fledged technology company. Zuckerberg will continue to attempt to grow Meta and create innovative products and services. 

All of these entrepreneurs have started companies that utilized technology to solve problems. Their wealth has grown exponentially to a point that most people can only imagine. If you are looking to make the most money as an entrepreneur, starting an innovative business can help you build an immense amount of wealth. 

Interested in learning more about fundraising? Check out our guide “What is Series A Funding”

At Newchip we help entrepreneurs get funded. If you need further information about how to raise your Seed Round, feel free to apply here, one of our Venture Analysts will contact you soon. 

Armando Vera Carvajal

Armando Vera Carvajal

Armando Vera Carvajal is a Vice President at Newchip, the largest global online accelerator focused on helping startups raise capital from professional investors. As one of the original product founders and pioneers, Armando is passionate about building new products with high potential for global reach and impact. Prior to Newchip, he was as a Research Manager at the Gerson Lehrman Group where he covered hedge fund clients in New York City involved in long/short, distressed credit, special situations, activist, and global macro investment strategies. Armando studied international relations and corporate communications at the University of Texas at Austin, along with global exchanges at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and at l’Institut d'études politiques de Paris (Sciences Po). Born in Mexico City, Armando immigrated to the United States of America when he was four years old and grew up in McAllen, Texas. His interests include painting, mountaineering, writing, film, world travel, kayaking, photography, reading, black coffee, running, and inspiring people to become agents of positive global change.

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