7 Videos of Billionaires for Education and Inspiration

Achieving Billionaire status is something extraordinary and definitely not something easily relatable to.

However, I believe that there are many lessons to be learned by analyzing how these people think, operate and grow.

For this reason, I make sure to watch interviews or documentaries on Billionaires about their lives and how they came to be who they are.

Now, don’t misunderstand. I am not talking about “motivational” videos with ultra-luxurious cars, yachts, mansions etc.

After all, you will see that the truly wealthy do not care about flaunting their wealth and status in order to impress the average Joe. They don’t give a damn.

I am referring to videos where these people document their progress and shed light to their internal thinking process.

In this post, I have collected seven videos from various Billionaires that I truly admire, respect and resonate with.

Of course, the list is far from exhaustive, I have just picked some of the most interesting and valuable ones.

You are going to find many known names, like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk. But, there are also many notable exceptions, from Bill Gates and Li Ka-shing, to Warren Buffett and Reid Hoffman.

A good idea would also be to run through the Forbes Billionaire’s List and see who these people are.

What I want you to do, while watching the videos and studying their lives, is to look for patterns and common themes.

For example, you are going to notice that the vast majority of Billionaires have built their fortunes by operating in one of the following areas:

• Entrepreneurship
• Money Management
• Hedge Funds
• Venture Capital
• Private Equity
• Real Estate

What do all of these have in common?

Leverage.

Take Real Estate for example. Here you are using financial leverage by borrowing money from the bank and multiplying your returns.

In the case of entrepreneurship, or business ownership in other worlds, you are leveraging Other People’s Time (OPT), sometimes Other People’s Money (OPM), technology and knowledge in order to build a sustainable, scalable and saleable business.

Apart for the industries wealthy people operate in, you are going to find other commonalities too. Note them down and think how you can apply those in your own life.

In any case, here is a list of videos you can use to kick-start your research!

Jeff Bezos: Innovation, Culture and Acquisitions

An interview with billionaire and founder/CEO of Amazon, Jeff Bezos. In this interview, Jeff discusses innovation at Amazon and how he keeps talented employees. Jeff also talks about buying the Washington Post and his vision for space and Blue Origin.

Charles Koch: Building and Running an Empire

An interview with billionaire and CEO of the second largest privately held company in the United States of America (Koch Industries), Charles Koch. In this interview Charles discusses his early life and taking over his father’s business, expanding it into the giant it is today. Charles also speaks about his business values and how he can control such a massive empire. Finally politics is discussed and Charles explains his philosophy and views on the future.

Stephen Schwarzman | Full Q&A | Oxford Union

American businessman and financier, Stephen Schwarzman is the largest alternative investment group in the world. He consistently features on lists of the most influential figures in the global market, and his personal fortune has been estimated by Forbes to be worth $12.9 billion.

Marc Andreessen: Venture Capital Investment Philosophy

A interview and Q&A with Venture Capitalist and Co-Founder of Andreessen Horowitz, Marc Andreessen. In this interview Marc discusses what he looks for in investments and how his model of a venture capital firm has aided his success. Marc also talks of the two traits he looks for in founders, that of courage and genius and how rare they are to find in combination.

Elon Musk: Changing The World Through Business

An interview with billionaire and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, Elon Musk. In this interview Elon discusses his business career with a focus on Tesla and SpaceX. He talks of his approach to business as well as his views on business with a purpose, as opposed to making a profit. Tesla and SpaceX are discussed and how generally Elon’s businesses are changing the world.

Peter Thiel: Successful Businesses are Based on Secrets

Speaking with Wired magazine editor David Rowan in London at an event on 25 September, Thiel said that “uniqueness”, “secrets”, and a monopoly on the marketplace were the key to successful startups. Peter Thiel, founder of Paypal and Palantir, discusses business strategy and monopoly theory.

Masayoshi Son: SoftBank, Startups and Technological Infrastructure

A interview with Japan’s richest man and CEO of SoftBank, Masayoshi Son. In this interview Masayoshi discusses what he thinks is wrong with the US technological infrastructure and how, by acquiring Sprint and T-Mobile he will be able to improve it. Masayoshi also talks about his hero Steve Jobs and other tech startups he admires.

Enjoy!