Why do you need wholly unsolicited but practical advice on wealth, values and vice?

"Never let a thing's worth obscure its value."

— Joseph Cassidy (Mick Jagger), The Burnt Orange Heresy (2019)

How wealthy are you?

If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head, and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75 per cent of the world.

You are among the top eight percent of the world's wealth if you have money in the bank or your wallet and some spare change. If you’re only learning this now, reading this was already worth your time, as you probably feel wealthier now than before.

Still, you might worry about money, and your future, even if you have more than most.

Most people have a vague concept of what being rich would mean, and the answer is different for everyone. I wanted to be a millionaire when I was a kid, and became one in my twenties. Then lost everything in my thirties, and then recovered in my forties.

I’ve been a circus performer, an artist, and an entrepreneur, and I’ve sold my last company, with 150 employees, to the Financial Times, after being its CEO for 15 years. I have some experience with finances, wealth, and having and losing money.

And still I’m struggling with the definition of wealth and value. I’m collecting my research and personal experiences in a book titled “For What It’s Worth”, to be published near the end of 2025. I spend most of my time thinking about how value is created, applied, and misunderstood.

Reading my stories will make you feel richer and will give you a different and more valuable perspective on value.

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