50s: Starting with a storage ring

Chapter 876 The People Who Get Rich First
Now, eight years after the reform and opening up, society has changed so fast that even taking a plane is no longer a rare thing, and many entrepreneurs are flying around the country.

Sun Zhiwei knew that these people were not true entrepreneurs. The source of their first pot of gold could not withstand close scrutiny.

The current policy is to "let some people get rich first, and then lead everyone to common prosperity." This is a long-term plan formulated by the country and a beautiful vision that hundreds of millions of Chinese people are striving for!
So, who were the first to get rich?

Sun Zhiwei sat in the cabin, looking at the so-called entrepreneurs wearing sunglasses and suits.

These successful people can be roughly divided into several categories, one of which is businessmen.

In ancient times, business people had little social standing, a view that has persisted for thousands of years.

This idea is deeply ingrained in people's minds, subtly influencing their decisions. Not everyone has the courage to embark on the path of business.

There are two types of business people: one is ordinary people who are forced to take this path because they started from scratch.

Most of them are unemployed young people who have no other choice but to take this path in order to make a living.

Most of these people started as sole proprietors; in 78 alone, 14 people registered as sole proprietors.

In the first few years of reform, they were the mainstream in the market.

While most of these people didn't become extremely wealthy, they certainly made money, and a small portion of them became outstanding entrepreneurs in later generations.

Another type is those who have the confidence and actively embark on this business path.

Those who are able to give up a stable job and choose to become businessmen—what was called "going into business" in those days—truly require great courage and determination.

Of course, in addition to courage, you also need confidence.

Most people who can make this decision are intelligent and have some confidence in their abilities.

One type is the technical stream, some of whom possess advanced skills that are scarce in the market, such as various senior technicians, researchers, and so on.

This group is mainly composed of intellectuals who, with their profound professional knowledge and multifaceted talents, are often able to see through subtle details and skillfully seize opportunities to reap rich rewards.

Their technology is irreplaceable, and most people who dare to take the first step are able to achieve initial success with their unique skills.

Another type is the "network-based" approach, which mostly consists of second-generation young people who have family connections and initial funding support.

These people can make a fortune by building their networks and smoothing out key connections.

After making money, they would invest it in expanding their network and developing their main business. In this way, their wealth would snowball and grow bigger and bigger, and before they knew it, a group of business tycoons would emerge.

The last type is the fearless adventurer who dares to take a gamble, regardless of the outcome.

These kinds of people either achieve instant fame or lose everything; for them, there is no turning back.

Are there any people who have succeeded by getting rich through hard work?
Of course there is.

Just like Sun Shaoan in "Ordinary World", he devoted all his energy to brick making, built his own world with this skill, and eventually lived a good life that others longed for.

In reality, rural areas near cities would organize farmer construction teams to work in the cities, and those contractors were among the first to become wealthy.

There were also the first people to engage in animal husbandry, some of whom later developed into large-scale farmers and became wealthy ahead of time.

The various pig-farming tycoons, chicken-farming tycoons, fish-farming tycoons, and other specialized livestock farmers that have emerged across the country all fall into this category. However, these can only be considered moderately wealthy; to grow large and powerful, it's not something that can be achieved simply through hard work alone.

Technology, powerful connections, and opportunity are all necessary for a chance to succeed.

For example, technically speaking, if you master either the formula for Yunnan Baiyao (a traditional Chinese medicine) or Coca-Cola, making a fortune is almost guaranteed; it's just a matter of how quickly it happens.

In terms of having a powerful backer, it means having someone supporting you from behind, and with your own efforts, it's easier to achieve success.

Finally, it depends on opportunity. Most of these people started from scratch and succeeded by making the right choices time and time again.

There are very few self-made billionaires in the world. In Malaysia, there is one, and in Hong Kong, there is another, Lee Chung-shing.

Abroad, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is one, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is another, and Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling is another.

Buffett didn't even start from scratch; his father was a congressman. Although his father didn't provide much financial support, the invisible influence of his connections was irreplaceable.

Bill Gates certainly didn't start from scratch; his mother was a board member of IBM, providing him with initial funding and connections for his startup.

By the way, it seems like Harry Potter hasn't even started being written yet. Should we copy this book over?

Sun Zhiwei thought about it and decided against it. She was a single mother who had worked hard to earn some money by writing a book, and she was an inspirational role model.

Intercepting this guy is time-consuming and laborious, not only unnecessary but also morally reprehensible. He's only earned a few billion over the past ten years; he might as well have used that time to open a few oil wells.

By the time Sun Zhiwei and his family got off the plane, it was January 17, 1987, and the Lunar New Year was just around the corner.

After they return, they need to prepare for the Chinese New Year and visit relatives, so time is already a bit tight.

The couple had to divide the work; Sun Zhiwei was responsible for procuring supplies, as he had to buy all the items needed for the family during the Spring Festival.

Tong Jiajia took her two children to visit relatives. She hadn't been back for a year, and she had to visit many of her relatives and friends with whom she used to have a good relationship. Otherwise, it would really be impolite.

As for gifts for visiting relatives, there's no need to worry. Sun Zhiwei has a lot of foreign supplies in his space, so taking out a batch without special markings to give as gifts is no problem at all.

Tong Jiajia had made preparations before returning, especially some gifts for the children, which she had bought in New York before coming back.

These foreign goods are very rare in China now, and they are especially impressive when given as gifts or presents to relatives.

After a busy week, the two finally had some free time and then it was time to prepare for the Chinese New Year.

The two children had never celebrated Chinese New Year before, so they were very excited after hearing their parents' and relatives' stories.

Actually, they did spend the Spring Festival in Qingdao last year, but they were only a few months old at the time, so they don't have any memory of it.

Both children are almost two years old this year, a fun age where their innocent yet well-behaved nature is especially endearing.

Sun Zhiwei was overjoyed upon seeing this and resolved to return home for the Spring Festival every year from now on.

These two children were born and raised abroad, so their traditional education must keep up. We must not let them grow up to be ungrateful wretches with yellow skin and white hearts.

(End of this chapter)