“In the three-comma club, not all tech giant CEOs are equal. Lesson: Founders are 100+x wealthier. 🙂 (Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Sundar Pichai and Elon Musk at Trump's inauguration)”
On the first day, my LinkedIn post received very little response, just like most of my other posts. Although I stay relatively active on LinkedIn, the majority of my posts are simply announcements about my articles or books. However, this one went viral the very next day.
Stats:
The count is still rising rapidly, ~100/minute.
For comparison, the impression count of most LinkedIn posts is under 1,000. So, this one is 1000X for me. Why? I think this meme (image + text) effectively conveys the message in a simple way, and those who watched the ‘Silicon Valley’ show might find it amusing.
Why I Created this Meme?
First, I’m not wealthy—nowhere near the 'Three Comma Club'. I am just a software engineer → a side hustler → a software solopreneur. My business income—both active and passive—is still much less than what I’d earn with a full-time salary otherwise, but it’s enough to support my simple lifestyle. I genuinely prefer this path, which some might call 'financial freedom'.
1. For fun.
I'm a huge fan of the TV show Silicon Valley, and the 'Three Comma Club' and the billionaire character Russ Hanneman left a lasting impression on me. My daughter and I rewatched the “Russ Hunnerman” parts and many often share jokes about it.
2. A Fact about being wealthy.
I write a blog (here) to share my journey from being a software hustler to becoming a solopreneur. Becoming a billionaire is out of reach for most people, but building financial security is something many aspire to.
It’s widely recognized now that 'a job no longer guarantees security,' especially in the software industry. Having some savings definitely helps during tough times. However, to build significant wealth, you need to be an owner (or a major shareholder) of a company with successful products.
3. Related to building and owning a successful software product.
That’s the main topic of this newsletter, sharing my journey of being a software engineer → a side hustler → a software solopreneur. True, very few can reach the three-comma status, but hey, what I can tell you is that, the journey itself is very rewarding.
Some Responses
This post so far garnered 67 comments, which I have categorized into four groups.
1. Fixated with a specific and trying to correct someone.
“Worth pointing out that Musk is rich because of acquisitions and not being a founder”
“Bezos isn’t CEO”
There are certain people on social media who seem to enjoy disagreeing with everyone and getting into arguments over the smallest details. They think their opinions are matters, which as we know, few do. Honestly, as I get older, I find it naive to post negative comments on someone else's post. Maybe that's why many social platforms have removed the "Dislike" button.
“That's just sickening. No one person should have that much wealth. No single person can properly use that much money in their lifetime. They could give away 75% of that, enrich the lives of thousands of people, and still live incredibly comfortably.”
“And one of them didn’t cheat, lie, steal!” “The axis of evil.”
“HALL OF SHAME” “Fascinating. But are they happy?”
Having grown up in communist China, I’m very familiar with this mindset, which I don’t like. Back then in China, kids would boast about how poor their families were, because it was seen as safe and even 'virtuous.' That’s one of the reasons I left China.
The Text: "The Poorer, the More Honourable: Real footage of the life of Chinese people in 1966” by a foreign visitor. Source：https://news.qq.com/rain/a/20240110V08OCJ00?
In my opinion, being rich or poor is NOT the major determining factor whether someone is a good/happy person.
3. Get the main point.
“That is the difference between founders/owners, and employees. Employees never become rich.”
“Well, close. Founders often have a lot of stock.”
“having $1B isn't rich enough? Just kidding, I see your point!”
“And that $1B guy took the least risky path among them.”
These are wise people who are skilled at distilling valuable information for themselves.
4. Get the Fun factor.
“And the woman without money? Did she come for free? 😆”
“If you know, you know…”
“Did anyone see Russ Hanneman?” (I liked this reply)
I’d like to work with people like this in real life. Got to have fun!
Interestingly, with over 120+ likes, no single reposts. Additionally, none of my former colleagues liked or commented on this popular post (as far as I know, most of them were still working for others).
If you're a software professional interested in building apps or pursuing a solopreneur path, check out my blog "Solopreneur," which already features over 30 articles, with many more on the way.
