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How one kid started knocking on millionaire's doors.
High agency + internet connection =
THREAD...
High agency + internet connection =
THREAD...
• Reggie grew up a poor working-class kid.
• He lived in Woolwich tower block in East London.
• This is a notorious area for gangs.
• Reggie had been expelled from school and had some trouble with the law growing up.
• He lived in Woolwich tower block in East London.
• This is a notorious area for gangs.
• Reggie had been expelled from school and had some trouble with the law growing up.
• His dad died when he was 17.
• Reggie had to start thinking about providing for his family.
• He wanted to figure out how to make money.
• Rather than passively wait for the answers, he employed:
1. High Agency
2. Resourcefulness
3. Leveraged tools
• Reggie had to start thinking about providing for his family.
• He wanted to figure out how to make money.
• Rather than passively wait for the answers, he employed:
1. High Agency
2. Resourcefulness
3. Leveraged tools
• He Googled - "Richest area in London."
• Reggie found Gloucester road in Kensington.
• He reasoned that if he wanted to find out how to be rich - he should speak directly to rich people.
• Reggie found Gloucester road in Kensington.
• He reasoned that if he wanted to find out how to be rich - he should speak directly to rich people.
• Instead of sending emails or procrastinating, he just turned up and started knocking on doors.
• When they answered, he smiled and asked one question...
• When they answered, he smiled and asked one question...
• "I just wanted to know what skills and qualities you had that allowed you to live in a wealthy area like this, so I can extrapolate that and use it for myself."
^^^
This is what Reggie would ask on every door he knocked on.
^^^
This is what Reggie would ask on every door he knocked on.
• Some didn't answer. Some didn't have much to say. Some shut the door.
• He then knocked on another door - and a lady called Elizabeth answered.
• She loved his question.
• She invited him into their house to meet her husband.
• He then knocked on another door - and a lady called Elizabeth answered.
• She loved his question.
• She invited him into their house to meet her husband.
• Her husband was Quinton Price.
• Quinton was the Head of Alpha Investments at Blackrock - the world's largest investment firm.
• He was in charge of $994 BILLION worth of assets.
• Quinton invited him to intern the next day and helped with his university application.
• Quinton was the Head of Alpha Investments at Blackrock - the world's largest investment firm.
• He was in charge of $994 BILLION worth of assets.
• Quinton invited him to intern the next day and helped with his university application.
• Reggie now works in finance and Quinton mentors him for his career.
• He's done a stint at University of Oxford, worked with the UK cabinet office and has a podcast with the BBC.
• He's done a stint at University of Oxford, worked with the UK cabinet office and has a podcast with the BBC.
I love this story because...
1. High Agency - Reggie had a ridiculously high locus of control over his difficult environment. (H/T @EricRWeinstein)
When your dad dies and you have few positive role models, to seek it out is to swim against the tide.
1. High Agency - Reggie had a ridiculously high locus of control over his difficult environment. (H/T @EricRWeinstein)
When your dad dies and you have few positive role models, to seek it out is to swim against the tide.
2. Relentlessly Resourceful - He was willing to combine first-principles + grit to find the solution to his problems.
It reminded me of the Airbnb founders selling cereal to support their startup.
"Pick the partner that could bail you out of a 3rd world prison." - Bezos
It reminded me of the Airbnb founders selling cereal to support their startup.
"Pick the partner that could bail you out of a 3rd world prison." - Bezos
3. Leveraged Tools - Reggie used the world's greatest equalizer: Technology.
He tinkered around online answering his own questions.
"An army of robots is freely available - it's just packed in data centers for heat and space efficiency. Use it." - @naval
He tinkered around online answering his own questions.
"An army of robots is freely available - it's just packed in data centers for heat and space efficiency. Use it." - @naval
4. Empathy - Reggie was taking a risk knocking on strangers' doors.
The Price family could've been rude or defensive. (They had every right to be)
Instead, they loved his charisma and gave up their valuable time to answer all his questions.
The Price family could've been rude or defensive. (They had every right to be)
Instead, they loved his charisma and gave up their valuable time to answer all his questions.
If you enjoyed this, I occasionally send out a newsletter called "Clouds & Dirt."
It contains:
1. Clouds - Mental Models + Big ideas
2. Dirt - Tactics + Leveraged tools
100% high signal. 0% spam.
Check it out -----> http://bit.ly/MentalModelsBD
It contains:
1. Clouds - Mental Models + Big ideas
2. Dirt - Tactics + Leveraged tools
100% high signal. 0% spam.
Check it out -----> http://bit.ly/MentalModelsBD
