Intro
You know, so many people think that rich people are all the same, but that’s not quite true. Not all wealth is created or spent equally. So today, we’re talking about the 15 types of rich people. Welcome to the place where future billionaires come to get inspired.
#1: Just got Rich
Folks, these people aren’t even at “new money”—they’re suddenly fresh money. These individuals weren’t expecting to get rich this soon; they simply rode a wave, made a killing in an emerging industry, and, most of the time, had trouble dealing with it because they hadn’t had enough time to mature their financial IQ. They got rich super fast, sometimes too young, and it often backfires.
They tend to hyper-flaunt their newfound wealth, buying things that are outright foolish and most likely burning through their money fairly quickly. They live under the mantra of “I’ll just make more.” You can spot them easily because they typically purchase liabilities—flashy cars, expensive clothes, and luxury bags—rather than building a real investment portfolio to sustain their lifestyle.
They assume that whatever made them wealthy will always be there. Sooner or later, they make a mistake, the cash flow dries up, or the wave changes, and they fail to adapt. That’s when you’re left with a house they can’t afford, six cars waiting to be sold, and a $20,000 couch bought on a dare.
#2: Real Estate Rich
Most people who say they are real estate rich aren’t rich yet—technically, they will be in 30 years, just not right now. These are usually real estate agents with a bit more drive and a strong desire to grow. They use the money they earn from their day jobs as a down payment for their next property. They constantly talk about cash flow, their plans for new properties, how they’re forcing appreciation, and how they know someone who already owns over 10,000 properties.
Truth be told, these are usually some of the nicest people you’ll come across. They’re not flashy, they’re super disciplined, and they know they’re playing the long game. Most of them live below their means, patiently working toward their goals. Eventually, they’ll become truly rich when they manage to either sell or mature their portfolio of properties.
#3: Trading and Hedge Funds Rich
Hedge Fund Rich—now these are the weird ones. They’re all over the spectrum in terms of energy, hype, Rockstar, and Red Bull consumption—not to mention other substances that would get us demonetized. For traders, they love showing off that one trade they made a while back where they hit it big, with their four-monitor setup flashing green and red lines. Day traders, in particular, like to pretend that reading the news gives them a full grasp of how the global economy fluctuates daily. These are the baby brothers of the hedge fund guys.
Being Hedge Fund Rich means you’re far better than every other day trader out there and likely have some big shot who’s hooked you into their company. Their yearly bonuses alone turn them into millionaires, but it takes a toll on every aspect of their lives. In our experience, people in hedge funds are among the most stressed out. They work the longest hours and live in constant fear of making a catastrophic mistake. To cope, they artificially boost their energy with chemicals and spend money recklessly to feel alive.
They’ve got some insane stories to tell.
#4: Royal Family Rich
There are definitions of old, old, old prehistoric old money, and you might expect these people to be the epitome of douchiness, but you would be mistaken. In our experience, they are some of the most well-mannered and reserved individuals out there. Although they enjoy unmatched levels of wealth, they constantly carry the burden of not embarrassing their family, which makes them much more reserved. Unless you’re paying close attention, you might not even realize they come from such immense wealth. The giveaway is usually the diplomatic limousine and the aide that follows them everywhere.
Although they’re always well-dressed, they don’t draw attention to themselves. During our university years, we had the privilege of getting to know someone from the United Arab Emirates royal family quite well. We can tell you firsthand that they’re just normal people with almost perfect etiquette and a family name to uphold. Most of them enjoy the privilege, but they also feel the need to break free, to party, and to make stupid decisions. However, most of them choose never to do so.
#5:Tech Rich
We love the techies. We’ve always clicked with them because, well, we’re in tech ourselves, aren’t we? These are usually geeks—introverts with a unique sense of humor, often terrible fashion sense, but almost always with great intentions and even greater intellect. They typically got rich by developing an idea with a couple of friends that blew up. The money often came from investors who valued their company in the millions or from selling a successful product.
They love gadgets, don’t recklessly blow through money, and their minds are always buzzing. After a big exit, they usually seclude themselves for a while before diving into their next venture. For tech people, the puzzle of business is the most alluring part—they love figuring out if they can solve it. They take personal and professional growth seriously. Many have coaches, trainers, and mentors and are part of mastermind groups. They love optimizing every aspect of their lives to maximize results.
They understand that to get rich in life, you only need to get it right once. They’ve also learned the power of asymmetric returns from having the right information. This is why they spend tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of dollars annually on advice that can save them decades. Your life feels cheap because you think investing in yourself is expensive. Maybe it’s time to start investing in your most valuable asset: you.
#6:Philanthropy Rich
Philanthropic Rich are usually entrepreneurs who had a great idea, saw it blow up, sold it, and now pursue their true passion for doing good. Alternatively, they might come from old money but have no interest in continuing the family business. These individuals travel the world, meet people, raise funds, and oversee projects aimed at aiding those in need or preserving valuable parts of the planet.
They are experts in social courtesy and excel at using their connections to push their projects even further. Thanks to their efforts, people, communities, species, or pieces of art have been given the chance to thrive and shine. Just look at what Aon is doing in Africa, what AAL Clooney is fighting for, or the monumental impact Bill and Melinda Gates have had on curing the world.
#7: Celebrity Rich
Rich celebrities typically include individuals from TV, movies, entertainment, and sports. These are usually first-generation wealthy individuals who struck it big with a single project and now struggle to maintain their fame because their incredibly expensive lifestyle demands it. Most people don’t like seeing frugal celebrities; they expect them to be aspirational—always looking beautiful and opulent. This expectation is often the major downfall for many of them.
The cost of fame is incredibly high, and many celebrity-rich individuals get caught up in a whirlwind of expenses, yes-men, and the constant pressure of the spotlight. However, the more stable ones aren’t as arrogant as people think—they’re just incredibly busy, and their time is extremely valuable. This disconnect can make them seem hard to relate to.
It’s important to understand that most celebrities are racing against the clock. Fame can vanish as quickly as it arrives, so they must use their moment in the spotlight to secure their future.
#8: Trust Fund Rich
Fund Rich refers to the children of everyone else on this list. Their parents sacrificed a lot to build wealth, resulting in an incredible life where the kids never have to worry about money. Every basic expense is covered, and they lack nothing since their parents are still running the family business. However, this comfort often comes at a cost—parenting suffers when every hour is dedicated to building and maintaining an empire.
In our experience, trust fund kids tend to fall into two very distinct groups. The first group consists of obnoxious, entitled individuals who believe everything should be handed to them on a silver platter because that’s all they’ve ever known. The second group, however, is more grounded and deeply appreciative of their parents’ struggles. They see it as their responsibility to carry on the family legacy, picking up the torch and finally giving their parents a chance to rest.
And hey, Lexa, we hope that any children you might have will fall into the second category.
#9: Don’t ask Rich
Don’t Ask Questions Rich are those who can’t explain their wealth—at least not in a way that wouldn’t incriminate them. They often made their money through shady or illegal means, crossing lines others wouldn’t dare. These individuals didn’t build companies, go public, or leave any paper trail; their riches seemingly appeared and have grown quietly over the past couple of decades.
Some may have even served jail time, while the more connected ones often had charges dropped or cases dismissed. In recent years, many have started to clean up their image, funneling their dark money into legitimate businesses and reshaping their public persona. You’ll now see some of them on the covers of financial magazines, portraying themselves as self-made success stories. While rumors about their past persist, they’ve learned to personally distance themselves from anything that could tarnish their reputation.
These people have a unique understanding of just how corrupt and fragile the world truly is.
#10: Serial Entrepreneur Rich
Serial Entrepreneurs, Rich, are people who are deeply passionate about business. They thrive on the challenge of building one venture after another. Typically, they spend a few years developing a business, then either step away from the company or make an exit to start and grow something new. Their attention spans are short, they’re always in a hurry, and they often appear to be juggling too many things at once—but that high-pressure environment is exactly where they thrive.
Some of our best friends are serial entrepreneurs, and they’re always eager to share stories about their latest investment or recent success. In our experience, they’re relatively young—usually in their 30s to 50s—and are constantly chasing the next big wave, much like a surfer. They are driven by the fear of failing to solve the next great puzzle, and it keeps them moving forward relentlessly.
#10: Serial Entrepreneur Rich
Can’t Tell Rich are individuals whose wealth is almost invisible. They live in modest homes, drive mid-range cars, and don’t wear flashy watches. They’re the complete opposite of the “just got rich” type. Their wealth is the result of smart, stable investments made over a lifetime. They live below their means and indulge only in quality products rather than ostentatious ones, caring little about the size of a logo.
These people could easily be your next-door neighbors, and you’d never know because their lifestyle doesn’t outwardly display the wealth you’d expect. Unlike others, their bank account isn’t reflected in their day-to-day choices the way most people assume wealth should be. Out of everyone on this list, they are genuinely the happiest of the bunch.
#12: All In Rich
Known as “poker rich” or “lucky rich,” these are people who go all in on one play, and it works out for them. We know plenty of actual poker players who have amassed a small fortune from this one skill, but this genre doesn’t cover them exclusively. It encompasses everyone who’s looking for low-effort, high-return types of money. Most of them fail in the long run because they are unable to discipline their double-or-nothing mindset. A subspecies of this genre is the “marry rich” folks—individuals who go all in on a romantic relationship, usually with someone older and wealthier, to quickly climb up the social and economic ladder.
#13: Book Rich
Now, these are some of the funkiest people to be around. With authors, it’s always a hit or miss in terms of chemistry—some are fun, some are weird, and almost all of them have a quirky way about them. They’re not celebrity-rich, but they do have a loyal fan base that’s always pressuring them for the next big thing. In our experience, most of them live with a constant fear of impostor syndrome, worrying they’ll never be able to top that one release that got them to where they are now. Because of the nature of their work, they live a pretty joyful life.
#14: Trend Rich
The trend here: “Crypto Rich” is like the trader genre and “Poker Rich” mixed into a new breed of wealth. They believe money isn’t real, governments are outdated, taxes are theft, and they can’t wait for their stash to be worth billions. Truth be told, most of them are right. They got rich in the past decade, being among the first movers in a new technological breakthrough. Many bought into the Bitcoin phenomenon super early and held onto it, only selling small portions along the way to turn those digits into real assets.
Productive tools like ChatGPT and sold them off to early adopters in search of massive productivity boosts. More recently, they’ve been diving into longevity research and supplements. This group, although often misunderstood, is actively building the new infrastructure upon which the next technological era of human experience will be built. In our experience, most of them are faking it, but a small subset is genuinely legit. The problem is, you can’t often tell which ones are which until it’s too late.
#15: Motivational Speaker Rich
Rich: This last category is by far the least rich on our list. They made their fortunes by selling the dream of becoming rich to others, often in a predatory sense. They promise a surefire way to make millions if only you join their $10,000 seminar. They’re always selling a new system and jumping on the latest trend to repackage the same model of worthless promises. They sell the idea of being wealthy. Even a certain “rich father” made his fortune from selling books, not from the real estate he preaches about. Only after the book money came in could he afford to practice what he preached—and he’s not alone.
This doesn’t mean that what they present isn’t valuable; it’s just not the whole truth. Our advice? If you’re going to pay for knowledge, make sure you’re developing a valuable skill from it. Otherwise, you’ll end up holding a beautiful package filled with brochures and confetti.
Throughout your life, you’ve likely met some of these types of individuals. We’re curious to know more about you—what types of rich people have you encountered, and what did you learn from them? We can’t wait to hear your stories in the comments. And for those sticking with us until the end…
#16: Bonus
Very end: Of course, we’ve got an extra category—your bonus today is the “Soon-to-Be Rich.” These are the individuals who are taking all the right steps toward becoming financially wealthy, even if they’re not there yet. They have the discipline, drive, and focus to change their circumstances in the foreseeable future. These are people who, right now, are investing in their financial education. They read case studies and books, watch interviews and educational videos, and study how others achieved greatness and wealth.
They’re not just consumers, nor do they waste time talking about what they wish their lives could be. Instead, they push forward every single day. They rely on fundamentals, avoid following trends, and steer clear of the get-rich-quick mentality. Most of them have already managed to dramatically improve their lives in recent years.
We believe you are one of these soon-to-be-rich individuals. Think about it—who else would dedicate every Sunday to educating themselves about building wealth, living a fulfilling life, and sticking with us through this fairly long video for a special golden nugget of information? We feel blessed to have people like you in our community and are proud of how far we’ve come together. We see you every week in the comments. While we can’t always reply to every single one, we’ve come to recognize your names, avatars, and the enthusiasm you bring. Seeing you return each time makes us excited, and for that, we thank you.
If you relate to this bonus category, please write soon in the comments so we know our message has reached the right ears.