How I made my first million: People focused on saving are doing it wrong, says Toss Grumley
Anuja Nadkarni04:59, Feb 08 2020
Toss Grumley says investing is the best way to become wealthy.
Stuff's series How I Made My First Million talks to millionaires about how they got there. This week, it's business adviser Toss Grumley.
How did you make your first $1m, how old were you?
I put a large amount of hard work and effort into starting and building up my own businesses and growing them. My capital has been generated by investing in my own businesses and growing them.
It was a combination of my stakes in businesses that I had started growing in value and increasing my equity in property.
The timing is hard to gauge as it's based on unrealised gains at the time...maybe 27.
READ MORE:
* How I made my first million: 'Getting financially successful requires risk and hard work', Ray White chief executive says
* How I made my first million: 'You can't save yourself to riches'
* Five things I wish I could tell my 20-year-old self about building wealth
Do you follow any personal finance rules?
I'm a big believer in using salaries and business profits for different things.
I've set the businesses and my shareholdings up in a way where I get a good salary as a director that we can live off, and use the business profits to invest in assets to build our family's future wealth.
I also put a focus on planning and improving every year and that's centred on the businesses performance and our personal situation and investments.
What are two money tips you'd give to a 20-year-old who wants to become a millionaire?
I've generated the majority of my wealth through creating companies with little to no capital and putting in the time and work to make them worth something.
If you are starting with no capital you need to find a way to create income as quickly as possible so that you can begin investing in assets, (shares, businesses and property) which are the real ways you get wealthy over time.
Any financial myths you think must be busted?
I see a lot of people thinking they are going to build wealth through scrimping.
While you should always be careful around spending and not live beyond your means, I think it's easier to put effort into making more money than worrying about saving on small things and sacrificing your lifestyle.
Do you weigh more importance to saving or investing?
Investing always.
When your money is in things it's working for you and making you money, that compounds and gets you somewhere. Especially over long periods of time.
SUPPLIED Business adviserory Toss Grumley reinvested profits from his business into property at a young age.
What was the worst financial decision you made?
I invested in a start-up that didn't work out.
It was the only money I've ever lost on something. Even though that wasn't pleasant, there were so many good lessons.
It changed my outlook and how I invest in people and businesses now.
Do you feel rich?
I don't know if anyone ever really feels rich, it's such a sliding scale. There is always someone down the road with more.
I do however feel very comfortable and grateful for the position I'm in.
I live a really great life but that's across having a good family grounding, feeling fulfilled in what I do each day and having the ability to fund the lifestyle I want.
Can money buy happiness?
It definitely helps.
Life is always going to be a bit nicer when you're not worried about where the next meal is coming from or how to pay a bill.
However, even some of the most wealthy people are unhappy. Happiness is a mindset achievable for anyone, no matter their financial situation.
Do you think there is such a thing as reaching optimum wealth? If so, have you reached this point?
I think there is a level where you have the ability to stop worrying about small things and money comes off the table for most decisions.
We are lucky enough to be in a position where if we are discussing a household purchasing decision from a money perspective it's usually something substantial.
And when we are making a general decision it's based on what's best from a holistic perspective, with price not being the core deciding factor.
What is your advice to people to stay wealthy - getting rich is one thing, is staying rich just as difficult?
Keep the income coming in and only stop the income when your assets are at a level they can sustain your lifestyle.
Lots of people sell up and don't realise that the returns on their assets can't support how they have been living, then you start chewing through capital, not a good place to be!
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