1 Key to Making More Money

From age 10 to 22, my mentor was a family friend by the name of Bill Wilks. I worked for Mr. Wilks as a sales assistant for his business. I’ll never forget one day – near the end of a long day as we finished a project – Mr. Wilks asked me a question. “Billy Cates! Would you like to make a lot of money some day?”  Naturally I replied, “Yes sir. That would be great.”  (That was a time when young men and woman called their elders “sir” and “ma’am.”)

He leaned into me and, almost whispering, said, “Billy… one way to make a lot of money in this world is to help other people make more money.”  He continued, “See this business that I’ve created?  I did this by helping others make money.  I sell them my greeting cards, which they in turn sell to their customers. The better selection of cards I provide and the better I help them merchandise those cards, the more money we both make.”

I’ve never forgotten Mr. Wilks advice. Not all businesses exist to help us make money – at least not directly. Some help make our lives simpler, more enjoyable, and many other benefits. All are good. But I liked the idea of making money by helping others make money. It stuck with me.

Money Isn’t Everything

Don’t get me wrong. My life isn’t all about money. Someone once said, “I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor. Rich is better.” Another person whose name escapes me said, “Money is not the key to happiness, but it allows you to arrive at your problems in style.”

I see money as a tool to use to help myself, others in my community and the world. The more value I can generate for others, the more money I seem to make.

How Can You Apply this Principle?

So what does this trigger in you?   Maybe you’ve dreamed of starting your own business and just need to commit to it.  Maybe you already own your own business and need to find a way to bring more value to the marketplace.  And you don’t have to start your own business to help others make more money.  Working within a company – sales, marketing, customer service, etc. – you have an opportunity to make more money by bringing more value to your company and to your company’s customers.

So as you look to bring more money into your life – keep this concept in mind… You can make more money by helping others make more money.

I hope you find some value in these Monday messages. I’ll be back next week with another perspective for you to ponder – and then act on!  Remember: ideas do not make you more successful.  Only acting on ideas will bring you more success!

I love to hear from you! Please share your thoughts with me in the comment section or join the conversation on social media (links below).