> | Z's "management experience" was in a nonprofit charity. I don't think you develop much of an understanding of profit in a nonprofit.
I don't think you understand the kind of circles I've been in over the last several years. My organizations have been primarily not-for-profit, but (for better or for worse), have spent a lot of time in the companies of billionaires (and near billionaires). I've dealt with dozens of the wealthiest people in the world, as well as their families, staff, and friends. It's not bragging, but I've seen waaaaay too much under the hood to feel like there's anything really special about the people who have the most money.
As I advised one of my staffers who was trying to make a career decision after she'd spent time in for-profit, not-for-profit, and academic worlds -- when you work anywhere, eventually you realize that the emperors have no clothes. When you're deciding where you'd like to hitch your wagon, you're essentially deciding whose junk you least mind staring at. So few people get where they are entirely on merit, and everyone has flaws.
By the way, I've also worked for several years along the way in for-profit real estate development and made a decent amount of money investing in stocks and real estate (most of which I attribute to luck).
And now I run my own for-profit business. So I've done quite a few things.
I've worked hard, I've been reasonably successful so far. I have a good business head on my shoulders. But at the end of the day, having started with basically nothing and with nothing to fall back on, a couple of breaks going the other way and I'd be living on someone's couch. I think it's humbling and healthy to remember that, and I try to handle all of my interactions with that in mind.
-Z
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