Company directors and their super cars.
Discussion
You can understand why someone would ask - he's just gone about it in a way that seems to have rubbed people the wrong way. Unless someone has a natural talent (music, acting etc) which they can be very successful at (which is a small minority of people), or academically very good and persuing becoming doctor, lawyer, accountant, etc, going into business is obviously a good route to take in life to take control of your destiny, hence where the "company director" bit of his question must come from.
For someone starting out, they may look at the person in the car and wonder how to get from A to B. However, what would a list of occupations for supercar owners *actually* tell you, for example:
Software
Retail
Law partner
Construction
Development
...its very broad. Even if you get more specific it isnt of much help.
The best advice I can give you that I would give my kids is, work hard in something that you are passionate about and the universe will reward you. Ideally this "reward" is both life/job fulfillment and money, but obviously for the "money" bit, it needs to be something where there is a lucrative end game, but most of all you have to have passion for it.
My biggest concern for the next generation thanks to reality TV etc is that they dont know how much work is involved in getting to where you want to be. Like many of you likely on here, I get on with it without a second thought because I love what I do. Even then, I'm certainly not top of the tree in terms of what I do, so open to learning and continual improvement and development is very important as well. Its never too late and every step you take in learning and working hard is a step forward, as long as you also keep endgame and big picture in mind.
So if you want to go into business in the simplest possible way, look around you for an opportunity, find something that someone else is doing but you think you can do better and be passionate about, start a competing business and get stuck in.
For someone starting out, they may look at the person in the car and wonder how to get from A to B. However, what would a list of occupations for supercar owners *actually* tell you, for example:
Software
Retail
Law partner
Construction
Development
...its very broad. Even if you get more specific it isnt of much help.
The best advice I can give you that I would give my kids is, work hard in something that you are passionate about and the universe will reward you. Ideally this "reward" is both life/job fulfillment and money, but obviously for the "money" bit, it needs to be something where there is a lucrative end game, but most of all you have to have passion for it.
My biggest concern for the next generation thanks to reality TV etc is that they dont know how much work is involved in getting to where you want to be. Like many of you likely on here, I get on with it without a second thought because I love what I do. Even then, I'm certainly not top of the tree in terms of what I do, so open to learning and continual improvement and development is very important as well. Its never too late and every step you take in learning and working hard is a step forward, as long as you also keep endgame and big picture in mind.
So if you want to go into business in the simplest possible way, look around you for an opportunity, find something that someone else is doing but you think you can do better and be passionate about, start a competing business and get stuck in.
Edited by 4l3x on Tuesday 15th December 13:48
I love these questions, I've often wondered it myself, maybe I need to be in software to make millions? or this? or that?
The truth is, everything you see, use, read, listen to, every day.... someone, somewhere is more than likely a millionaire because they invented it/sold it/developed it.
BIC make pens, the company is worth billions (according to Wiki)
Someone made millions from paperclips
Kids have made games on the app store that have made hundreds of millions.
My local independent car dealer has a Ferrari F430, Bentley Continental GT Convertible and a Range Rover Vogue that he uses personally. (all for sale at high prices obviously
)
JK Rowling wrote Harry Potter.. the rest is history.
There's more than one way to skin a cat. I think you can get a supercar from any industry. but primarily you need to be the business owner in that industry. (obviously there are exceptions to EVERY rule)
I have two businesses, and I work for a family business as an employee. The truth is, the only way I'll ever really get to the McLaren, or even the R8, is from my own companies, not the job.
I'm aiming for an R8, and no, I don't work in film!
The truth is, everything you see, use, read, listen to, every day.... someone, somewhere is more than likely a millionaire because they invented it/sold it/developed it.
BIC make pens, the company is worth billions (according to Wiki)
Someone made millions from paperclips
Kids have made games on the app store that have made hundreds of millions.
My local independent car dealer has a Ferrari F430, Bentley Continental GT Convertible and a Range Rover Vogue that he uses personally. (all for sale at high prices obviously
) JK Rowling wrote Harry Potter.. the rest is history.
There's more than one way to skin a cat. I think you can get a supercar from any industry. but primarily you need to be the business owner in that industry. (obviously there are exceptions to EVERY rule)
I have two businesses, and I work for a family business as an employee. The truth is, the only way I'll ever really get to the McLaren, or even the R8, is from my own companies, not the job.
I'm aiming for an R8, and no, I don't work in film!
A big part of the question lies in the disposable income level. You might earn £50k/year and live at home with no dependents - you'd probably afford a £100k supercar. On the other hand, you might get £250k/year, and squander all your money on kids, a big house and an expensive wife....
MrSparks said:
...but primarily you need to be the business owner in that industry. (obviously there are exceptions to EVERY rule):
I agree with your post but this is not true, see below, it's spot on...dang2407 said:
A big part of the question lies in the disposable income level. You might earn £50k/year and live at home with no dependents - you'd probably afford a £100k supercar. On the other hand, you might get £250k/year, and squander all your money on kids, a big house and an expensive wife....
Some people at our local think we're flash gits because we like to travel, have nice holidays and have a Ferrari. More fool them. Many spend more in the pub than the cost of an annual Maldives holiday and the fact we don't have kids and try not to squander money on tat means we place the fruits of our labours into our passports and the garage.A lot of supercars owners I know don't own their own business.
Many work hard and have made sacrifices along the way such as not going on holiday etc.
Most get their cars on finance.
Some buy a Supercar for a few months and then sell it.
The point is, there is not one single tpe of owner. What the majority have in common is a love and passion of automobiles.
Unfortunatly, with the way values are going now I think the days of the average guy going out and buying something like a Ferrari are virtually over.
Many work hard and have made sacrifices along the way such as not going on holiday etc.
Most get their cars on finance.
Some buy a Supercar for a few months and then sell it.
The point is, there is not one single tpe of owner. What the majority have in common is a love and passion of automobiles.
Unfortunatly, with the way values are going now I think the days of the average guy going out and buying something like a Ferrari are virtually over.
Kyodo said:
Some people at our local think we're flash gits because we like to travel, have nice holidays and have a Ferrari. More fool them. Many spend more in the pub than the cost of an annual Maldives holiday and the fact we don't have kids and try not to squander money on tat means we place the fruits of our labours into our passports and the garage.
Yeah I know, that's the exception to every rule. Everything is possible.I've heard of people on okay money but they live at home in a normal 3 bed house with a Lamborghini on the drive. There was a news article a while back about a nurse who scrimped and saved for years to buy a Dodge Viper. Fair play to them I say!
If I didn't have a son I'd have an R8 now and I haven't yet made it to powerfully built PH director status. As you say it's just what you have to/choose to spend your money on.
I mean for people with supercars and without having to scrimp or live with parents, or worry about petrol/running costs, they are generally the business owner (but again, exceptions to every rule!)
MrSparks said:
I mean for people with supercars and without having to scrimp or live with parents, or worry about petrol/running costs, they are generally the business owner (but again, exceptions to every rule!)
Really? If I had to guess (and it is an entire guess like anyone else's) I'd say that more Ferrari owners are employees rather than business owner. Certainly on the meets that I went to when I had a F430 I seem to recall quite a number were just in well paid employment (finance, etc).kryten22uk said:
Really? If I had to guess (and it is an entire guess like anyone else's) I'd say that more Ferrari owners are employees rather than business owner. Certainly on the meets that I went to when I had a F430 I seem to recall quite a number were just in well paid employment (finance, etc).
It's an eye opener if that is the case then. I don't really know many well paid employees (well enough to afford a Ferrari I mean), everyone I know who could possibly afford a supercar is the company owner. The real answer then, is anyone can get anything, if they want it enough?
MrSparks said:
kryten22uk said:
Really? If I had to guess (and it is an entire guess like anyone else's) I'd say that more Ferrari owners are employees rather than business owner. Certainly on the meets that I went to when I had a F430 I seem to recall quite a number were just in well paid employment (finance, etc).
It's an eye opener if that is the case then. I don't really know many well paid employees (well enough to afford a Ferrari I mean), everyone I know who could possibly afford a supercar is the company owner. The real answer then, is anyone can get anything, if they want it enough?
MrSparks said:
It's an eye opener if that is the case then. I don't really know many well paid employees (well enough to afford a Ferrari I mean), everyone I know who could possibly afford a supercar is the company owner.
The real answer then, is anyone can get anything, if they want it enough?
To a degree yes, depending on other life commitments of course, although I know the last couple of years has (sadly for many) seen the price of entry-level exotica pushed out of reach.The real answer then, is anyone can get anything, if they want it enough?
You won't find many Ferrari owners in their twenties because for most it'll take some time to achieve the goal. Anyone can get (almost!!) anything, if they want it (and try hard) enough.
Just my two pence worth of course.
Nice to see so many shed blood sweat and tears and achieved their reward from the sheer hard graft they put in.
Reminds me of my grandfather.
He worked from being 14 years old, morning noon & night lugging heavy stuff around in an old wheel barrow for 3d a time. Did it for 40 years without a sick day off.
He died broke. So thats that theory buggered then....
Whilst not quite a Ferrari, I used to own a horse...does that count?
Reminds me of my grandfather.
He worked from being 14 years old, morning noon & night lugging heavy stuff around in an old wheel barrow for 3d a time. Did it for 40 years without a sick day off.
He died broke. So thats that theory buggered then....
Whilst not quite a Ferrari, I used to own a horse...does that count?
MrSparks said:
kryten22uk said:
Really? If I had to guess (and it is an entire guess like anyone else's) I'd say that more Ferrari owners are employees rather than business owner. Certainly on the meets that I went to when I had a F430 I seem to recall quite a number were just in well paid employment (finance, etc).
It's an eye opener if that is the case then. I don't really know many well paid employees (well enough to afford a Ferrari I mean), everyone I know who could possibly afford a supercar is the company owner. Wilder said:
Nice to see so many shed blood sweat and tears and achieved their reward from the sheer hard graft they put in.
Reminds me of my grandfather.
He worked from being 14 years old, morning noon & night lugging heavy stuff around in an old wheel barrow for 3d a time. Did it for 40 years without a sick day off.
He died broke. So thats that theory buggered then....
Whilst not quite a Ferrari, I used to own a horse...does that count?
Only if it was a prancing one. Actually a horse nowadays could cost you more to buy and 'maintain' than a Ferrari! We have 'horsey' people in our family and the last one they bought cost more than my Lambo. Stabling fees, vets bills, insurance, feed, farriers, dentists etc - I'd rather have an annual service bill on the car and the odd repair. Reminds me of my grandfather.
He worked from being 14 years old, morning noon & night lugging heavy stuff around in an old wheel barrow for 3d a time. Did it for 40 years without a sick day off.
He died broke. So thats that theory buggered then....
Whilst not quite a Ferrari, I used to own a horse...does that count?
boxerTen said:
I bought a supercar while an employee, paid mostly cash. There are plenty of employees (probably 100,000+) in finance and insurance who would collect say a 50k bonus every year, and that's before you look at the traders and brokers who fare rather better than that!
This. I worked at a large American investment bank a few years back and their underground car park was like a toy shop, Ferraris, Maseratis and Aston Martins were common. Every one of them an employees.I work in software (sales and marketing side). I'm a "director" but only in terms of job title. I don't own the company or anything. It's a big silicon valley success story. I'm the only person in the entire team that runs a supercar (or did, I just sold the 430). there are others in the company that make a lot more money than i do, but they still don't have a supercar.
Revisitph said:
What would I change? - one silly thing, the outside temperature reading from F to C but can't see how to and one big thing, as alluded to in the thread about 3200 vs 4200 - a manual box would be perfect.
My Spyder display is in C, so it is definitely possible. I think it is in vehicle settings, accessed from the main screen......push the right round knob to get the drop down menu.......go to configuration.....then you can change language,miles/km,gal/liters/and temperature......hope this helps......And my spyder is a manual
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