Billionaires
Forbes Announced Billionaires of the World for 2008
Yesterday as Forbes announced the new top Billionaires of the World for 2008, some questions came to my mind, so I thought I would ask my HUB friends what they thought.
What does it really take to be a "Billionaire"?
Warren Buffett Billionaire
Warren Buffet passes up Bill Gates in the scale of billionaires.
By the way, the top Billionaire is Warren Buffett, investor and friend of Bill Gates. Which brings up the next question, I asked myself. Do you think Bill Gates is jealous of the success of his friend? How do you think the competition level is when you are all billionaires?
- Listing the world’s billionaires - Forbes.com - MSNBC.com
It has been a busy year for Forbes' team of fortune hunters. Strong equity markets combined with rising real estate values and commodity prices pushed up fortunes from Mumbai to Madrid.
In case you were wondering here are the next billionaires that make up the top twenty. But if your not number one, does it really matter?
2. Helú Slim & Family
3. William Gates III
4. Lakshmi Mittal
5. Mukesh Ambani
6. Anil Ambani
7. Ingvar Kamprad & Family
8. KP Singh
9. Oleg Deripaska
10. Karl Albrecht
12. Sheldon Adelson
13. Bernard Arnault
14. Lawrence Ellison
15. Roman Abramovich
16. Theo Albrecht
17. Liliane Bettencourt
18. Alexei Mordashov
19. Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud
20. Mikhail Fridman
Millions or Billions, what is the difference in the scheme of thing?
Now a mere millionaire, or even scoring a few hundred thousand in today's market, that is really not that big of a deal anymore, right? I mean, just think how fast you could spend a million dollars? It is required now that to be rich you simply must be a billionaire. So for my first question...
What would you spend a billion dollars on if you had it?
Give us your answer but keep reading.... there is more to this Hub after the comment box... so don't stop with it!
Comments
Who are these people? I only know Bill Gates and Warren Buffet. If I had a million, I'd by a new house, reliable (no silly Posches, Lambo whatevers) an invest for my children's college and inheritance. You can tell I'm just making it today.
Oh where do I start?! I would first tithing and pay off my debt. Then I would buy myself a new car and a great house. Then I would hire a cook and a personal trainer. Then I would go on a shopping spree where I would buy everything in Sephora and MAC not to mention lots of other stuff. After that I would invest, well first I would have someone explain to me how to "invest". Then I would help my family and friends out and donate some. Just thinking about it got me all excited!
Pay off debt, travel, new home, philanthropy
I think if you invested it you could probably live nicely off the intereest each year and never have to worry. I mean 10% of a billion is 100 million. I would hope I could manage not to spend all of that in a year. And I'm sure we're going to need the tax writeoffs, so why buy a house - keep that mortgage as high as you can without having to pay insurance.
well whenI GET A FEW BILLIONS i would do all i can to help those that are less fortunate than myself, I will enjoy the freedom having that sort of wealth gives me, but my main priority will be to give others the opportuinty to make the most of their lives and aquire great wealth if they choose to. CAN WE ALL BE WEALTHY?
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FHM Businesses,
I agree completely... I would like to be in a position where I could help others in need more. I believe there are enough resources to go around indeed!
if i had a billion dollars the first thing i would do is take 250 million dollars and keep that for me and my family.that would give me and mine 25 million a year to live off of. i would then take the rest and tackle the problem of health care and prescription medication in this country.i would assembly a team of people with strong ideas and create some type of health plan that covers everything and make the fee dirt cheap,like 50 bucks a month for families and 25 bucks a month for singles.i would connect the health insurance company to multiple streams of income to make that a reality.i would hire entrepenuers to sit around and create many different kinds of businesses that would bring money into the company just as fast as money is being taken out.one example that i will share is my health company would enter hollywood and make movies in all genre's action,romance,horror,comedy,and 40% of the profits off of every movie made would go to my health company to keep the fees affordable for insurance for full coverage for all of us.basically a health insurance company with a thousand heads,a health company that is actually makeing money in all arenas.
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bill yon,
Interesting ideas on how to spend your money... I would vote for your plan! lol
thanks,I am working on it,it's going to take some time,cause right now I am starting with nothing.just a couple of ecommerce sites,but it will grow.
All I want is 1 million dollars.
One billion dollars is a lot of money. My main thing is my desire to live my life free of the confines created by our western society. I want to have the ability to travel when and where I want. I want to be able to eat and buy what my heart desires.
Simple things like not having to worry about bills and being late for work. The term work is something I do not like. A huge percentage of our lives will be spent working for a company and the rest is spent with our loved ones. I for one do not like that idea. Having a million and even a million would help me escape from this "matrix" that we have created for ourselves in our attempts to reach that million/billion ;p
Bill Gates is the stupidest billionaire -he bought 2 billion dollars worth of vaccines that are full of mercury to vaccinate poorer countries. Gates decided his next venture is to reduce the world's population just like he designed Vista-he is a total ass.
Hubs with answers.
What does a Billionaire actually do?
A Billionaire must be a very impressive businessman to have had made that much money, agreed? I know that we have several HUBS showing us how to make a million on the internet, but how about a billion dollars? What kind of business would give a person that much income?
I promise, I won't steal your ideas. : )
If you could start any business in the world, how would you plan on making a billion dollars? How would you become the next billionaire?
Sorry for the bad footage, but I had to play the original... Takin' Care of Business- BTO
Faith with works makes a billionaire?
According to Forbes, "Self-made billionaires don't dominate industries-they transform them and spawn new ones. That takes more than intelligence, courage and luck. It takes divine-like vision."
With that in mind, would you say that a becoming a billionaire is a gift from God? Assuming that you believe in a supreme being, would you not equate divine- with Godlike.
Forbes also stated that, "To crack the $1 billion barrier, you need total, unwavering belief in your vision-and an immutable will to pull it off." I guess that would take a great deal of faith in something and the ability to work towards a desired goal to actually become a billionaire.
Show me the money!
Risk taker, agressive, problem solver... qualities of success for a billionaire.
A Billionaire is a risk taker and a problem solver. A billionaire is willing to make hard decisions, even if it means crushing the little guy. I guess I would call that somewhat "ruthless" wouldn't you? Or is that simply having good billionaire "business sense"?
What do you think? Ruthless or good billionaire businessman?
Are you willing to spend that much time to become a billionaire?
Forbes also states, "For entrepreneurs who prize their independence, ask yourselves how much of it you're willing to give up. As the demands mount, both your schedule and decisions become less your own; worse, you may have investors and board members to appease."
So does that mean that your time is no longer your own when you are a billionaire? Do you have to become just one gigantic billioniare "butt kisser"?
No Time Left....
Last question...
What makes you so sure you have what it takes to be a billionaire?
![Billionaire [Feat. Bruno Mars] (Explicit Album Version)](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/513mMCsLpTL._SL160_.jpg)
Become a billionaire!
Comments
- Author
Hi All who posted,
I think that you would both be sensible billionaires. I hope all your dreams come true.
Great hub, In The Doghouse! I'm giving it one thumbs up, but if I could I'd give it two - a bonus one for having a Beatles video!
Thx for the article.
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Shirley,
Thanks for the encouragement. I enjoyed reading your answers. By the way, I am a total Beatles Fan!
Oh-oh....two Beatlemaniacs on the same site! I hope it doesn't come to fistacuffs over who's the most devoted fan.
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No way Shirley, 'cuz "All you need is love!"
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Scott,
You are wise beyond your years! Happy Billions.
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