페이스북 벽화를 그린후, 현금 6만불 대신 주식을 받은후, 3,000억 자산가가 된 데이빗 최….
맥도날드 주식 대신, 겨우 현찰 10억 받고, 레이 크락에게 맥도날드를 판 뒤,
가난해진 맥도날드 형제…..
당신이 일하지만, 가난한 이유 49장….
현찰에 목을 메기 때문에…
49
Too Thirsty for Cash
Cash makes us blind.
-Brad Kong
There is a Korean American artist named David Choe. He is known for wall graffiti and mural arts. In 2005, one of Facebook founders, Sean Parker, asked him to paint graphic murals in the interior of Facebook’s Silicon Valley office. Subsequently, in 2007, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg commissioned him to paint more murals for their next office.
After finishing all the artwork, Zuckerberg asked Choe one question: “Would you get paid by $60,000 cash or Facebook stocks?” Surprisingly, Choe chose Facebook stocks even though the company was nameless in 2007. Here goes the biggest shock in your lifetime: When Facebook was listed at the stock exchange in May 2012, the value of his shares was close to $200 Million. Google shows the net worth of David Choe is currently about $300 Million as in 2022.
Choe could have ended up with 60,000 cash. And this was one lesson I have learned: “I will choose something other than cash from now on as long as I have more than enough money.” I learned that there are a lot of chances out there, but I have not had much luck with them since I have always stuck to cash. I believe I have been poor since I have been too obsessed with money. Let me give you one more example.
You probably all know McDonald’s Burgers since they are everywhere. It was 1954 when the businessman, Ray Kroc first met Richard and Maurice McDonald brothers who founded the McDonald’s Burgers originally in 1940. I actually watched the movie, “Founder” and it shows that Kroc was actually a milkshake mixer salesman. He did not make much sales at that time, but he was impressed by the burger restaurant that ordered eight blenders all at once, so he decided to visit the place himself.
To make the long story short, Ray Kroc decided to buy out the restaurant from the brothers. The McDonald brothers asked $2.7 Million ($1 M profit for each after tax) and it was paid all by Kroc since he was able to raise that money successfully in 1961.
What is the surprise here? I watched a CBS TV program showing Jason McDonald, the grandson of Dick McDonald visiting the old location in 2017. And, this is what he said: “There was a deal on the contract that was never delivered. Kroc is supposed to pay us 0.5% royalty from the company profit every year. That is worth $100 M every year. Our grandfathers focused on and enjoyed the cash and forgot about it. That is crazy.” Do you see what I am trying to say here? Those brothers decided to stick to cash in 1961, so they are losing $100 M a year now. If they chose something other than cash like stocks or loyalty, they would have been much wealthier now. We all make this kind of mistake. Cash makes our eyesight narrower. Actually, it makes us blind.