{"id":1995,"date":"2026-10-02T17:30:53","date_gmt":"2026-10-02T17:30:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lighteningweightloss.com\/wealth\/?p=1995"},"modified":"2026-10-02T17:30:53","modified_gmt":"2026-10-02T17:30:53","slug":"who-actually-gets-rich-in-america-its-not-who-you-think","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lighteningweightloss.com\/wealth\/?p=1995","title":{"rendered":"Who Actually Gets Rich in America? It\u2019s Not Who You Think"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"480\" height=\"270\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/u_uVEyfCNgw\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Feeling unsure about your financial future? My team at Root Financial can help: https:\/\/learn.rootfinancial.com\/erin<\/p>\n<p>Who are America\u2019s wealthiest people\u2014and how did they get rich? Princeton economist Owen Zidar joins Erin Talks Money to explain what his research reveals about millionaires, business ownership, and the overlooked paths to building wealth in America.<\/p>\n<p>When we picture wealthy Americans, we often think of celebrities, tech founders, and highly paid executives. But many multimillionaires built their fortunes through ordinary businesses: construction companies, auto dealerships, franchises, and other businesses serving everyday needs.<\/p>\n<p>Owen, co-author of The Everywhere Millionaire, explains why ownership plays such an important role in creating substantial wealth\u2014and how these findings compare with The Millionaire Next Door and the Federal Reserve\u2019s Survey of Consumer Finances.<\/p>\n<p>In this interview, we discuss:<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 How Americans build net worth of $5 million and beyond<br \/>\n\u2022 Can a salary and a 401(k) make you rich?<br \/>\n\u2022 Why many wealthy Americans own private businesses<br \/>\n\u2022 Starting a business vs. buying an existing business<br \/>\n\u2022 Industries that can create opportunities for future business owners<br \/>\n\u2022 The typical age and background of an \u201ceverywhere millionaire\u201d<br \/>\n\u2022 Entrepreneurship, financial risk, and the importance of a safety net<br \/>\n\u2022 Inherited wealth, opportunity, and the American dream<br \/>\n\u2022 What aspiring entrepreneurs can learn from successful business owners<\/p>\n<p>Whether you\u2019re investing for retirement, growing your net worth, or considering becoming a business owner, this conversation offers a different perspective on how wealth is built\u2014and who actually gets there.<\/p>\n<p>00:00 Meet Princeton Economist Owen Zidar<br \/>\n00:20 Who Are America\u2019s Millionaires Really?<br \/>\n02:19 Defining Wealth: The $5 Million Mark<br \/>\n06:43 Can a Salary and a 401(k) Make You Rich?<br \/>\n10:33 Which Industries Produce Business Owners?<br \/>\n14:13 Is Entrepreneurship Worth the Risk?<br \/>\n16:33 The Surprising Businesses Making Millions<br \/>\n20:24 Starting a Business vs. Buying One<br \/>\n26:53 How the Wealthy Handle Risk and Diversification<br \/>\n30:49 Business Owners, Inequality, and the American Dream<br \/>\n34:43 What Would Make Entrepreneurship Easier?<br \/>\n39:30 Where to Start If You Want to Build Wealth<br \/>\n41:48 Rapid Fire: Ownership, Hard Work, and Wealth<br \/>\n43:07 Would You Leave Your Kids $40 Million?<\/p>\n<p>Connect with me on LinkedIn for charts &amp; daily retirement insights: https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/erintalksmoney\/<\/p>\n<p>Some of my favorite books: https:\/\/amzn.to\/3KF3tlr<br \/>\nCamera &amp; equipment I use: https:\/\/amzn.to\/3Z20lof<\/p>\n<p>Join the family &amp; subscribe to my channel here: https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/c\/ErinTalksMoney<\/p>\n<p>Thanks for watching, I appreciate you!<\/p>\n<p>Advisory services are offered through Root Financial Partners, LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. This content is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered personalized investment, tax, or legal advice. Viewing this content does not create an advisory relationship with Root Financial. We do not provide tax preparation or legal services. Always consult an investment, tax or legal professional regarding your specific situation. The strategies, case studies, and examples discussed may not be suitable for everyone. They are hypothetical and for illustrative and educational purposes only. They do not reflect actual client results and are not guarantees of future performance. All investments involve risk, including the potential loss of principal.<br \/>\nComments reflect the views of individual users and do not necessarily represent the views of Root Financial. They are not verified, may not be accurate and should not be considered testimonials or endorsements.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Feeling unsure about your financial future? My team at Root Financial can help: https:\/\/learn.rootfinancial.com\/erin Who are America\u2019s wealthiest people\u2014and how [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":1996,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1995","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v17.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/lighteningweightloss.com\/wealth\/?p=1995\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Who Actually Gets Rich in America? 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