Why Most People Never Grow Their Wealth (And How to Avoid Their Mistake)

In my last email to you, I ended it with:

(In case you missed it, you can read it here)

Today, I’m going to reveal what that one skill is.

It’s vital you understand this and when you hear it you may think “eh, I already knew that”.

You’ll be tempted to think that way because it’s intuitive. In other words, once you hear it, it will seem and sound familiar to you.

But dismissing it will be a huge mistake on your part.

Most people make the same mistake when it comes to their career.

They focus on their paycheck, their job title, and their next promotion. And it makes sense. Nothing is more personal to you than the income you generate and the wealth (or lack of wealth) you’re building and creating.

It’s not at all surprising that most people would mainly focus on themselves.

But…

They fail to realize that none of those things exist in a vacuum.

The market does not reward you based on what you want. It rewards you based on the value you create.

If you want to grow your wealth, you need to understand a simple truth:

Money flows to those who solve problems, fill needs, and drive results.

For most people, income comes from a paycheck. That means the fastest way to increase earnings is not just working harder or waiting for a raise.

It is aligning yourself with the part of the business that generates revenue.

Once you understand how wealth is created and how businesses make hiring and compensation decisions, you can position yourself to earn more, advance faster, and make yourself indispensable.

Here is how to do it.

Step 1: Understand Where the Money Flows

Most employees never stop to ask how their company makes money.

They assume their job exists in isolation, but the reality is simple. If the company does not generate revenue, there are no paychecks, promotions, or job security.

Employees who advance and earn more do not just complete tasks. They understand the economics behind their role and track the money. They identify which products drive the most sales, which clients generate the highest revenue, and which teams create the most profit.

This awareness allows them to focus on work directly impacting the company’s financial success, making them invaluable.

Before you can hope to achieve any level of success, you must know the answer to questions like these:

What products or services bring in the most revenue?

Who are the biggest clients?

Which teams or departments generate the most profit?

What initiatives are leadership’s top priorities?

Companies prioritize employees who drive revenue because they fuel growth and profitability.

Employees who only maintain the status quo do not create measurable financial impact, which makes them easy to overlook. No matter how important someone’s support role is, and no matter how vital, this is a brutal truth. And as they say, the truth hurts.

If you want to increase your earnings and, by extension, your job/income security, your work must contribute to the bottom line.

That means identifying opportunities to bring in revenue, cut unnecessary costs, or optimize existing processes to improve margins.

The market rewards impact, not effort.

If you are not making a clear financial contribution, your value to the company remains limited. Again, I know that may be difficult to accept, but I’m here to tell you the truth, not what might make you feel better.

To find the answers to some of the questions above, start with financial reports and company earnings statements. Look at which products and services bring in the most revenue.

Analyze sales trends to see what is growing and what is declining. Talk to the sales team to understand customer buying behavior and objections. Meet with account managers to learn which clients bring in the most revenue and why they continue doing business.

If your company has an investor relations department, review their reports and presentations to see what leadership emphasizes.

If you work at a private company, speak with department heads and business development teams to understand revenue drivers.

The more you know about where money is made, the better you can align yourself with high-value areas of the business.

Understanding how revenue is generated allows you to position yourself in areas of the business that have the greatest financial impact.

Once you identify the most profitable products, key clients, and revenue-driving teams, take action.

Meet with team leads in sales, marketing, and business development to understand their challenges and priorities. Ask them what gaps exist and how your skills can contribute to solving them.

Find ways to assist in closing deals, improving customer retention, or increasing efficiency in high-revenue areas.

If you work in a supporting role, align your efforts with income-generating departments. The more you integrate into revenue-producing work, the more indispensable you become.

This makes you more valuable and increases your leverage when negotiating pay and promotions.

Step 2: Get Closer to Revenue-Generating Work

Not all roles are created equal.

Some generate revenue, while others support the business by managing operations, compliance, or employee needs.

Every role is important, but the financial upside is not the same.

Cost center roles like HR, IT, and compliance are necessary for a company to function, but they do not directly bring in revenue. As a result, their earning potential is often capped.

The highest-paid employees contribute directly to revenue growth, so shifting your focus toward profit-driving activities is the best way to increase your income and long-term career opportunities.

If you work in a cost center like HR, IT, or compliance, find ways to collaborate with revenue-generating teams. Start by building relationships with sales, marketing, and product development.

Ask them about their challenges and how your expertise can help them close deals, retain customers, or improve efficiency. Offer to support initiatives that drive revenue, such as streamlining processes that speed up sales cycles or improving customer service strategies that increase retention.

If your role involves compliance or IT, focus on solutions that remove friction for high-value teams rather than creating unnecessary barriers. The goal is to position yourself as someone who enables business growth rather than just maintaining operations.

If you are in marketing, track and improve campaign conversion rates to ensure they generate high-quality leads that turn into paying customers. If you are in customer service, find patterns in customer interactions that reveal upsell opportunities and develop scripts or processes that help close additional sales. Meet with managers in sales and finance to understand which metrics matter most and align your efforts with those priorities.

The more measurable your impact, the more valuable you become.

If you are in a role that does not impact revenue, take steps to transition into one that does.

Start by identifying departments that generate income, such as sales, marketing, business development, or product management.

Reach out to team members in these areas and ask how they got into their roles and what skills are most valuable.

Volunteer for cross-functional projects that give you exposure to revenue-generating work. Offer to assist with sales initiatives, customer retention efforts, or data analysis that supports business growth.

If necessary, develop new skills through online courses or certifications that align with revenue-focused roles.

Remember the goal here: position yourself where your work directly affects the company’s bottom line.

Step 3: Adopt an ROI Mindset

High earners measure everything they do by its impact on revenue and profitability.

They do not focus on busy work or effort alone. They ask whether their work increases sales, reduces costs, or improves efficiency in a way that leads to measurable financial results.

They track key performance indicators and adjust their approach based on what moves the needle. Their focus is not on looking busy but on delivering outcomes that create real value for the business.

Every task, initiative, and project should be measured by one question. Does this help the company make money or cut costs?

Step 4: Take Ownership and Innovate

You do not need a leadership title to drive revenue. Employees who see and act on opportunities stand out.

Richard Montañez was a janitor at Frito-Lay when he noticed the company lacked a spicy snack for Latino customers. He pitched the idea for Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, which became a billion-dollar brand. He went from janitor to executive.

No matter your role, ask yourself how the company can make more money or reduce waste. Bring solutions to leadership. Even if your first few ideas do not gain traction, you will gain a reputation as someone who thinks about the business.

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