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Elon Musk’s net worth has reached astronomical levels — currently sitting at around $405 billion, according to Forbes. That’s a number so large it’s honestly hard to comprehend. But here’s a fun way to put it in perspective: What if the world’s richest person decided to be incredibly generous and give every single American a crisp $100 bill?

Let’s crunch the numbers and see what would happen to Musk’s fortune.

Elon Musk’s Math

With approximately 334 million people living in the United States, giving each person $100 would cost Musk $33.4 billion. That sounds like an enormous amount of money — and it absolutely is for anyone who isn’t worth nearly a half-trillion dollars.

But here’s the kicker: After handing out $33.4 billion to Americans, Musk would still have $371.6 billion left over. Again, these numbers are hard to wrap your mind around.

To put that in perspective, even after this massive act of (fake) generosity, Musk would still be worth more than the GDP of most countries. He’d still be the richest person on the planet by a comfortable margin.

What $100 Could Actually Do

Before we get too caught up in the numbers, let’s think about what that $100 would actually mean to different Americans:

For a minimum-wage worker earning $7.25 per hour, that $100 represents nearly 14 hours of work before taxes. For a family struggling with grocery bills, it might cover a week’s worth of food. For someone dealing with medical debt, it’s a small but meaningful dent in their bills.

Meanwhile, for Musk, giving away $33.4 billion would be like someone worth $100,000 giving away about $8,200. Significant, sure, but not life changing.

The Wealth Gap in Real Terms

This thought experiment really highlights just how concentrated wealth has become. The fact that one person could give every American $100 and barely notice the financial impact is honestly wild.

To make it even more stark: If Musk decided to give away 90% of his wealth, he’d still have over $40 billion left — enough to remain one of the richest people in the world. That remaining 10% would still be more than the entire net worth of most other billionaires.

What About Other Billionaires?

If we expanded this thought experiment to include other ultra-wealthy Americans, the numbers get even more interesting. The top 10 richest Americans combined could probably give every person in the country $500-plus and still maintain their billionaire status.

This highlights something economists have been pointing out for years: Wealth inequality in America has reached levels not seen since the Gilded Age of the early 1900s.

While Musk probably won’t be cutting checks to all 334 million Americans anytime soon, this thought experiment helps put his astronomical wealth into perspective. When individual wealth reaches levels where someone could fund meaningful programs for entire populations and barely notice the cost, we’re operating in economic territory that human civilization has never seen before. Even in an age of billionaires, $405 billion represents a level of individual wealth that’s almost incomprehensible — until you start doing the math.

To

Dr Suman Bery

Vice-Chairman

Niti Ayog

Dear Dr Suman Bery,

I have come across a news report that Niti Ayog has recommended “faster green nods for chemical sector“.

On the face of it, Niti Ayog’s recommendation gives me the impression that it is in total disconnect with the state of affairs, as far as the functioning of chemical units is concerned.

Has Niti Ayog ever cared to interact with the workers of chemical units who live in constant danger of fatal accidents resulting from the negligence of promoters of those units?

Had Niti Ayog’s officers visited the villages amidst which those units are located and talked to the villagers, it would have got enlightened about the way those units callously spew out toxic pollutants all around, contaminate the surrounding air and water bodies including groundwater aquifers. The regulatory institutions, starting from the Union Ministry of Environment down to the level of State pollution control boards, who are expected to enforce pollution control measures and the regulatory bodies at the Centre and in the States who should monitor enforcement of safety protocols have largely become dysfunctional, as a result of their close nexus with the promoters of errant chemical units. It is no exaggeration to describe each chemical unit in India as a ticking time bomb.

While Niti Ayog, in its anxiety to be over-friendly with promoters of private businesses, may routinely release such studies without much application of mind, you should know that those very same studies have given strength to the political executive these days to adapt industrial safety laws and regulations, as well as laws in place to regulate pollution, to suit the interests of private businesses at the cost of the health of the people and their lives.

In this connection, I refer to an article that I had released sometime ago, feeling distressed and anguished at the frequent occurrence of accidents in chemical units, especially pharma units, in Andhra Pradesh and elsewhere (https://countercurrents.org/2022/12/india-the-pharmacy-of-the-world-should-not-the-pharma-industry-set-its-own-house-in-order/) I would not be surprised if yet another fatal accident is taking place at this very moment, while I am writing this letter.

Niti Ayog, which is expected to function in an objective manner, should not only worry itself about private businesses earning returns on their investments but also display sensitivity towards the welfare of the public at large, for whose benefit the whole governance system exists.

Regards,

Yours sincerely,

E A S Sarma

Former Secretary to the Government of India

Visakhapatnam

If you’re looking to sell your private equity fund stakes, you’ve probably reached out to Vern (short for Verdun) Perry. Perry heads Blackstone Strategic Partners, one of the largest buyers of buyout funds that have yet to mature.

When Perry started out, secondaries investing was a fringe strategy. Last year, it grew to a record $160 billion in volume as large investors, like Harvard University, look to sell investments to free up cash.

He previously told Business Insider that he believes the market will set a new record this year of $220 billion.

Business Insider spoke with Perry about his career, his advice for young professionals, and his top efficiency tips. The following conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

Walk me through your career. How did you end up leading this business for Blackstone?

I’ve been a secondaries investor going on 25 years, since Strategic Partners was founded. After graduating from Morehouse College in 1994, I worked as an investment banker at Morgan Stanley and in acquisitions for a holding company. I then made my way to Harvard Business School and interned at investment bank Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette during the summer of 1999.

’99 was busy. I worked around the clock, from 8:30 a.m. to well past 3:00 a.m., but I loved the place, people, and work. At the end of the summer, I received an offer and accepted it on the spot.

The critical juncture of my career came a couple of months after joining DLJ full-time. I was introduced to Stephen Can, founding partner of Strategic Partners. I didn’t know what secondaries were, but once Stephen explained the strategy to me, it changed my life.

What has happened since joining Blackstone?

When we joined Blackstone in 2013, we had 27 professionals and $9 billion in AUM. Now, we have 141 professionals and $87 billion in AUM. During that time, we’ve returned roughly $33 billion in distributions to our investors

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Since the team was founded, we’ve done more than 2,200 secondaries deals, which we believe is the most of any secondary buyer. That’s a deal closed every three business days on average, for 25 years.

I’ve heard market uncertainty can slow secondary activities, so I was struck by your prediction of a record year.

Whoever said that is correct, but the current dislocation started in 2022, with high inflation and interest rates, which resulted in a significant decline in exits and distributions.

That’s why you saw record volume in 2024. Sellers wanted to sell in 2022 and 2023, but they could not agree on pricing and terms with buyers. By 2024, their pricing expectations came in line with reality. Some could argue that sellers were fatigued after over 2 years of relatively low distributions.

Why won’t there be a two-year dislocation due to Trump’s tariff announcements?

Many investors have no more time to wait. If tariffs had followed four years of normal capital markets, exits, and investment activity, then yes, it would likely have started a new 12-24 month period of slower secondary sales.

It doesn’t matter that tariffs are causing some uncertainty; many investors have to find liquidity. So, they sell some of their older fund names to free up capital to invest in new funds.

What career advice do you have for people looking to break into finance?

I tell young people not to focus on what’s hot today. Instead, think about what might be hot tomorrow and try to get in early.

When I got into secondaries, some people turned their noses up at it. In 2021, Harvard Business School published a case study on Blackstone Strategic Partners with me as the protagonist. I can’t tell you how many students now want to do secondaries.

Any other tips for getting ahead?

Focus on people first and numbers second. If you mistreat someone and you run into them 25 years later, they will only remember how you mistreated them, not the good things you did.

Treat people fairly and with respect and your reputation will follow you. For example, Tony James helped recruit me to DLJ and helped to form Strategic Partners in 2000. When Strategic Partners was looking for a new home, Tony James was Blackstone’s president and COO.

You seem like a very busy man. How do you get it all done?

Every week, we have a team meeting over lunch to talk about resource allocation, and we talk about every single deal. We assess which deals are not high quality or high probability. The next step is a quick but respectful no, which allows us to lean in and double our efforts on the high-quality deals.

Delegation is so critical to efficiency. We are all ambitious and want to succeed, but we cannot and do not have to do it alone. There are lots of capable people, and it can be their opportunity to step up, learn, and grow. Sometimes efficiency is about saying no for yourself and yes for someone else.

What’s something you do to keep yourself grounded?

I try to make time every day to connect with a family member or close friend. Life and work can be hectic, so it is all the more important to be intentional about nurturing relationships and making time for the people I care about.

The other reason I do this is to stay grounded. The family and friends I connect with have known me since my humble beginnings. It is important to have people around you who will tell you the truth, even when it is painful to hear.

What advice do you have for the industry around creating more pathways for people who weren’t exposed to finance early in life?

My advice for the finance industry is to increase the number of schools from which it recruits. For example, in 2015, Blackstone recruited from 9 colleges and universities. Today, that number is over 100 different schools.

The 14 teams took part in a Cornish gig rowing competition, raising money for Myocarditis UK.

Each team was made up of six rowers and a cox, and was competing for the fastest time in the sold-out charity event.

Berkshire real estate consultancy Ridge emerged victorious, clocking the fastest time of the day at one minute and 11 seconds for the 200-metre course.

They were also crowned as the overall winners.

Simon Maidlow, partner at Ridge and part of the winning crew, said: “This is the fifth year we’ve been part of the event and we’ve come second before, but this is our first win which we are thrilled about.

“It’s such a great day, and it’s good to be able to support such a well-deserving charity at the same time.”

Narrowly missing out on the top spot were teams from Savills and Berkeley Strategic, who also made it to the final.

The event is held to raise money for Myocarditis UK, a charity dedicated to researching the causes, prevention, and treatment of the heart disease myocarditis.

Myocarditis is inflammation of the heart muscle, known as the myocardium.

This inflammation can weaken the heart’s ability to pump blood effectively and may lead to other serious heart conditions.

While it can be caused by various factors, viral infections are often responsible.

The condition took the life of Alexander Jansons, the 18-year-old son of event organiser and Myocarditis UK founder, Andy Jansons.

Mr Jansons said: “It’s not just about raising money; it’s about shining a light on a condition that often goes unnoticed.

“Facilitating that through a spirited boat race among local businesses – an event that promotes collaboration, networking, and growth – adds even more value to the cause.”

Myocarditis UK is the UK’s only dedicated myocarditis charity, recognised by The British Heart Foundation as one of the UK’s leaders in researching the disease.

Since it was established, the charity has raised more than £1.3 million towards research and continues to generate greater awareness about this often-hidden condition.

The event brought together local and regional businesses including Berkeley Strategic, Berkeley Oxford and Chiltern, Blue Coast, Forsters, Haslams Chartered Surveyors, Lewis and Partners, Lichfields, Evoke, RG + P, Ridge, Savills, UMC, KAM, Burrows Graham, Volvo Financial Services UK, Walsingham Planning, Turley, and Bray Fox Smith.

A businessman who has built a longstanding signage company in Hull has called for others to not to be afraid of failure when it comes to starting up.

Rob Daysley left school at 15 and did a two year apprenticeship before deciding to strike out on his own, starting Designs at the age of 18 in 1993. The entrepreneur, who comes from a working class family in East Hull, originally set up in his parents garage and has since grown his company into a 50-strong operation providing signage for ambulances across the UK and Europe, sets for darts competitions and branding at the MKM Stadium, among other clients.

“For me, a customer came along and it presented a great opportunity for me to set up on my own,” explained Mr Daysley. “My parents said, ‘you’re at home – you’ve got no bills or dependents and now is the time to do it. If it’s not successful, what have you lost?’ So I started off with a car, a box of pens and that’s what I did. Fast forward and the business will be 32 years old on August 1 and its just slowly grown over that time.”

Designs now works with high profile clients such as B&Q, Kwik Fit and ScS and it was the Innovation Drive-based firm that wrapped the open-top bus for Hull Kingston Rovers’ Challenge Cup celebration parade. Mr Daysley said its repeat customers who have given him the most satisfaction since setting up his company and remembers those who helped him out as a youngster, including well known Hull figure Chris Coyle who gave him one of his first jobs.

Now, Designs employee of 12 years, Mark Blanchard, has taken on the role of managing director with Mr Daysley taking up the title of founder and focusing on strategy. Despite his years at the helm of the firm, Mr Daysley’s says the decision to relinquish some control of the business was a straightforward one.

He said: “It’s recognition of Mark’s drive and ambition and that’s what the business needs to take it to the next level. My intention was for someone to make the progress that Mark has. Normally it would have taken two or three years but he’s well ahead of that.”

Mr Daysley added: “I’m proudest of having built such as great team around me and Mark’s a great advocate of that. He joined the business 12 years ago and he’s grown himself into that position. Mark’s one of many people we’ve had in the business who worked for us for a long time – some as long as 20 years – and there have been some great people who have stayed with the business and others who have gone on to other things but the highlight for me is the quality of people who have helped me along the way.”

Having worked as a mentor and with UK charity Young Enterprise, the entrepreneur says he is a big advocate of people setting up their own businesses – and says there should be more people doing so in the area. He says had he got support at a younger age, he would have succeeded a lot quicker.

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Mr Daysley said: “I think there are people who have that entrepreneurial spirit that are not necessarily using it. I think they’re scared of failure, to be fair. They don’t want to fail but for me, failure is good and it’s how we learn.”

He added: “When opportunities come my way, I grab them with both hands – whether I can do them or not, but I make them work.”