Uber Rich People Problems

 Often we use the phrase "Rich People Problems" or "First World Problems"... but let me share some things I saw in the Ultra High Net Worth Industry... showcasing problems that are simply comical, to many, if you aren't born on third base. For many years, I overheard conversations around these events, would laugh, shake my head and get back work. I became so immune to money/dollar amounts, that eventually it didn't phase me to see a 9-10 figure salary/compensation agreement, despite the majority of my time I made under six figures annually over the two decades I spent in the CPA industry, serving clients. Often, I tried to change career paths, but always returned, because, yes, it's incredibly hard to make a living doing the things you love in America! (Look at the restaurant industry - so many them fail... and it's also clearly another example of how America is not set up for the small business owner. Who are they set up for? BIG business - that's for sure.)

Okay, so here are a few 'problems' endured by our clients! Warning--> you may see my wit and sarcasm come to play in this particular blog! Hey-this is simple blogging.. where it’s fun to freestyle write! :)

1. During the pandemic, entertainment was hard to come by. Sure, maybe not if you wanted a simple music playlist - you could easily access that online via a music platform or simply turn on the radio. No, I mean, if you wanted a private concert by a headlining artist, you needed to have complex legal provisions in place (which all depends on which state you're residing)... I mean come on, the pandemic-times were different. Well, our client got their concert, of course. Amazing, how quickly a high-profile performance can be put together in the middle of a worldwide pandemic - but yeah, that's how the world works. If you've got enough money and power, you can get any damn thing you want. Well, good to know, while I was wearing face masks, paying attention to public safety and thinking about other people, that world was partying away. Oh, but I think I did make $65k that year - while the clients.. oh, well... let's just say the pandemic our clients made BANK. My salary at $65k was not even a rounding figure.
   
   
2. Maybe a decade or so ago (under the BMO ownership umbrella), we had a client driving his car in the midwest. A beautiful classic car. But oh my! There was an accident and it was totaled. Don't you worry - within the hour, insurance claims were filed and by the next day, a brand new replacement was delivered from a few states over, in the exact color they wanted. An almost identical match vintage classic car already painted and ready to go? No problem. Florida has a nice stock of 'em!
   
   
3. Even though we were primarily based in Silicon Valley, BMO and the subsidiaries I worked for, serviced clients all over the world, with many CEOS choosing to reside in SoCal. Plenty of beautiful women, a sunny environment and the chance to show off their fancy cars (which is generally frowned upon in the Bay Area, where you can only drive your Ferrari down a certain street in Los Gatos or on Skyline Blvd., when the kids are in school)... what male with an inflated ego wouldn't want to enjoy that? Especially with a ton of money! So anyway, one day our office sent a replacement black Amex (also known as "The Centurion Card" - for you credit card, geeks!) to the client's wrong SoCal address. OMG-the way this a-hole cussed out one of my colleagues/staff... you'd think someone shoved a bottle of sunscreen up his a$$, but as you know, a lot of these CEOs feel so entitled (and why wouldn't they? Lawyers help them set up golden parachutes and all ... a topic for another day!)

Maybe some of my blog goes over your head, maybe you are also Googling terms (or using my favorite new web browser "Brave") but here's my main goal: may you finally gain some perspective and clarity. The world certainly needs it. More than that - the world needs organized positive action and cohesiveness. When I refer to 'you' I mean the every day person who still thinks they and their kids still have a long-term shot in this country. Because let me tell you, no matter your vote, this country is hanging on by a thread and no politician elected in will make a damn change.

The world considerably slowed down in 2020 and rather than make actual changes based on the crimes and injustices they saw, most Americans ignored major critical social issues.

As I write this blog, the George Floyd incident floods my mind and I cringe thinking about it… how utterly disgusting it was and how these incidents still happen today. Wake up everyone: hate crimes and racism are at an all-time high in the US.

During these times, the war on poverty was also highlighted in the US, which fueled my personal contributions over the following 3 years, until I was bullied and silenced by San Mateo County during the summer of 2023.

What did many Americans do in 2020, rather than act on what they saw?

They looked the other way, absorbed more misinformation (thanks to mainstream media, also part of this massive House of Cards) and yelled at each other in ALL CAPs on Facebook. All things people are still doing today (and still have the nerve to complain…) We all have choices and I do think many of us have good intentions, but often they get overshadowed by excuses. And in America, as one of my favorite podcasters, Vinnie Tortorich, used to say: "We are set up to fail, especially in the food system", so yes, odds are stacked against us, but I still have hope. Do you? Remember an important concept: both inaction and action are actions. And no response and a response are both responses. Many folks do not understand these basic foundational concepts.

It's time to organize, put your money where your mouth is and ACT. There's no more time for excuses - not for yourself or other people.

With Aloha,

Heidi