{
  "id": 6143549,
  "title": "This billionaire founder made his first million at 27—years before Warren Buffett. His advice to Gen Z: Don’t ask for a raise, ask for equity",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/07/this-billionaire-founder-made-his-first-million-at-27-years-before",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-07T13:46:30.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Fortune",
    "slug": "fortune",
    "url": "https://fortune.com/2026/09/07/billionaire-founder-first-million-before-warren-buffett-wealth-advice-gen-z-dont-ask-for-a-raise-ask-for-equity/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Dylan Taylor, founder of space-tech company Voyager Technologies, became a millionaire at 27—five years before Warren Buffett reached the same milestone. Rather than focusing on raising salaries, Taylor advises young people to negotiate for equity instead. \"I think it's very difficult to make a lot of money working for somebody,\" he tells Fortune. \"There's two different ways to make money: income and equity. Whether you're an employee or a founder, I think you should push for more equity and less income. That's really what compounds over time.\"\n\nTaylor's advice isn't limited to founders or executives with significant leverage. Even entry-level workers can ask for equity over income, and most employers would likely appreciate the seriousness of the request. \"If someone came to you and said, 'I actually want to make less money, but I want more of the value we create together'—I think most bosses, assuming they're not totally insecure and see this person as a threat, would welcome that,\" Taylor says. He adds that many managers are open to such conversations, even if they need to bring it up to the next level.\n\nNot every industry may be receptive to this approach, however. Taylor notes that it might be challenging for an entry-level worker at an industrial valve company in Newcastle. However, for tech companies that issue stock options, there's no reason why they can't ask for equity. Even if the answer is no, Taylor believes it's still valuable information for both the employee and the future employer. \"You could just say, 'Okay, well, at what point would I be eligible?' I think it really reframes you in their mind. It's like, this is someone who's focused on creating value. I think it's good signaling.\"\n\nIn addition to his advice on negotiating for equity, Taylor also recommends a barbell investing strategy. This involves putting a majority of one's money somewhere safe, such as the FTSE 100, and a smaller portion in something riskier, like Bitcoin. \"It seems crazy, but I think those strategies work,\" he adds.",
  "summary": "Voyager Technologies billionaire founder says a bigger paycheck isn’t the way to get rich—Gen Z should negotiate for a piece of the companies they work for",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}