It isn’t about having money but showcasing that you have value

Excerpted from The Secret is You by Chris Cicchinelli who charts his two-decade journey transforming Pure Romance into the world’s largest in-home/virtual party company of its kind, while also sharing his innovative approach for empowering women to become successful entrepreneurs themselves. The Secret is You is now available for pre-sale order with an April 2021 delivery. Purchase the book here.

When I started my business life, I knew that one day I’d be a millionaire. I just didn’t know when. I also understood that if I acted like I was making $50,000 a year, everyone would treat me like I was making $50,000 a year. You need to carry yourself like you’re money whether you have it or not. If you play your cards right, this behavior will become self-fulfilling.

It gets back to the simple fact that we generally are treated the way we demand to be treated. You dress the part. You act the part. Try this experiment sometime: go into a coffee shop dressed in a tank top, shorts, and flip-flops. Then, the next day, go into the same joint wearing business casual clothes. I guarantee you you’ll get ten times the service in the business casual attire that you did in the tank and shorts. It’s just human nature to treat people who project quality with quality.

At the same time, if selling yourself matters to you, you don’t sell your soul to make a buck. You practice style, grace, ethics, morals, and the Golden Rule. (And I’m not talking about the idea that “he who has the gold makes the rule.” That’s another topic for another time.) Always keep your dealings on the up-and-up. I know that sounds corny, but trust me that the surest way to fail is to cut corners and do things that would upset you if someone were to do them to you.

That said, keep your eye on accruing wealth, which is more important than building riches. Riches are what you have when you win the lottery. You can race to acquire riches and make a lot of money in a short period of time, but you can also go broke really quickly. I want you to be wealthy because you’ve built a stable business. I also want you to be mentally and physically healthy and thriving in all areas of your life, including your relationships.