The Year I Sold £4 Million and Still Felt Broke

You have to own assets to get wealthy.

It really is that simple.

Most of us are taught to earn. A job, a wage, a promotion if you’re lucky. Maybe some commission if you’re in sales. But no one really teaches you how to own. And without ownership, there’s no real leverage. You’re stuck trading time for money forever.

It’s funny, looking back, because Monopoly teaches you everything you need to know. You don’t win by spinning the dice and dodging hotels. You win by owning the board. You buy a street, build on it, and suddenly, the game starts working in your favour. People land on your square and you get paid. Every time. Whether you’re rolling the dice or not.

That’s the part no one tells you early on.

You have to get a piece of the board. You have to own something.

It took me nearly 15 years from the start of my career to fully understand that. And another five years on top of that just to start doing something about it.

The Hustle I Outgrew

I’ve always loved the chase. Business development was in my blood. I got a buzz from landing deals, hitting targets, and ringing my boss to say, “We’ve done it.” That high you get from turning a cold lead into a signed contract? I lived for it.

One year, I hit over £4 million in sales. That was a bumper year. I had smashed my annual target in the first four months. I was untouchable. Took the family on holiday, pocketed some commission, and felt like the guy. All the hard work felt worth it.

Then January came. And just like that, the counter reset to zero.

No residuals. No long-term win. All the highs from last year were boxed up and shelved. I was back at the bottom of the mountain with a fresh target and no head start.

That’s when the penny dropped.

I didn’t own any of the upside.

I had taken on all the pressure, all the risk, and all the hours, and at the end of the year, I had nothing lasting to show for it.

The Harsh Truth About Sales

Sales is a tough game. You can do incredibly well, you can have great years, but the truth is you are only ever as good as your last quarter. And when you finally have a quiet spell, when you hit a rough patch or the market slows down, suddenly the tone changes.

You go from hero to headache, fast.

Yes, sales can give you some nice things along the way. But unless you are a disciplined saver, which I wasn’t, the money goes just as fast as it comes. And what you are really left with is a cycle of short-term highs that never compound into long-term freedom.

I look back now and think, that was one of the craziest hamster wheels I have ever been on.

And the scariest part? I thought I was winning.

The Shift: From Earner to Owner

That was the moment I decided I would never put myself in that position again.

I wanted to own.

That’s why I started my own business. Not just to have control, but to build something that was mine. Something that could grow, compound, and exist without needing me to run at full speed every single day.

And now, when I work with businesses, I do it differently. I often take a smaller fee upfront, in exchange for a piece of the company. A small slice of equity that gives me a share of the future value, not just a thank you for turning up.

Because when you own a part of something, you are not just getting paid once. You are part of the long game. You benefit as the business grows. And if you pick the right businesses to back, it can change your entire financial reality.

The New Game I’m Playing

My goal now is to own pieces of multiple businesses. Not just one empire that needs me full time, but a portfolio of companies where I’ve played a part in getting things off the ground. I use my skills, my experience, and my network to help businesses grow, and in return, I get a piece of the upside.

Imagine having 10 percent of 30 companies. That is more powerful than owning 100 percent of a business that burns 70 hours of your week and drains every ounce of your energy.

That’s not the game I want to play.

I do not want to build another job. I do not want to be owned by a business I created. I have been there, done that, and I know how it feels to carry it all.

Some business owners get super wealthy doing it that way. But for me, it is not about scale at all costs. It is about building a life that works, where your time is protected, your stress is lower, and your money grows without needing you in the trenches every day.

I want to earn with my mind, not my hours.

A few smart decisions a day. A few strategic moves. That is the rhythm I am working towards. And slowly, that rhythm is starting to compound.

Let Them Talk

I have had advice thrown at me from every angle.

Some good. Some useless. Some from people who mean well, but just don’t get it.

Plenty of people think I am crazy. Plenty think I am making it up as I go along.

And honestly, they’re not wrong. I am figuring it out. But that’s the whole point. Life is not a straight path. It is not supposed to be some rigid formula. It is a playground. And we are supposed to be in it, building things, testing things, learning as we go.

So if you’re grinding every day just to keep someone else’s business moving…

If you’re working yourself into the ground for short-term pay, but no long-term gain…

Pause.

Take a step back.

Ask yourself what it would look like to get in on the upside.

What would change if you owned even just a small piece of the things you help build?

You only get one life. One run at this.

Do not waste it making someone else rich.

Dan