New York City is a global epicenter of wealth and ambition, a concrete jungle where fortunes are made and empires are built. In a series of candid street interviews, some of the city's most successful figures—from a multi-millionaire rapper to a multi-billionaire beverage founder and a titan of industry—pulled back the curtain on the unconventional strategies and powerful mindsets that fueled their rise.

The Musician's Code: How Russ Built a $25M/Year Empire by Owning His Art

In the cutthroat music industry, artist Russ forged a path to a $25 million-a-year income by breaking the biggest rule: he refused to sell his soul. His key to wealth is simple yet revolutionary: ownership.

"You got to own the music. Most artists when they do a record deal, they give away the ownership to their master. The master is the song. So, when you sell that, you don't own it anymore."

Russ revealed he turned down a staggering $50 million for his music catalog because he views selling his art as a moral compromise. By retaining 100% ownership of his 500+ songs, he built a self-sustaining financial machine, proving that the real money in music isn't in touring—it's in owning the asset.

The 99-Cent Billionaire: Don Vultaggio's Unconventional Path with Arizona Iced Tea

Don Vultaggio, the founder of Arizona Beverage Company, built a $6 billion fortune on a product that famously costs 99 cents. His success defies modern business school logic.

• Zero Debt: "I own it all. I don't have any zero debt," he stated. By owning his factories and supply chain, he avoids interest payments and pressure from banks or boards to raise prices, even with inflation.
• Packaging is Marketing: He spent nothing on traditional advertising. His secret weapon? The packaging. "Packaging is what people shop when they see. You buy with your eyes."
• Customer First: He learned a vital lesson from his father's employer, the once-mighty A&P grocery chain, which collapsed because "they forgot about their customers." By keeping his price fair, he built unshakable customer loyalty.

The $25 Billion Playbook: Michael Rubin on Embracing Failure

Michael Rubin, CEO of the $25 billion company Fanatics, shared a high-octane philosophy on building massive enterprises. For him, the journey is about resilience and relationships.

"I like to fail because each failure leads to the next success. And that's not like bullsh*t. That is factually the way it works."

Rubin’s three-step blueprint for rebuilding a billion-dollar company from scratch is:

1. Study: Become a non-stop student of the market.
2. Find the Void: Identify a gap or an unmet need.
3. Sprint with the Right People: Execute with relentless speed and surround yourself with a great team.

He emphasizes that relationships are everything, especially in tough times, and that you can't achieve real success without asking for help.

The Mayor's Wisdom: Eric Adams on Turning Haters into Motivation

NYC Mayor Eric Adams, the CEO of the world's most powerful city, offered profound advice on overcoming adversity. Having been doubted his entire life due to undiagnosed dyslexia, he learned to thrive amidst negativity.

"Let your haters be your waiters when you sit down at the table of success."

His advice for anyone at rock bottom is to focus on small, daily wins—like just getting out of bed. He sees dark times not as burials, but as plantings. "You just have to be willing to go through the process to see the fruits of those harvests."

From music to beverages to city hall, the message from New York's elite is clear: true, lasting success is built on ownership, resilience, unconventional thinking, and an unwavering belief in your own vision.

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纽约精英的秘密：说唱歌手、CEO和亿万富翁创始人如何建立财富

纽约市是全球财富和雄心的中心，一个水泥丛林，财富在这里被创造，帝国在这里被建立。在一系列坦率的街头采访中，该市一些最成功的人物——从身家千万的说唱歌手到身家数十亿的饮料创始人和行业巨头——揭示了推动他们崛起的非传统策略和强大心态。

音乐家的法则：Russ如何通过拥有自己的艺术建立年入2500万美元的帝国

在竞争残酷的音乐行业，艺术家Russ通过打破最大的规则，开辟了一条通往年收入2500万美元的道路：他拒绝出卖自己的灵魂。他致富的关键简单而革命性：所有权。

“你必须拥有音乐。大多数艺术家在签订唱片合同时，会放弃他们母带的所有权。母带就是歌曲本身。所以，当你卖掉它时，你就不再拥有了。”

Russ透露，他曾拒绝了高达5000万美元的音乐目录收购要约，因为他认为出售自己的艺术是一种道德上的妥协。通过保留他500多首歌曲的100%所有权，他建立了一个自我维持的金融机器，证明了音乐中真正的钱不在于巡演——而在于拥有资产。

99美分的亿万富翁：Don Vultaggio与亚利桑那冰茶的非传统之路

亚利桑那饮料公司（Arizona Beverage Company）的创始人Don Vultaggio，以一款著名的售价99美分的产品建立了一个60亿美元的财富帝国。他的成功挑战了现代商学院的逻辑。

• 零债务： “我拥有一切。我没有任何债务，”他宣称。通过拥有自己的工厂和供应链，他避免了支付利息和来自银行或董事会要求提价的压力，即使在通货膨胀的情况下也是如此。
• 包装即营销： 他没有在传统广告上花一分钱。他的秘密武器？包装。“包装是人们看到时购物的依据。你是用眼睛购买的。”
• 顾客至上： 他从他父亲的雇主——曾经强大的A&P连锁超市那里学到了一个至关重要的教训，那家公司倒闭是因为“他们忘记了他们的顾客”。通过保持公平的价格，他建立了不可动摇的顾客忠诚度。

250亿美元的剧本：Michael Rubin论拥抱失败

价值250亿美元的公司Fanatics的首席执行官Michael Rubin，分享了他关于建立大型企业的高能哲学。对他而言，这段旅程关乎韧性和人际关系。

“我喜欢失败，因为每一次失败都会引向下一次成功。这不是胡说八道。这实际上就是它的运作方式。”

Rubin从零开始重建一个十亿美元公司的三步蓝图是：

1. 学习： 成为市场的“永不停歇”的学生。
2. 寻找空白： 识别市场上的缺口或未被满足的需求。
3. 与对的人一起冲刺： 以无情的速度执行，并让自己被一个伟大的团队所围绕。

他强调，人际关系就是一切，尤其是在困难时期，而且不求助就不可能取得真正的成功。

市长的智慧：Eric Adams论将仇恨者化为动力

纽约市市长Eric Adams，作为世界最强大城市的“CEO”，就如何克服逆境提供了深刻的建议。由于未被诊断出的阅读障碍，他一生都被人质疑，但他学会在负面环境中茁壮成长。

“当你坐上成功的餐桌时，让你的仇恨者成为你的服务员。”

他给任何处于低谷的人的建议是，专注于每天的小胜利——比如仅仅是起床。他认为黑暗时期不是埋葬，而是播种。“你只需要愿意经历这个过程，才能看到那些收获的果实。”

从音乐到饮料再到市政厅，纽约精英们传达的信息是明确的：真正持久的成功建立在所有权、韧性、非传统思维以及对自身愿景坚定不移的信念之上。