"If you've ever dreamed of being on the Shark Tank stage alongside top investors like Mark Cuban and Kevin O'Leary, Rashaun Williams has been there," the Shark Tank producers described.
46-year-old Rashaun Williams, a self-made millionaire, turned that dream into reality after years of relentless effort.
He grew up in Chicago's South Side, one of the poorest and most violent neighborhoods in the US. Many families there live in cramped conditions, lacking basic necessities, with high crime and unemployment rates.
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Self-made millionaire Rashaun Williams. Photo: Fortune |
Self-made millionaire Rashaun Williams. Photo: Fortune
Williams' father struggled with drug addiction, and his mother relied on social welfare. His family was evicted from their home, their belongings thrown onto the street. They lived in an apartment without electricity or heating during the frigid Chicago winters.
"As a child, I didn't understand why some people were fortunate and others weren't," Williams said. This hardship spurred his interest in finance.
In 1997, dreaming of becoming a "Man of Morehouse," a title given to outstanding students who embody Morehouse College's values of leadership and spirit, he drove over 1,200 km from Chicago to Atlanta to apply in person.
Morehouse College is a prestigious historically black college for men, known for producing prominent leaders, entrepreneurs, and activists.
Morehouse became Williams' launching pad. There, he learned essential skills for the financial world, from tying a tie and dining etiquette to projecting confidence. "It compensated for what I lacked growing up in Chicago," he recalled.
In 2001, he graduated with honors in economics and interned at Goldman Sachs, a leading global financial institution, where he honed his sales and relationship-building skills.
Despite job offers in New York, he returned to Chicago to work as an analyst for Goldman Sachs.
To break into the competitive financial industry, Williams adopted a strategy he called "sneaking into the party." These were exclusive events, parties, and conferences typically reserved for investors and entrepreneurs.
"I knew it was the only way to expand my network," he explained. He would often start conversations with the phrase "hear me out." Williams persisted with this strategy for 10 years, solely to build connections.
During evenings and weekends, he apprenticed with experienced private equity professionals, often 10 to 20 years his senior. They taught him about leveraged buyouts (LBOs).
In 2004, Williams joined Wachovia and quickly rose through the ranks, becoming the youngest vice president at 23.
Over the next 10 years, he transitioned into an investor role, making several small investments in rapidly growing companies across diverse sectors, including technology, stocks, and sports. Today, Williams' net worth is estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of USD, notably owning the NFL team Atlanta Falcons.
On Shark Tank, Williams emphasized to Gen Z the importance of "acting as if you're already there" to achieve success. This means exhibiting the confidence and initiative of someone who has already attained their desired position, even if they haven't yet.
"Playing the role of a successful person allows you to be treated and accommodated like one," he said. "It helps break down barriers and opens up real opportunities."
Ngoc Ngan (From Fortune)
