I’m a Self-Made Millionaire: Here’s What My Salary Looked Like Over the Years
Written by
Laura Beck
Edited by
Ashleigh Ray
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The American Dream of hitting it big and making millions requires more effort, determination and luck these days.
For Noah Lydiard, founder and CEO of Conductor, the path to becoming a self-made millionaire was a long one, filled with financial struggles, grit and ramen noodles. He started as a starving freelance video editor and made his way to becoming the head of a multimillion-dollar company.
Here’s what the self-made millionaire’s salary looked like over the years.
The Starving Artist Days
In his late 20s and early 30s, Lydiard was truly living the “starving artist” life.
“One year, I earned only $19,000,” he shared. “I remember surviving on ramen noodles and wearing the same two pairs of jeans until they totally fell apart.”
According to Lydiard, juggling gigs as a freelance video editor “felt like being on a rollercoaster, but it was all falls with no rises at all.”
A Glimmer of Hope
Things began looking up for Lydiard in his mid-30s when he managed to land some staff jobs at creative agencies.
“It was like winning a big prize when my earnings finally went over $100,000,” said Lydiard. “Compared to my days of eating ramen all the time, I felt like I was living in great comfort!”
This shift didn’t just provide financial stability — it also gave Lydiard valuable business exposure that would shape his future.
He added, “I was learning a lot about how the business world works — information that would be useful later on.”
The Gamble That Paid Off
The true turning point came when Lydiard took the biggest risk of his career — starting his own company, Conductor.
For Lydiard, that’s when everything transformed. He said, “Suddenly, I wasn’t just earning money — I was creating something. For the first time, I could really consider saving and investing.”
While terrifying at first, Lydiard’s entrepreneurial leap ultimately paid off in ways he never could have imagined when eating cheap ramen years prior.
“It was both scary and exciting,” he said. “I went from watching every penny to talking about investment plans with financial experts. It was a whole new world.”
Looking back on his unconventional path to millionaire status, Lydiard reflected on his journey.
“It took me much more time than I thought to become financially stable,” he shared. “There were no quick wins, just a lot of effort, some luck and learning many things along the way.”
Advice for People on a Similar Journey
“Don’t give up. The journey might be hard to see and very difficult sometimes, but all the effort will pay off in the end,” Lydiard said. “Try many things, stay with what you enjoy most and don’t fear to take that big leap.”
He continued, “Keep in mind, even if it feels like progress is slow, each little move forward is helping you reach your goals. Stick to your dreams and don’t be afraid to make that gamble on yourself.”
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