If You Keep Doing These 4 Things, You’ll Make ‘a Ton of Money,’ According to Codie Sanchez
Written by
Gabriel Vito
Edited by
Amber Barkley
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Codie Sanchez isn’t your average money expert. She went from journalist to private equity powerhouse, building a multimillion-dollar portfolio not by chasing trends, but by doing the exact opposite: buying overlooked, unsexy businesses most investors ignore. Laundromats, car washes, vending machine routes — what she calls ‘boring businesses’ — became her path to real wealth and financial freedom.
Sanchez believes that if you build these four habits into your life, you’ll put yourself in a strong position to build real wealth.
Move Fast and Solve Bigger Problems
One of Sanchez’s strongest points is that speed and scale matter. If you take forever to make decisions, big or small, that habit might be costing you money.
“Your bank account is a direct representation of the size of problems you solve and how fast you move,” she said in an interview on “Millionaires In Cars Getting Coffee” with George Kamel.
She used the example of someone holding up a coffee line, unable to decide on an order. It’s not just annoying, it’s a reflection of indecision and lack of awareness. Wealthy people, she said, move quickly, act decisively and aim at bigger problems.
“Too small,” she said her mentors often tell her when she’s thinking too narrowly.
The takeaway: Start solving bigger problems, and stop wasting time second-guessing every small decision.
Own Boring Businesses That Generate Wealth
This is Codie Sanchez’s signature hot take, and it’s the foundation of her entire wealth strategy.
Forget flashy startups or the next big app. Sanchez built her fortune by acquiring what she calls “boring” businesses: laundromats, vending machine routes, car washes and other everyday operations that most investors overlook.
In her book “Main Street Millionaire,” she broke down how these unsexy, often ignored businesses can become cash-flow machines when managed strategically. She even coined the term “SOWS,” short for Stale. Old. Weak. Simple. The acronym refers to companies with simple operations, steady cash flow and low competition.
These businesses might not make headlines, but they often come with huge upside, especially when bought from retiring owners and improved with better systems.
The takeaway: You don’t need to chase unicorns to build wealth. Sometimes the smartest move is owning the boring business no one else wants.
Use Your 9-to-5 for Startup Capital
Codie Sanchez didn’t quit her job to chase a vague dream, she moved strategically. She left journalism, a career that offered her limited earning potential, and transitioned into finance, where she had more financial upside. Then she used that income to fund her own ventures.
“I made my first multiple millions of dollars working for other people,” she told Kamel. “I kept my salary for as long as I humanly could, and I built on the side.”
Her approach wasn’t about playing it safe, it was about building leverage. She used her paycheck to stack cash, test business ideas and create new income streams, all while still on someone else’s payroll.
The strategy works best if your job pays enough to give you breathing room. Sanchez made her first millions in finance, and not everyone has that kind of runway. But the core idea still holds: Use whatever stable income you have to build leverage, not just survive.
The takeaway: A well-paying job isn’t the enemy of entrepreneurship. It’s your first investor. Use it to build capital, skills and momentum before making the leap.
Focus On Purpose Over Profit
Sanchez argues that money alone isn’t the goal; freedom and impact are.
“The goal is not just money,” she said to Kamel. “The goal is money, which equals freedom, which allows you to pick your impact.”
She elaborated on this perspective during an appearance on “The Mark Manson Show.” “Money is the ultimate equalizer. If you want to make a real difference, it’s going to be very hard for you to do it without resources.”
Sanchez is not against prioritizing money, but she’s clear that chasing profit without purpose can lead to burnout or misery. The real win comes from solving meaningful problems and serving others.
The takeaway: Money is a tool. Use it to create freedom and purpose, not just status.
Final Thoughts
Codie Sanchez doesn’t sugarcoat what it takes to build wealth. She’s not promising shortcuts or overnight success. But if you commit to solving bigger problems, taking action, working before you quit and leading with purpose, you might just make a ton of money.
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Sources
- George Kamel, YouTube, “Codie Sanchez: You’re Being Lied To About Getting Rich | Millionaires In Cars Getting Coffee.”
- Codie Sanchez
- Mark Manson, “Episode 29: How to Go From Boring to Extraordinary (ft. Codie Sanchez).”
