I wonder how feasible it is to completely keep your wealth a secret, just start working for the acquirer, and never let anyone (even family members) know that you have a few million in the bank? Is there a cap on the amount of money you can earn and still not have anyone know that you've earned it?
I've met millionaires who were quiet about their money...actually, I think that probably describes most of the millionaires I've met...but people still knew they were millionaires. Mostly because there's some press release about them selling a company lying around the web, or people know they were Google employee #50, or something like that. I'm wondering if it's possible to make lots of money and not have that Google-trail around.
Then again, if I knew anyone like that, I wouldn't know they were a millionaire, after all...
I recently watched an old documentary about Warren Buffett. His daughter mentioned that even as a teenager, she thought "securities analyst" meant her father was checking on alarm systems.
I think it's easier to hide this from kids & teenagers than coworkers, family, and adult friends though. They're generally sheltered from the money aspect of society - they have no reason to be digging around in the financial news looking for their dad's name. But adults read enough of that news (particularly if you stay involved in tech & business) that someone will eventually come across it, and "so and so's actually a millionaire" is a pretty fruitful gossip topic.
And they feel entitled to it. My friend usually tells me if I ever earn millions I would morally owe him 7 digits because, well, he has been my friend for years. The guy is dead serious too.
One of the things I like about this ecosystem (hackers and entrepreneurs and whatnot) is that people tend to evaluate you based on your skills and knowledge and not your purse.
I guess entrepreneurs ask for money (as funding) but at least they are offering you a piece of themselves in return, so it doesn't feel nearly as bad.
Your 'friend' seems to imply that the favor of being your 'friend' is so difficult that he deserves monetary compensation. Perhaps you should relieve him of the tremendous hardship you have so obviously imposed upon him.
