$100M hedge fund manager: Do not make the mistake of dying rich
November 2, 2026 · 1 h 23 min
🎙️ Full episode
DEBRIEFWritten and voiced by AI from the episode's audio
Bill Perkins, a $100M+ hedge fund manager and author of "Die with Zero," joins Shaan and Sam to challenge conventional thinking about wealth accumulation and life fulfillment. Perkins made his fortune trading natural gas derivatives, but his real insight came later: the goal isn't to die rich—it's to die with zero regrets by strategically allocating wealth, health, and time across your lifespan. He argues that certain experiences have optimal windows (you can't party like you're 25 when you're 55), that health is a depreciating asset, and that most people waste their lives "pumping the well" instead of drinking from it. The episode covers Perkins' philosophy of time-bucketing life into phases, crushing ego to pursue unconventional paths, and his recent $15M art acquisition as an example of signaling value to future generations. For listeners, the takeaway is stark: stop optimizing for a number and start optimizing for fulfillment in the time you have left.
🎧 AI Debrief
Show notes
Free guide: how to build wealth (and use it well): https://clickhubspot.com/fjvx
Episode 878: Shaan Puri ( https://x.com/ShaanVP ) and Sam Parr ( https://x.com/theSamParr ) talk to Bill Perkins ( https://x.com/bp22 ) about how to die with zero and never have a regret about it.
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Show Notes:
() Intro
() How Bill made his money
() Price go up or price go down?
() Maximize risk when young
() The 3 edges of the greatest investors
() The name of the game is to stay in the game
() A decade of intensity
() No parties at 85
() Define your net worth peak
() Shaan reads an email to Bill
() The fear of a wasted life
() Crush your ego
() Set your cookie cutter life on fire
() Reprogramming your brain
() Rewrite for maximum accountability
() Seasons of balance
() Time buckets vs. bucket list
() Plan your year
() What Bill regrets right now
() Don't fuck your future self
() Die With Zero
() Playing the money game for fun
() What Bill spends his money on
() Spending $15M on a painting
() The art of Sylvester Stallone
() Bill's follow-up book
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Links:
• Die With Zero - https://diewithzerobook.com/
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Check Out Sam's Stuff:
• Hampton (joinhampton.com): My community for founders. Average member does $25m/year. Many of the guests are members. Get after it...apply: http://joinhampton.com/mfm
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Check Out Shaan's Stuff:
• Shaan's weekly email - https://www.shaanpuri.com
• Visit https://www.somewhere.com/mfm to hire worldwide talent like Shaan and get $500 off for being an MFM listener. Hire developers, assistants, marketing pros, sales teams and more for 80% less than US equivalents.
• Mercury - Shaan uses Mercury across all of his companies. you can too: http://mercury.com/
Mercury is a fintech company, not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group, Column, N.A., Members FDIC
• I run all my newsletters on Beehiiv and you should too + we're giving away $10k to our favorite newsletter, check it out:
beehiiv.com/mfm-challenge
My First Million is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by HubSpot Media // Production by Arie Desormeaux // Editing by Ezra Bakker Trupiano /