• Blog
  • Archives
  • Bio
  • Awards
  • Speaking
  • Book
  • Contact

My relationship with money

Published: Monday, 25 February 2013

You don't need that much money.  Just enough to pay the rent, utilities and food.

My plan I created for myself post-uni when I was in 3rd year uni was to not get a job.  Live very simply.  Save my money.

The more money I saved, the bigger my runway to fail.  And then work my hardest to build a company.

Bury the ego.

I was born into a poor family, and I never had any luxuries.  So I trained myself from an early age not to care about what other people have or be affected by that.

You don't need all of life's little luxuries.  If you live cheaply, you'll have the time, headspace and energy to create your dream company.

When viewed in that context, none of life's luxuries can hold a candle to being able to do the work you love.

About Me

Marita ChengForbes named me a world's top 50 woman in tech & 30 Under 30. I founded Robogals and Aipoly and was Young Australian of the Year 2012. Currently working on robotics company Aubot. I'm the youngest Member of the Order of Australia (AM) and I give speeches around the world.

I tweet @maritacheng and I'm on Facebook.

Subscribe

Enter your email address to receive my latest blog posts: 

 

Random Articles

  • YouthActionNet Global Fellowship Day 6: Succession

      We spoke about our succession plans today.  We did a great activity:  if I were to leave Robogals on November 6, one month from now, what would I...

  • Jevaroo’s base

    Jevaroo’s base dual plates are weighted with three heavy batteries, two large stepper motors for the neck’s linear actuators and its own two steel...

  • Robots for kids missing school

    It’s so exciting seeing our robots make a difference in the lives of others.  Six-year-old Freyja has a suppressed immune system, so coming into...

  • It’s not you

      If your teacher comments on your work and tells you it can be better; it’s not you, it’s your work.   If the person behind the counter snaps at you...

  • MBN Y Forum, South Korea

    I’m fortunate to be invited all around the world to deliver speeches. In February, I was invited to the MBN Y Forum in Seoul, South Korea for a...

  • Obviously successful

    "We would have bought your company." "You just got lucky because it was the right time for that kind of thing." "All the elements in the industry were...

  • Jevaroo - 8DOF robot arm

    We’re building a new robot Jevaroo, an 8-degree-of-freedom robot arm on a moveable platform, that can lift 1.32kg at full extension.  I love this...

  • Hot Desq

    My company, aubot, was recently invited to go to Queensland for 6 months, as part of Advance Queensland's Hot Desq program, to inspire local...

  • Don't focus: search for something that sticks

    During my second to fourth years of university, I worked on Nudge, mew and Robogals.  I did various projects with all those initiatives over that...

  • Choose

    When I was in my final year of high school, my family couldn't afford to send me to university, so I looked for scholarships that would enable me to...

Enter your email address to receive my latest blog posts: 

 

Scroll to Top