• 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

  • How in(credible) are you?

    In order to be incredible, you first have to credible - to have people who trust you and your ability.   The winner of the 2007 TED Prize was awarded $100...

  • KOOKIE, Fantastic Failures, Young Heroes, Entrepreneurs and Total Girl

    I featured in some magazine articles, books and on the tv recently. Here are some of them! This was KOOKIE magazine, where I was interviewed by...

  • The stars won't align

    I was thinking and plotting and planning my startup. When to begin.  Was it too early?  Was the market ready?  Would I waste my time?  Would I waste my...

  • Delegating to not go crazy

    If you're delegating tasks and then pulling your hair out over it, then you're probably not doing it right. Anything that's insanely great requires a team...

  • A Summer at Engineers Australia

    I saw on Facebook that Engineers Australia Victoria were moving into new premises.  I saw the national CEO Steve Durkin at an event.  He said I was...

  • How I manage

    For one of the projects I’ve been leading for over the past 2.5 years, I manage a team of 20 people remotely. I meet with all of my direct reports...

  • Another context

    If you're over your university studies. If you're not looking forward to taking a week out of your life and attending a conference. If you don't...

  • Being a great customer

    I was in a hairdressers in Melbourne. I was 18. it was the first time I’d ever been to a hairdressers to get my hair cut in my life! It was at a...

  • AI Most Influential Woman in Engineering 2000-2020

    This AI named me the 29th most influential woman in engineering from 2000-2020! It looked up frequency of my name being mentioned alongside an...

  • Future is fuzzy

    I used to get anxious about the future.  Whether I could get a good job, where I would live, if I would have enough money to survive. But then I...

Enter your email address to receive my latest blog posts: 

 

Scroll to Top