Upon walking up to Vanderbilt Mansion you are met by this feeling of awe and grandeur…
well, at least for me.
Let’s first clear the air.
Look, what I NEED and am content with in my life is neither a life of ascetism nor a life of a the mega-rich.
I am somewhere in the middle.
Freedom. That’s the word. I just desire, at the deepest part of my core is freedom.
Freedom, peace and my space.
Now, if or when my success rises to the heights of Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, Musk, Arnault, that would be freaking amazing.
Do I need it? No.
Would it be freakin cool? Yes. Because I can give more, do more, and well, do some crazy a** shit on a daily basis if I’ve delegated well and not restricted by too many responsibilties. But I digress.
Now, back to why you’re reading this article…
You walk around Vanderbilt Mansion and you just think to yourself…
“What in the f*ck did this guy do to amass all this wealth?…”
“And did he even need ALL this land, this big a*ss house, that smaller, still big a*ss house and that house, oh and those houses down there?”
But then I get snapped back to reality with, “Daddy, can we play tag?” By my son. And we begin running like once of Vanderbilt’s family members through his beautiful gigantic garden.
After a few minutes of tag, I stop, catch my breath and think once again, “My God, this place is HUGE!”
A few minutes later, our tour time of his actual mansion has arrived. We open the door and…
Wow. Beautiful wrap around staircase, gigantic office, library, study area, huge rooms upstairs, gigantic kitchen downstairs, secret passageway in case if they had to escape and more…
I don’t want to give everything away, because I’d love for you, if you’d like, to experience it yourself.
However, my favorite part of Vanderbilt’s Estate was…
The view…
As a father and husband, creative and ambitious man, I love nature, breathtaking views and places that simply put in me in a calm state. And the view from Vanderbilt’s Mansion does just that.
You are able to stand or sit on his bench and think.
You can walk down through the bushes and trees and get lost in thought and lost in life.
In closing, I enjoyed visiting Vanderbilt’s Mansion with my wife and son.
It was fun and insightful to see how the high society and elite lived during their reign.
And if you’re wondering how The Vanderbilt Family amassed all their wealth. Well, they amassed their wealth through railroads, shipping. Particularly through the efforts of one, Cornelius “Commodore” Vanderbilt. A shrewd, disciplined and ruthless business man. He built a vast empire in both industries, becoming one of the wealthiest Americans of the 19th century.
With that wealth they constructed opulent mansions and summer homes in New York, Newport, and elsewhere.
Unfortunately, while his descendants initially maintained the wealth through continued business ventures and lavish spending, their fortune eventually declined due to a combination of factors, including a shift in focus away from business, lavish spending, and the decline of the railroad industry.
Well, from a business standpoint, the lesson we can take is to stay focused on the money, don’t overspend, be willing to make changes with the changing economic landscape and venture into different industries.
A better family to look at in terms of continuing to keep and strengthen the family legacy and wealth is none other than, The Rockefellers.
I hope you enjoyed this time with my family and I at Vanderbilt’s Mansion.
Please share in the comments section or personally email me any questions, concerns or your own experience at The Vanderbilt Mansion.
Until then, take care and talk soon.