Managing Money In The Spotlight

The glamorous life that celebrities live during the peak of their careers is something we can only dream of. But, sometimes, this doesn’t end well. Samke Mhlongo advises on how this can be prevented

- Samke Mhlongo

At a catch-up with a friend a few weeks ago, I was asked a simple question that left me shook. “I see you are doing well; your social media activities say it all. But, is your wealth growing at the same rate as your popularity?”

I felt like I’d been run over by a truck because the truth is, it isn’t. I am by no means claiming to be a celebrity, but I am part of a growing breed of entrepreneurs that earns a living off its talents and not skills only. World-renowned South African entrepreneur Vusi Thembekwayo coined the term “talent-preneurs” to describe this concept. And, just like celebrities, “talent-preneurs” also rely largely on the popularity of their brands in order to get income-generating opportunities.

After this conversation, I started investigating why people in the limelight often end up losing their hard-earned fortunes. And, more importantly, how they can prevent this from happening. I turned to a few celebrity friends and financial experts for answers.

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