How I Lost $151 Billion

I distinctly remember the day I lost out on $151 billion. 

It happened 17 years ago just as the sun’s light started peeking over the horizon on a dirty morning in downtown Baltimore. 

I was late. Standing on the corner, all I needed to do was hail a cab and convince the driver to rush through traffic quick enough for me to make the meeting I was desperate not to miss. You know that sinking feeling of despair that turns into a granite pit deep in your stomach? That was it. 

Although I was no stranger to grabbing cabs, that particular morning proved more difficult than usual. Not only was there not a single cabbie in sight, but I could feel the clock ticking down; each second was a pounding reminder that my absence would be disastrous. 

For the first time in my life, I remember wishing that I lived in a city like NYC, where the streets are a sea of yellow taxis. After an eternity passed by, I was finally saved by a lone cab that found me. 

The only thought in my mind was, “Why couldn’t this have been easier?”

The opportunity was there for change. I just didn’t see it until it was too late. 

Around two years later, a small startup named Uber Technologies based out of San Francisco started operating and solved my cab crisis forever. 

A decade later, Uber IPO’d and revolutionized our daily lives. I know people that not only use Uber for rides everywhere they go, but also refuse to shop for groceries, knowing they can just use Uber Eats. 

Since 2009, there have been an estimated 47 billion Uber trips taken. 

Say what you want about the initial performance of the company’s IPO, but that, dear reader, is what we call a game-changer. 

And right now, the company trades with a market cap of $151 billion. 

But this little story isn’t meant to reminisce on what could have been, but to recognize the opportunities that — in retrospect — are hiding in plain sight. 

And I don’t plan on missing out on those anymore, do you?

This morning was hell, and I once again found myself fantasizing about ways to live easier. 

Except this time I wasn’t stuck on a curb trying in vain to find a ride. No, that would’ve been more preferable to the bumper-to-bumper traffic I was in, deadlocked and seething in frustration on the Baltimore beltway. Believe me, my heart grieves for any of you that have to brave your city’s beltway in any major city. 

These are the times we dream of flying cars — anything! 

If only things were easier… Well, they might be soon. 

I know how crazy this sounds, trust me. And I doubt that many people could peg a value on the advanced aerial mobility market. 

Well, I can. The market was valued at nearly $14 billion last year, and some research think tanks project it to grow at a CAGR of 18.8% to almost $75 billion over the next decade:

My musings this morning as I crawled my way to the office were more than fantasy. Yesterday, air taxis took one giant leap forward in the UK after Virgin Atlantic inked a deal to launch an air taxi service that would connect passengers in London Heathrow and Manchester airports. 

Imagine cutting an hour and a half trip down to under ten minutes!

And I’m not the first to recognize this potential, either. When I mentioned this news to my cubicle cellmate, Jason Simpkins, he simply grinned. You see, his readers have been well aware of this explosive opportunity for more than a year, and they’re among the early investors in this societal game-changer. But I don’t want you to take my word for it. I want you to have the chance to see Jason’s exclusive research for yourself firsthand. 

I recommend you take a brief moment out of your day and check out his investment presentation for yourself.