Part 10/13:
This reduced public presence alters how early investors can benefit from explosive growth. When companies like Apple went public, early investors could participate directly in the gains. Today, companies often remain private until they reach massive valuations, meaning retail investors miss out on the initial surge of value creation. For example, investment comparisons show that long-term, unleveraged real estate in Los Angeles has grown steadily, but the staggering returns of the stock market—like the S&P 500 with dividends reinvested—highlight the superior long-term growth potential of public equities.