FEATURE COVER STORY
R ck Your MSP To Riches
Gene Simmons ’ Raw Truth About Wealth And Power
BY CINDY PANETTI CYR
Speaking to an exclusive audience of top-tier MSP business owners at a live event hosted by TMT founder Robin Robins , Gene Simmons delivered his raw , unfiltered wisdom about building wealth . “ I want to make more money . Money is happiness . Your mother needs a hip operation . Your child is sick . Only money is going to take care of that . Money fuels the economy . It creates jobs . Warren Buffett is giving almost all his money to worthwhile charities to help other people . Ethically , morally — our duty is to leave the world just a bit better than when we came into it ,” declared Gene Simmons , the legendary KISS co-founder who rose from poor immigrant roots to build a $ 400 million business empire .
From Humble Beginnings To Business Mogul
Born in Israel as Chaim Witz , Simmons emigrated to the United States with his mother when he was eight , watching her work in a New York sweatshop to barely cover rent and food . In January 1973 , KISS performed their first gig to five people . Cultivating a bad-boy rock superhero image that appealed to the black sheep of society , they built a massive audience . By 1975 , the band ’ s fan club — the KISS ARMY — had grown to six figures . Simmons became the mastermind behind the band ’ s massive merchandizing success , generating $ 117 million in annual sales by the late 1970s . Beyond music , he built a diverse portfolio ,
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