Recently, I read a blog about Elon Musk, who might become the first trillionaire in the world. Can you imagine? The first trillionaire! Today, however, our topic isn’t about how Elon Musk could get there. Instead, we’re going to talk about why Elon Musk is so popular compared to other billionaires.
Elon is the founder, co-founder, or board member of some major companies like Twitter, Tesla, Starlink, Neuralink, and SpaceX. He also has nearly 200 million followers on Twitter. (Or should I say X? It’s still more commonly known as Twitter!)
Media Presence: Elon is one of the most famous and followed people on Twitter. It’s amazing how much time he seems to have—despite running these huge companies, Elon still tries to reply to many comments on his posts. This is one reason he’s so popular: he’s constantly on Twitter, posting every day so people always see him. He works hard to keep himself in front of people, which is crucial in today’s fast-paced world where people are consuming a lot of content daily. Think about all the creators who went viral a few years ago but seem to have faded away now. To survive in this era, you have to stay active on social media, and Elon understands this well.
Controversial Persona: Another reason for his popularity is the controversies surrounding him. I believe Elon might be the first billionaire who doesn’t shy away from controversy—in fact, he seems to embrace it. I think this might even be part of his marketing strategy. Once, Elon Musk said, “You have to always be breaking news, and people will talk about you. That’s how everyone will end up talking about you.”
Elon Musk has been involved in some big controversies over the past few years, such as acquiring Twitter and transforming it into X.
Attacking Advertisers: One widely criticized aspect of Musk’s takeover of X has been his approach to generating revenue—or, arguably, his lack thereof. A recent valuation from Fidelity suggests X is now worth around $9.4 billion, far from the $44 billion Musk originally paid for it.
Connection to Trump: Musk has also generated controversy for his alleged use of X to support former President Donald Trump’s campaign. He even participated in a solo town hall for Trump, where he reportedly promoted several debunked conspiracy theories about the 2020 election. For the 2024 U.S. election, Musk publicly supported Trump, reportedly spending approximately $75 million on the campaign and attending some of Trump’s major rallies. Some journalists and researchers claim Musk’s support is a significant factor in Trump’s re-election. When Musk bought Twitter, he immediately reinstated Trump’s account, which had been banned by the platform’s previous owners.
As I mentioned earlier, Elon thrives on controversy. This approach helps him gain word-of-mouth marketing, giving him a huge amount of free publicity.
Disruptive Innovation: I think that after his lifetime, Elon Musk will be remembered alongside great scientists. Wondering why? Just look at what he’s accomplished.
He manages to run four or five massive companies, all with the same 24 hours a day that we all have. Take SpaceX, for instance—Elon achieved things people thought were impossible. NASA once rejected his ideas, yet now they’re buying reusable rockets from him. Nobody thought rockets could land themselves, but Elon did it, earning himself the nickname “madman.”
On the other hand, with Starlink, he’s enabled people all over the world, even in remote areas, to access the internet. Tesla and Starlink allow for an incredible amount of global connectivity and monitoring.
In my view, if Elon Musk sets his mind to something, he accomplishes it better than anyone else.
I’ve watched many of his interviews, and I’m always amazed at how Elon has a unique approach for each one. What I admire most about him is his “never give up” mentality. Elon is always thinking 20 years ahead. People love him for that, and I admire him too.”