Speaking For A Change

Great Fortunes Of The Gilded Age (Astor/Vanderbilt)
2026-01-06 18:30 - 20:00 (America/Chicago) | Zoom
During the Gilded Age, a handful of families dominated the economy, amassing staggering fortunes.
If I asked you to name the richest American, you’d probably say Bill Gates or Elon Musk. Both are from the top of the list!
Today, we focus on the earliest American millionaires – John Jacob Astor and Cornelius Vanderbilt. They would rank #4 and #3, respectively, on the list of the wealthiest Americans of all time! Their names are still synonymous with wealth and prestige – but do you know how they got their money? Each is a story of incredible work ethic, sound judgment, and laser-like focus on building wealth. You will be fascinated by the ways they built vast fortunes before the Gilded Age even began!
This four-week series examines the great fortunes of that fascinating era. We will put each in perspective and offer intriguing insights, modern comparisons, and historical context. Of the nine wealthiest Americans, six lived during the Gilded Age!

John D. Rockefeller – By far the richest American ever; controlled ~1.5–2% of U.S. GDP

Andrew Carnegie – Steel empire rivaled Rockefeller in relative power

Cornelius Vanderbilt – Transportation monopoly builder

John Jacob Astor – America’s first multimillionaire

Stephen Girard – Early-Republic financial titan

Stephen Van Rensselaer III – Enormous landholdings relative to GDP

Jay Gould – Ruthless but extraordinarily wealthy

Frederick Weyerhaeuser – Dominated American lumber

Henry Ford – Industrial wealth with mass-market reach

Elon Musk – Richest American of the modern tech era by peak wealth

Sam Walton – Retail empire creator

Bill Gates – Software dominance and long-term wealth

Jeff Bezos – E-commerce and logistics revolution

J. Paul Getty – Mid-20th-century oil fortune

Marshall Field – Retail innovator

Warren Buffett – Investment-driven wealth over decades

Steve Ballmer – Concentrated stock-based fortune

Larry Ellison – Enterprise software wealth

Sergey Brin – Search-era tech wealth

Larry Page – Search-era tech wealth

COST
The program is available for a minimum contribution of $5.00, which helps support my work and allows me to continue offering engaging content.
PAYMENT OPTIONS
Cash/Check
Payable to: Barry Bradford
Mail to:
Barry Bradford
P.O. Box #177
Deerfield, IL 60015
Please write Vandy in the subject line.
PayPal
Pay securely via PayPal:

(Please note: PayPal deducts 10% of your donation as a fee. I receive $4.50 per $5.00 donation.)
Venmo
Send to: @B-Bradford-1
Please include Vandy in the note.
Zelle
Use the email address: Barry1776@ATT.NET
Include Vandy in the note.
WAIVER OPTION
If you cannot afford to pay or feel my programs aren’t worth $5.00, you are welcome to attend for free or contribute less. Just email me to request a waiver—no questions asked! This one-time request will cover all future programs. I completely understand the challenges of living on a tight budget and offer this with compassion.
REGISTRATION LINK
Click Here to Register
DIDN’T RECEIVE YOUR ZOOM LINK?
If you don’t receive a confirmation email after registering, it means your sign-up wasn’t completed. Be sure to:

Check your spam folder for the confirmation email.
Save the confirmation email once you find it.

If you still can’t locate the email, return to the website and register again. Unfortunately, I am unable to manually send you the link, as it is generated directly by Zoom.

Great Fortunes Of The Gilded Age (Andrew Carnegie)
2026-01-13 18:30 - 20:00
Today, we focus on the earliest American millionaires – John Jacob Astor and Cornelius Vanderbilt. They would rank #4 and #3, respectively, on the list of the wealthiest Americans of all time! Their names are still synonymous with wealth and prestige – but do you know how they got their money? Each is a story of incredible work ethic, sound judgment, and laser-like focus on building wealth.
You will be fascinated by the ways they built vast fortunes before the Gilded Age even began!
This four-week series examines the great fortunes of that fascinating era. We will put each in perspective and offer intriguing insights, modern comparisons, and historical context. Of the nine wealthiest Americans, six lived during the Gilded Age!

John D. Rockefeller – By far the richest American ever; controlled ~1.5–2% of U.S. GDP

Andrew Carnegie – Steel empire rivaled Rockefeller in relative power

Cornelius Vanderbilt – Transportation monopoly builder

John Jacob Astor – America’s first multimillionaire

Stephen Girard – Early-Republic financial titan

Stephen Van Rensselaer III – Enormous landholdings relative to GDP

Jay Gould – Ruthless but extraordinarily wealthy

Frederick Weyerhaeuser – Dominated American lumber

Henry Ford – Industrial wealth with mass-market reach

Elon Musk – Richest American of the modern tech era by peak wealth

Sam Walton – Retail empire creator

Bill Gates – Software dominance and long-term wealth

Jeff Bezos – E-commerce and logistics revolution

J. Paul Getty – Mid-20th-century oil fortune

Marshall Field – Retail innovator

Warren Buffett – Investment-driven wealth over decades

Steve Ballmer – Concentrated stock-based fortune

Larry Ellison – Enterprise software wealth

Sergey Brin – Search-era tech wealth

Larry Page – Search-era tech wealth

COST
The program is available for a minimum contribution of $5.00, which helps support my work and allows me to continue offering engaging content.
PAYMENT OPTIONS
Cash/Check
Payable to: Barry Bradford
Mail to:
Barry Bradford
P.O. Box #177
Deerfield, IL 60015
Please write Scot in the subject line.
PayPal
Pay securely via PayPal:

(Please note: PayPal deducts 10% of your donation as a fee. I receive $4.50 per $5.00 donation.)
Venmo
Send to: @B-Bradford-1
Please include Scot in the note.
Zelle
Use the email address: Barry1776@ATT.NET
Include Scot in the note.
WAIVER OPTION
If you cannot afford to pay or feel my programs aren’t worth $5.00, you are welcome to attend for free or contribute less. Just email me to request a waiver—no questions asked! This one-time request will cover all future programs. I completely understand the challenges of living on a tight budget and offer this with compassion.
REGISTRATION LINK
Click Here to Register
DIDN’T RECEIVE YOUR ZOOM LINK?
If you don’t receive a confirmation email after registering, it means your sign-up wasn’t completed. Be sure to:

Check your spam folder for the confirmation email.
Save the confirmation email once you find it.

If you still can’t locate the email, return to the website and register again. Unfortunately, I am unable to manually send you the link, as it is generated directly by Zoom.
