Most entrepreneurs earn less than California's minimum wage because they haven't optimized for profit—not revenue. Codie Sanchez, former Goldman Sachs investor who's run 1,621 businesses through her systems, reveals that hard work has almost nothing to do with earnings; instead, pricing, recurring revenue, and systems determine success. Her book Own or Be Owned challenges the myth that grinding yourself into exhaustion is the only path to wealth. Most U.S. entrepreneurs earn $46,000-$64,000 annually, below California's $78,000 minimum wage, because businesses prioritize revenue over profit and owners pay themselves last instead of first.