How Would You Take 1,000,000 People To Mars?

No, I haven't been asked this question in a McKinsey recruitment process.

Rather, it's an audacious question that is on the mind of one of the most forward-thinking individuals ever.

Before revealing the name of the person who is currently working on taking 1,000,000 people to Mars, let me explain why he is pursuing such a daunting goal.

From a geological perspective, the human race has been living on Earth for a very short time. Especially short if you compare it against the timescale of Earth's existence.

Since Earth's formation, a number of catastrophic events have hit the planet. Catastrophic events with the potential to wipe the human race out of existence. If you have kids, you likely spent many bedtime sessions reading stories of that rogue meteorite that made dinosaurs extinct some million years ago.

That's just the last mass extinction event the Earth has experienced.

There were 4 mass extinction events before that.

We know the next catastrophic event is going to happen. We don't know when. But we DO know it's coming.

Let alone our own capacity to destroy ourselves by causing a nuclear Armageddon.

Under such circumstances, wouldn't it be wise to have a backup for humanity? Kind of having a backup external hard drive to keep your family photos safe should your computer crash (PC users: you know it will).

Just in case.

It'd be a shame to say goodbye to things like love, friendship, laughter, music, and Quentin Tarantino movies.

Turns out, Elon Musk not only thinks it would be a shame.

He started SpaceX back in 2002 with a goal in mind.

To avoid such catastrophic loss by taking 1,000,000 humans to Mars.

Elon believes that 1,000,000 people living permanently on Mars would be the minimum backup required to prevent the human race extinction should anything nasty happen on Earth.

Or rather, when anything nasty happens on Earth. Because we know it will.

Not only that.

Any individual willing to join those 1,000,000 settlers shouldn't pay more than $500,000 for a ticket to Mars.

Now your brain will be probably screaming: "That's impossible!".

I know it because mine screamed that too.

But Elon's doesn't.

Let's assume I'm Elon Musk and have the goal of taking 1,000,000 people to Mars.

If I were Elon, here's what I'd do:

• Grab paper and pencil to sketch out an initial plan including the goal, the starting assumptions, and some milestones.

• Fire up an Excel spreadsheet and input my assumptions, define a timeline, and simulate the projections required to achieve the milestones and ultimately the goal.

Doesn't it sound like a financial model?

I could be grandiloquent and claim that financial modelling is required to save the human race from extinction.

But I don't want you to unsubscribe from my newsletter thinking I've gone bonkers.

I'll make a more modest claim:

A financial model is a tool that, by allowing you to define a plan and simulate financial projections, facilitates the achievement of an entrepreneurial goal.

Like taking 1,000,000 people to Mars ;-)

Hey Elon, if you're reading this, hit reply and let me know if I can give you a hand.

If you're not Elon, hit reply anyway if you want me to give you a hand with your financial model.

Financial modelling services.

P.S. I have been inspired to write this newsletter after reading Tim Urban's blog about Elon Musk. I was so hooked that I couldn't stop reading!

P.S.2. The other day I got excited watching this video showing the latest launch of SpaceX’s super heavy rocket to space. As they claim: “Another step closer to Mars!”

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