How I built a Multi-Million dollar portfolio (after a late start to the workforce)

Michael Thomas never intended to get into the car industry.

In fact, he never cared much about cars at all.

At 25, while many of his peers were already years into their careers, Michael was dealing with a different reality—one marked by mental and physical health challenges that made holding down full-time work difficult. He’d spent his days playing video games, unsure of what his future might look like. But eventually, an opportunity came along. It wasn’t glamorous or passion-driven, but it was something….a job in the motor industry.

He took it — mostly to avoid the inevitable question from his dad: “What are you doing for work?”

That decision quietly marked the beginning of a journey that would see him become a multi-millionaire, a respected business owner, and a successful property investor.

A Different Kind of Car Guy

Today, Michael is the director of AZ Holdings Australia, a wholesale car distribution business that supplies vehicles (both luxury and practical) to multi-franchise dealers and major automotive warehouse groups across the country.

For example, when someone trades in a Toyota Hilux at a Lamborghini dealership , that Hilux isn’t sticking around. It gets moved to wholesalers like Michael. From there, it might be passed onto a more appropriate dealer in the broader group network, or moved again down the supply chain to a budget lot. It’s a business of relationships, timing, and logistics.

Despite the fast-paced nature of the trade, Michael keeps his feet on the ground. He’s built a modest retail arm as well, but the core of his business remains B2B — and his focus is on scale, not showmanship.

"I love the business of it," he says. “I’m not a car guy. I’m a systems and strategy guy.”

Late Start, Fast Climb

Michael’s late entry into the workforce might have seemed like a disadvantage, but it gave him something that many young professionals lack: perspective.

By the time he was earning decent money, he’d already experienced what it felt like to have very little. So he didn’t chase shiny things. He chased financial independence — and did it with ruthless clarity.

He started investing in property. Slowly. Intentionally.

Every purchase was calculated — not emotionally, but logically. He aligned himself with a trusted buyer’s agent, Arjun, who helped him see past the headlines and into the fundamentals of each opportunity. Together, they targeted undervalued markets with long-term potential.

Michael was patient. He didn’t chase hype. He didn’t over-leverage. And when he did finally buy a Rolex or a Lamborghini — symbols of success in many circles — it was only after he could afford to buy them several times over.

“If you can’t buy something outright multiple times with cash, and you don’t need it — then you probably shouldn’t buy it,” he says.

That rule, applied consistently, helped him accumulate a portfolio and net worth that now allows him to say, with quiet confidence: “I’ve basically completed what I set out to do.”

Discipline Over Dopamine

Despite his wealth, Michael speaks with humility and depth rarely seen in high-income circles.

He’s not chasing the next million. He’s chasing something else now: meaning.

“The business is transactional. No one calls me back six months later to thank me for buying their car,” he says. “I’m a pretty emotional guy. That part is missing.”

These days, he’s dabbling in mentoring and coaching — quietly offering his guidance to those who remind him of himself at 25. To his team at AZ Holdings, he’s more than just a boss. He’s a compass. He checks in on their direction, their goals, their mindset. If one of them drifts, he gently course-corrects.

“You said you wanted this,” he’ll remind them. “Is this behavior moving you closer to that?”

He doesn't bark orders or posture as a guru. He leads by example — through consistency, calmness, and genuine care.

More Than Just Money

Michael is acutely aware of the emotional pitfalls that come with wealth.

Material things, he says, don’t change your core experience of life. If his father — the person he values most — were sick, driving a Ferrari wouldn’t make the pain go away. So while he enjoys the fruits of his labor, he never confuses them for purpose.

“I already have the thing I need,” he says, “which is my dad, and his health. Everything else is supplementary.”

His view on investing is similar. It’s not about chasing status — it’s about creating stability. Self-esteem, he argues, comes not from money, but from doing hard things consistently. Showing up for yourself. Living in alignment with your values.

That’s the return on investment most people forget to measure.

The Next Chapter

Professionally, Michael will keep growing AZ Holdings. He has a team he respects, and a responsibility to lead. But personally, he’s seeking something deeper.

Whether through mentoring, volunteering, or a new venture altogether, he’s looking to make an impact that goes beyond the transactional. One that leaves people better than he found them.

Because Michael Thomas didn’t build his life by following hype. He built it by trusting himself, staying disciplined, and playing the long game.

And now, from that position of calm strength, he’s quietly helping others do the same, if this resonates with you, drop Michael a message to see if he can help you achieve the same, unique to you.