In a world where career success is often equated with technical degrees and high-GPA credentials, it's easy to assume that only STEM graduates land top salaries. But what if you're a humanities graduate with big financial goals—like buying a home, achieving financial independence, or even outearning engineers in Taiwan’s high-paying tech hubs?
Welcome to Trader’s Real-World Business School, a special series from the podcast Whispers of a Million-Dollar Crypto Trader. Unlike our usual episodes focused on real-time cryptocurrency news and investment analysis, this series dives deep into personal growth, financial planning, and unconventional career strategies that have helped me—a humanities major—build wealth through digital assets before turning 30.
I’m Cryptor, a self-made crypto trader, founder of a fintech media company, and was named one of the Top Blockchain Influencers in Taiwan in early 2025. My journey wasn’t linear, but it was intentional. And today, I’ll share how you can design a career path that doesn’t just follow the crowd—but outperforms it.
👉 Discover how financial freedom starts with smart decisions—not just salary
The Reality of Salary Disparities: Why Humanities Grads Need a New Game Plan
Let’s talk numbers. In Taiwan, the median annual salary at Realtek—a major tech employer—is around NT$3.27 million. Compare that to the national average of NT$506,000, or even the top financial group, Yuanta Financial Holding, at NT$1.346 million. At first glance, it seems clear: STEM = higher pay.
But here's the catch: career success isn’t about averages—it’s about outliers.
Yes, real estate agents, insurance agents, and direct sellers can earn millions. But these are extreme cases—rare outcomes, not guaranteed paths. The truth is, if you’re a humanities graduate, competing directly with engineers on traditional metrics may put you at a structural disadvantage.
So instead of playing the same game, we need a better strategy—one that leverages agility, risk tolerance, and long-term learning to generate alpha in your career.
Just like investing in Bitcoin carries more volatility than passive index funds (like 0050), high-reward career paths come with higher risk. You won’t get rich overnight. But with the right approach, you can build a trajectory that surpasses conventional benchmarks.
Three Common Paths to High Income for Humanities Graduates
While there’s no single formula for success, certain career models consistently produce top earners—even without technical degrees.
1. Revenue-Linked Roles: Where Earnings Scale with Performance
These include careers like real estate brokerage, insurance sales, direct selling, financial advisory, tax planning, and trading. Your income directly ties to performance, not fixed salaries.
Pros: Unlimited earning potential.
Cons: Often no base salary during early stages; requires deep expertise and persistence. Many quit before breaking even.
This path demands resilience. But for those willing to endure the grind, the payoff can be life-changing.
2. International Mobility: Going Global
Overseas education or expatriate roles open doors to higher-paying markets—especially in finance, consulting, or multinational corporations.
Requirements: Strong English skills, cultural adaptability, and sometimes significant financial investment in education or relocation.
While popular among Taiwanese professionals, this route depends heavily on access to resources and opportunities abroad.
3. Entrepreneurship or Becoming a Key Executive
Founding a startup or rising to a leadership role in a fast-growing company (like Yang Lijuan at Haidilao or He Yi at Binance) offers exponential growth potential.
But here’s the hard truth: only 1% of startups survive past five years, according to CommonWealth Magazine. Whether you’re launching your own venture or joining someone else’s rocket ship, the odds are stacked against you.
So how do you beat the 1% survival rate?
👉 Learn how top performers identify high-growth opportunities before they go mainstream
The Secret to Beating the Startup Odds: Strategic Learning & Timing
Here’s a reality check: most people spend four years in college and two in graduate school mastering academic disciplines. Yet few dedicate even two years to learning entrepreneurship, investing, or business operations.
If you wouldn’t trust surgery to someone who read one book, why trust your financial future to untrained decisions?
I’ve analyzed hundreds of startups and identified a powerful pattern: the optimal time to join is during the 1-to-10 growth phase.
- Stage 0-to-1 (Ideation/Validation): High failure risk. Great for founders with skin in the game—but risky for early employees.
- Stage 1-to-10 (Hypergrowth): Product-market fit achieved. Rapid scaling. Early hires get equity upside and accelerated learning.
- Stage 10-to-100 (Maturity): Growth slows. Roles become specialized. Fewer high-impact opportunities remain.
Your best bet? Join a company that has validated its model but is still scaling fast.
This isn’t just theory. My team at MurmurCat Investment navigated the 2022 crypto winter—surviving NFT rug pulls, Luna’s collapse, and FTX’s sudden downfall—by focusing on research-driven decision-making. Our background in equity and digital asset analysis gave us an edge when others panicked.
Now, as we expand during this bear market (yes—bear markets are hiring seasons for the bold), we’re looking for talent who think like builders.
We don’t want generic resumes. We want proof of impact: marketing campaigns you’ve run, SEO results you’ve delivered, content strategies that moved metrics. Think of it like a developer submitting code samples—show us your work.
Interested? We’re hiring for roles in digital marketing, SEO optimization, and growth strategy. No templates. Just results.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Can someone without a finance background succeed in crypto trading?
A: Absolutely. Success in crypto comes from research discipline, risk management, and emotional control—not formal degrees. Many top traders started with zero financial training.
Q: Is joining a startup really better than a stable corporate job?
A: It depends on your goals. Startups offer faster growth and equity upside but come with higher uncertainty. For those seeking rapid skill development and wealth creation, the trade-off can be worth it.
Q: How long does it take to see results in performance-based roles like sales or trading?
A: Typically 12–24 months. The first year is about learning and building systems. Consistent profits usually follow after disciplined practice and feedback loops.
Q: What skills are most valuable for early-stage startups?
A: Versatility wins. Marketing, data analysis, community engagement, and content creation are critical. Being able to wear multiple hats increases your impact and visibility.
Q: Why hire during a bear market?
A: Because talent is abundant and valuations are realistic. Building quietly now positions us to lead when the next bull cycle begins.
Q: Do I need crypto experience to apply?
A: Not necessarily. We value transferable skills—especially in analytics, user acquisition, and strategic thinking. Passion for Web3 and willingness to learn matter more than prior experience.
Final Thoughts: Build Your Own Ladder
You don’t need a STEM degree to outearn tech salaries. What you do need is a clear strategy, relentless learning, and the courage to take calculated risks.
Whether you choose performance-based sales, global mobility, or high-growth startups—the key is aligning your efforts with scalable models where effort compounds over time.
And if you're ready to take control of your financial future—not just through salary, but through ownership and insight—then it’s time to think differently.
👉 Start your journey toward financial independence with tools trusted by top traders
The future belongs to those who prepare during downturns. Will you be one of them?