Average guy becomes Rick by starting a successful business.
I only know of ones where they become rich by starting a successful business like The Millionaire Next Door and the Richard Jackson saga, however Richard does go from Ricky to Rick:
https://storiesonline.net/series/1162/rick-growing-up
https://storiesonline.net/s/54088/the-millionaire-next-door
https://storiesonline.net/s/46896/mcdonald-enterprises
Emend by Eclipse is another Lazlo story with a start a business theme:
https://storiesonline.net/s/18499/emend-by-eclipse
It's a do-over, the two MCs die during an eclipse and go back to their teen years. Does this mean seducing the cheerleaders and gambling on all the sure thing football games?
Nope, they are now broke working class kids, in the middle of the oil shock recession. Both were and are social misfits, one a genius with a negative Emotional Quotient to the point of being autistic and appearing catatonic when he thinks. The other is great with emotions and reading people, but has a learning disability.
Neither is willing to be a failure again, so Two Guys Working is formed and a couple of young-again teen boys start a business doing what they can do at that age: clean, rip out, repair, restore.
Of course there is a lot more to it than that. You have to read it to find out.
Emend by Eclipse is another Lazlo story with a start a business therme:
https://storiesonline.net/s/18499/emend-by-eclipse
It's a do-over, the two MCs die during an eclipse and go back to their teen years. Does this mean seducing the cheerleaders and gambling on all the sure thing football games?
Nope,,,
Awesome story!
Agreed. I paid for it on Lulu when Lazlo went missing from SOL. Well worth the money. Its now available for free, in full on SOL thanks to TeNderLoin. New readers can see Lazlo's blog for more info.
Thanks for the recommendation of 17th birthday @owensby
I thoroughly enjoyed that, apart from the really quick wrap up at the end which felt slightly rushed
For a lengthy saga of many who go from zilch to rich, try the stories of Steve, Sue, Chuck & Chuck. That'd be Dual Writer's series, Florida Friends https://storiesonline.net/series/734/florida-friends.
However, as I recall there's not a Rick in the bunch.
Also Dual Writer's Recluse and Ghost with a variety of business ventures. Admittedly there is found wealth but it comes after acquired wealth through various businesses.
Starting small by Lazlong:
Engineer gets laid off for having standards, goes into business for himself:
https://storiesonline.net/library/get_review.php?id=43447
Caveat. I have not read this story, I have read other works by Lazlong and enjoyed them, so I have bookmarked this one for later. Will cross post in the Engineering thread.
Try https://storiesonline.net/s/46896/mcdonald-enterprises
Guy leaves school, starts working as a lathe/mill worker and goes on to start a successful business. I believe it's set in Canada