Justine Musk Reveals Elon’s Success Secrets in TEDx Talk

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Justine Musk, the ex-wife of billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, recently shared insights into the personal philosophy behind his success during a TEDx talk, emphasizing the importance of boundaries and focus, particularly his ability to say “no.” This provided a unique perspective on the entrepreneur behind Tesla and SpaceX.

Justine Musk, a Canadian fantasy author and mother of five of Elon Musk’s children, reflected on their strained marriage in a 2008 essay that has drawn renewed attention following the recent launch of Musk’s biography. Born in 1972, Justine is known for novels like “BloodAngel” and “Uninvited,” which often explore themes of personal struggle and resilience.

Justine (then Wilson) met Elon Musk at Queen's University in Ontario. Their courtship involved ice cream and, later, Musk giving her his credit card to buy books. They married in 2000 and moved to Los Angeles. They tragically lost their first son, Nevada, to SIDS, and later had twins and triplets. The couple divorced in 2008, the same year Musk became Tesla CEO.

In the essay Justine wrote, “This, and the vast economic imbalance between us, meant that in the months following our wedding, a certain dynamic began to take hold. Elon’s judgment overruled mine, and he was constantly remarking on the ways he found me lacking. ‘I am your wife,’ I told him repeatedly, ‘not your employee.'”

“If you were my employee,” he said just as often, “I would fire you.”

Following their divorce, Elon Musk stated he offered Justine a substantial settlement, which she rejected. He currently covers all expenses for their children and provides monthly support. She also retained the family home in Bel Air.

Billionaire businessman Elon Musk is set to join the Donald Trump-led US government this week — partnering with Vivek Ramaswamy on a project to slash the size of the federal government. There has also been renewed interest in his personal life and work ethics as the Tesla and SpaceX CEO becomes a permanent fixture in news headlines.

“I was married…to a man who became extremely successful. And as I watched him rise, I noticed two things. He worked very hard, much harder than your average bear. And he said no a lot,” his ex-wife Justine Musk reportedly said during a TedX talk in 2014.

Details about their messy divorce — outlined by Justine Musk in a 2008 essay — have also come under the spotlight ahead of the inauguration.

Elon Musk is now slated to lead the Department of Government Efficiency under Donald Trump. DOGE will be a nongovernmental task force assigned to find ways to fire federal workers, cut programs and slash federal regulations — all part of what the incoming POTUS calls his “Save America” agenda for a second term in the White House.