It wasn't exactly a secret that desktop computing and computing in general was going to go big. Microsoft and computers were hyped up in the 80s, and Microsoft stock did pop right after the IPO. It continued to pop all through the 90s. And a savvy retail investor could have predicted the same with McD's in the 60s. McD's was a viral success.

If capital markets existed then as they do today, both of those companies probably would have waited until hitting $10B-$100B market caps before going public (although, McD being a non-tech company might be more difficult for them to raise money through VCs), totally squeezing average joe out.

100-1000x returns are life-changing even with as little as $500-$1000 invested. Plenty of retail investors with sub-million net worth have more than a few thousand dollars in disposable income.

There's college educated, six figure a year producers out there who don't qualify for "accredited investor" status because they didn't happen to be born into the lucky sperm club with a paid-for free ride to an ivy league school and a trust fund to boot. The regulations, as they are, are excessive and total bull shit.