It might surprise you that most rich people grew their wealth from entrepreneurship. Going from having nothing to becoming multimillionaires after years of perseverance, hard work, and grit, these entrepreneurs have not only re-shaped their lives but have also contributed to the economic society today.
These businesspeople have taken bold, calculated risks that have made them a financial force to be reckoned with. Here’s a list of some of the most famous entrepreneurs.
Walt Disney
As a young boy, Walt Disney was confused about what he wanted to achieve in life. Eventually, the prospects of cartoon filmmaking excited him, and he started out designing advertisements for newspapers and magazines via an art studio.
Then, he ventured into commercials before setting up his animation company. Years after, his company produced many family classics like Cinderella, Snow White, and Alice in Wonderland. Disney eventually expanded into theme parks, and Disneyland and Walt Disney World continue to be two of the top tourist attractions in the world.
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is one of the wealthiest and most influential female entrepreneurs out there and has built vast wealth and created innovations that influence lives today. Worth over $3 billion, Oprah started her career as a news anchor before blossoming into a full-blown entrepreneur.
Though she grew up poor with a single mother and was mistreated by others, that didn’t stop her from achieving her dreams. Today she is a pioneer in entrepreneurial endeavors and is constantly breaking new ground.
Steve Jobs
It’s almost impossible for any article on the world’s most famous entrepreneurs not to include Steve Jobs. Jobs co-founded Apple (AAPL), one of the only tech giants to challenge Microsoft (MSFT).
Jobs had a rough beginning as he was forced to drop out of university due to his family’s financial situation. He lived off the benevolence of others and did odd jobs to stay afloat. Then, together with his friend Steve Wozniak, he founded Apple. When Steve Jobs lost his life to cancer in 2011, he was estimated to be worth $10.2 billion.
J.K Rowling
Joanne Rowling, best known by her pen name J.K Rowling, is the author of the much-loved Harry Potter magical fantasy series. The books, movie franchise, and merchandise have earned her an estimated net worth of $1 billion.
Before writing the first Harry Potter book, the British author was broke and jobless while raising her daughter alone. She began writing in her spare time, and today, the Potter universe is a global phenomenon with multiple awards, seven books, and a billion-dollar franchise.
Jeff Bezos
Jeff Bezos is the founder of the retail giant Amazon and arguably the perfect example of an entrepreneur to emulate. His mother was only 17 when she gave birth to him and struggled to balance motherhood with education.
However, Jeff grew up to be an intelligent boy with a penchant for inventions. Not much later, he conceived the idea of what is now Amazon, a successful retail giant, and as people use the internet to shop, Amazon’s profit increases along with Bezos’s wealth.
Sarah Blakely
Sarah Treleavan Blakely founded the shapewear brand “Spanx,” a brand of body-slimming women’s undergarments, leggings, and swimwear. In 2012 Sarah became the world’s youngest female self-made millionaire.
Life had other plans for Sarah, as her original goal was to become a lawyer. Her major break came when Oprah Winfrey featured Spanx as one of her favorite things. Sarah has since built her empire, which is valued at $1.2 billion.
Bill Gates
American business magnate Bill Gates is best known for co-founding software giant Microsoft with his friend Paul Allen. He is arguably one of the world’s greatest philanthropists and entrepreneurs.
At 13, Gates was introduced to computers and decided that he had found his niche. Even though his first business failed, that didn’t discourage Gates from founding the world’s largest personal computer software company. Today, Gates is worth $116 billion, earning him fourth place on the list of the world’s wealthiest people.
Elon Musk
Born to a South African father and a Canadian mother, Elon Musk is one of the most famous entrepreneurs of all time. The business magnate and investor is the founder of Paypal, CEO of SpaceX, product architect of electric car company Tesla, CEO of Twitter, etc.
With many accomplishments, it’s no surprise he became a millionaire before his 30th birthday. The tech giant is known for developing unconventional ideas into realities.
Mark Zuckerberg
Internet entrepreneur and philanthropist Mark Zuckerberg is one entrepreneur that has revolutionalized communication. He started Facebook (the most widely used social networking site) at Harvard at the age of 19, and he now owns about 13% of the company’s stock.
Today Zuckerberg has dominated the social media world. According to Forbes, he is worth over $84 billion, and at only 38 years old, Zuckerberg is one of the youngest people in the world to achieve his level of wealth.
