Successful entrepreneurs in the world and their stories inspire you to continue on your path despite all odds. These stories also teach you to believe in yourself and your purpose. If you follow your heart and stay true to your goals, success will not prove a distant dream.
Below are the stories of entrepreneurs who started with nothing and inspired millions around the world:
Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs was one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the world. His story is an inspiration for those who want to lead. Jobs dropped out of college because his family couldn’t support him. During this period, he barely made ends meet by doing odd jobs.
Steve Jobs learnt calligraphy after dropping out of college. Since he was not taking regular classes, he found calligraphy exciting and joined the class for fun. He had no idea at that time it could have any practical implications.
However, it all came back to him when Jobs was making the first Macintosh computer. He used his art of calligraphy to create beautiful type faces for Mac. Windows copied the same design. No computer would have these fascinating font designs if it weren’t for jobs.
Steve Jobs worked on electronics with his father as a boy. It inspired him to pursue it as a career. He founded the Apple company with his childhood friend in his family garage. Jobs sold his Volkswagen bus, and his friend sold his scientific calculator to fund their first project.
After doing a couple of projects, they understood they needed more funds. They found a guarantor and secured a loan of $250,000. It is how they kickstarted a company that revolutionized the digital world.
“Apple is the first company to have a worth of 3 trillion dollars”. (Source)
Steve Jobs’ career as an entrepreneur proved a great success. He made computers accessible to ordinary consumers. Jobs left Apple in 1985 due to his differences with the management. Then, he started his hardware and software enterprise called Next.
However, Jobs joined Apple once again in 1997 as its CEO. He revitalized the company by introducing innovative products. Apple’s products like MacBook Air, iPod, and iPhone, proved cornerstones in the evolution of digital technology.
Steve jobs always advised young people to follow their hearts. He asked them to live each day of their lives as it was their last day on Earth. According to Jobs, it helps people make difficult decisions. These decisions can change their lives forever.
Steve Jobs was a millionaire by the age of 23. When he died, his net worth was about 10 billion dollars. He was a role model for entrepreneurs around the world. Below is one of his famous quotes:
“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life“.
Walt Disney
Walt Disney was another successful entrepreneur. He belonged to a low-income family who found it hard to make ends meet. We can say that he started his career as a farm boy. Disney used to draw pictures of neighbours’ horses. It is how he developed his interest in cartoons.
He applied for a job as a cartoonist in a newspaper but got rejected. Then he started working in an art studio. He created ads for newspapers and magazines. Finally, he landed in animation.
Disney’s first character was Oswald, the Lucky rabbit. However, Disney did not own it. Universal Pictures had its rights. When Disney left Universal Pictures due to a pay cut, he invented a new character. It was Mickey mouse. It proved a massive success for Disney.
Walt Disney is the pioneer of cartoon films. He founded the Disney channel and created amusement parks Disneyland and Disney World. He was the first person to produce a full-length animated feature film and open a theme park.
Walt Disney was an entertainment mogul and entrepreneurial star. He won 26 academy awards in total, the most by any person. Disney’s legacy lives even after 50 years of his death. You can judge the degree of his success by the net value of Disney company. Currently, it stands at 97 billion dollars.
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is a successful entrepreneur and an inspirational story of rags to riches. She was born in extreme poverty as her mother was an unmarried teen and a housemaid.
When Oprah was a school-going kid, she couldn’t afford proper clothes. But she had a passion and determination to change her fate. She fought against the odds and rose to global fame.
She faced all sorts of adversaries in her early life. The members of her family sexually abused her. However, nothing could break her courage. And once she started her journey, she never looked back.
She started her career at a local black radio station. Soon her passion led her to success. She hosted her first talk show in 1976 in Baltimore. She was also a news anchor in Nashville.
Oprah started her TV career with a string of morning shows. One of these shows was A.M. Chicago. When Oprah began to host it, it was a low-rated morning show. But under the influence of Oprah, it became a high-rated show. She left behind her biggest competitor Phil Donahue.
In 1986, Oprah began hosting the Oprah Winfrey Show. It was the highest-rated TV talk show that aired for 25 years. This show made Oprah a millionaire within a year at 32.
Oprah Winfrey is one of the most influential women in the world. She is a host, campaigner, and author with a net worth of 3 billion dollars.
According to Oprah, the secret to success is choosing a path that aligns with one’s personality.
Jan Koum
Jan Koum is the founder of WhatsApp. He was born in a low-income family in Ukraine. The family had not enough resources to survive there. It moved to California in search of good fortune.
When Koum reached California, he developed an appetite for computers. He read about them whenever he got time. It helped him gain sufficient expertise by the age of 18.
In 1997, Jan became a part of Yahoo and excelled in his favorite field. He remained a part of Yahoo for ten years. In 2009, Jan saw a boom in the app industry. It fascinated him, and he decided to launch his app.
In August 2009, Jan launched WhatsApp using his skills and expertise. Within a few years, WhatsApp became a popular app. It connected billions of people around the world. Seeing the success of WhatsApp, Facebook purchased it in 2014 for 19.3 billion dollars.
According to Forbes, the net worth of Jan Koum in 2022 is 9.8 billion dollars.
One of the most famous quotes from Jan Koum is, “Do one thing and do it well.”
Sophia Amoruso
Sophia Amoruso is another successful entrepreneur and rags to riches story. She started her entrepreneurial journey in 2006 at the age of 22. At that time, Sophia was working as a security guard. She collected vintage dresses from second-hand stores and sold them on eBay. She did the packaging and everything.
In 2008, she got banned from eBay and started selling products through her website. She used social media to attract traffic and generate sales. In 2012, her company was generating 100 million dollars in revenue.
Sophia also wrote the book Girlboss, which is a New York Times bestseller. Netflix also produced a series based on the book.
Sophia belonged to a humble background. She lived a nomadic life early on and didn’t have enough to eat. But with her will and determination, she completely changed her life.
One of her famous quotes is, “Abandon anything about your life and habits that can hold you back.”
Conclusion
The lives of Steve Jobs, Oprah Winfrey, Walt Disney, Jan Koum, and Sophia Amoruso are a source of inspiration for young people. These are the most successful entrepreneurs in the world, and their stories can put you back on track. No challenge is mightier than the will of a determined person.
