Do you want to know more about self-made billionaires? Find out who they are in this article!
Billionaires are booming today. This is because of an increasing global-scale economy that helped the whole world to get wealthier. Many of them made their fortune by inventing things that changed other people lives. I would like to bring these self-made billionaires to your attention. They are important because they are not born with a silver spoon in their mouth, but they made their fortunes thanks to their skills.
The first-ever self-made billionaires
The first Forbes 400 was published in September 1982, during the period which followed that of the so-called Gilded Age. This era was characterized by a rapid economic growth and, consequently, an astounding wealth. Moreover, this epoch saw the first-ever self-made billionaires. Including:
John D. Rockefeller: American entrepreneur. He founded the Standard Oil, one of the biggest companies in history. Net worth in 1918: $1.2 BIL.
Henry Clay Frick: American entrepreneur and coal magnate. He founded the Frick Coke Company, a company that used beehive oven to turn coal into coke for use in steel manufacturing. In 1800 Frick bought out the company and it was renamed into H.C. Frick & Company. Net worth in 1919: $225 MIL.
Andrew Carnegie: Scottish industrialist, naturalized American. He founded the Carnegie Steel Company, a steel-producing company. Net worth in 1919: $200 MIL.
Self-made billionaires of our time
Forbes 400 is the definitive list of America’s richest billionaires by their estimated net worths. Let’s see the top 4 richest people in 2019:
Jeff Bezos: American internet entrepreneur. In 1994 he founded Amazon, the well-known e-commerce giant, in his garage in Seattle. He is still the CEO of the company. Net worth: $114 BIL.
Bill Gates: American business magnate, software developer and investor. He is the main founder of Microsoft, an american multinational software company for personal computer. In 2000, he stepped down as CEO and established with his wife the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the biggest private charitable foundation in the world. Net worth: $106 BIL.
Warren Buffett: American business magnate. He is one of the most successful investors in the world. Moreover, he is the chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, an American multinational conglomerate holding company. Net worth: $80.8 BIL.
Mark Zuckerberg: American internet entrepreneur. He is one of the five founders of the social network Facebook. He is now the chairman, CEO and controlling shareholder of the company. Net worth: $69.6 BIL.
Do you want to know more about billionaires? Netflix has recently released a documentary called “The billionaire” which is worth a watch!
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