this post was submitted on 05 Jun 2024
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All billionaires come from privileged positions that afforded the needed social structures, and funding, to do it. Most people who become billionaires do so via inheritance. When you look into those who did not you see a pattern of born into a position with the resources to do so, and/or a string of random luck allowing for the needed connections.
Bill Gates' parents had enough money to send him to one of the few high schools that had a computer to learn coding on, had an investment banker uncle that put millions into microsoft when it was still operating in a motel room, and his mother was on the board of a charity with one of the board members of IBM, and asked him to consider her son's software.
Warren Buffett happened to meet a man who owned a large commercial property, that liked him, and ended up giving him the property, after mentoring him on how to invest, something he had developed an interest in after meeting someone in that industry while in the military. He sold the property for a lot of money and used it to apply what he had been mentored on.
Steve Jobs was adopted by well to do parents who raised him in silicon valley. This not only allowed him to be in silicon valley as it set off to be the most important place in the tech industry, he also had other benefits. His father had a full blown mechanic's set up in their garage because it was his hobby. He taught Steve to use tools, and work on machines. Their neighbor was also an eccentric engineer in the very early silicon valley computer tech industry. This neighbor went out of his way to befriend the local kids and teach them about computers, software, electronics, and engineering. He also happened to become close friends with the brilliant Steve Wozniak.
I can go on. All billionaire's lives are a string of exceptional fortunate events.
Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon and one of the wealthiest individuals in the world, was not born into a particularly wealthy family. His parents, Jacklyn and Ted Jorgensen, were teenagers when Bezos was born on January 12, 1964, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Bezos's biological father, Ted Jorgensen, was a bike shop owner and later worked as a circus performer. Jacklyn and Ted divorced when Bezos was still an infant, and Jacklyn remarried Miguel Bezos, a Cuban immigrant who legally adopted Jeff and gave him his last name.
Miguel Bezos worked as an engineer for Exxon, and the family moved frequently due to his job. While Bezos grew up in a relatively stable and middle-class environment, his parents emphasized hard work, education, and resourcefulness. Bezos often credited his stepfather, Miguel, for instilling in him important values and a strong work ethic.
While Bezos did not inherit significant wealth, his upbringing provided him with a supportive family environment and access to educational opportunities. Bezos attended Princeton University, where he studied electrical engineering and computer science, laying the groundwork for his future entrepreneurial endeavors. It was during his time at Princeton that Bezos developed the idea for an online bookstore, which eventually grew into the e-commerce giant Amazon.com.
Oprah Winfrey: Born into poverty in rural Mississippi, Oprah Winfrey overcame significant challenges, including a difficult childhood marked by poverty and abuse. Through perseverance and talent, she became one of the most successful media personalities in the world, building a media empire that includes television, film, publishing, and philanthropy.
Howard Schultz: Growing up in a Brooklyn housing project, Howard Schultz faced financial hardship and struggled academically. Despite these challenges, he became the CEO of Starbucks, transforming it from a small coffee retailer into one of the world's most recognizable brands.
Jan Koum: Jan Koum immigrated to the United States from Ukraine as a teenager with his mother, facing poverty and relying on government assistance. He later co-founded WhatsApp, a messaging platform that was acquired by Facebook for billions of dollars, making Koum a billionaire.
Larry Ellison: Larry Ellison grew up in a lower-middle-class neighborhood in Chicago, raised by his aunt and uncle after his father died when he was nine months old. He co-founded Oracle Corporation, one of the world's leading enterprise software companies, and became one of the wealthiest individuals in the world.
John Paul DeJoria: John Paul DeJoria experienced homelessness and financial struggles early in his life. He went on to co-found Paul Mitchell Systems, a hair care company, and later founded the Patron Spirits Company, becoming a self-made billionaire.
Ralph Lauren: Ralph Lauren grew up in the Bronx, New York, in a working-class family. He started his career in fashion by selling ties, eventually launching his own brand, Polo Ralph Lauren, which became synonymous with luxury and style.