Famous businessmen of the world and history. Business success stories from scratch. Ideas for a Billion

It is difficult to find a person who would not like to live in abundance. And if some have to work every day by the sweat of their brows to earn a penny, then fate has presented huge fortunes as an inheritance to others.

1. Wealth without happiness - empty clinking of coins

Unfortunately, most of us are not darlings of fate, and there is no end in sight to our daily chores. But many rich people created their first capital thanks to resourcefulness, the correct use of their talents, on which their whole biography was based. And thoughts, as time shows, are united in one thing - to work as much as possible with the mind and not be lazy.

The famous French writer and philosopher Stendhal believed that a person lives on earth not in order to become rich, but in order to become happy. Achieving high prosperity does not mean finding peace and joy in life. Direct proof of this is the biographies of the world's richest people. Many billionaires, drowning in luxury, still remained lonely and unhappy.

2. Biography and thoughts of the richest people in the world, besides the kind

Successful people of this world are known to everyone. Bill Gates, for example, has been one of the many for a number of years. Where did you start? I just loved technology, was fond of computers and created the Microsoft program. He simply risked, but risked deliberately, realizing that the product is necessary for users of personal computers. Its main motto is not to be satisfied with what has already been achieved. It was he who expressed the idea that intellectual property has a shelf life for bananas.

Let's look at another successful lady. Oprah Winfrey, a black American woman, lived in a poor family, went to a simple school. Only work on herself, curiosity and a diligent attitude to everything she does, brought her to the bench of the Faculty of History. Perhaps it was the biography and thoughts of the richest people in the world, about whom she learned from history books, that taught her a lot. “Don't give up on your dreams. Don't give up on yourself. Your persistence will pay off anyway! " - these are her words. They are a direct confirmation of her determination. A keen mind, a desire to delve deeper into the fate of people, purity of speech made her OWN program the most popular and demanded among viewers. So not all biographies of the richest people in the world are full of gifts of fate.

3. Acquired or appropriated?

I don't really want to find out how the Russian tycoons got rich, the whole point is that here, in addition to intelligence and resourcefulness, the "freebie" effect worked. Many Russian rich became the owners of the property left over from the Soviet period: factories, plants, combines, etc. The biography and thoughts of the richest people in the world in relation to Russian billionaires lose their instructive and meaning. Everything was earned fraudulently in the dashing 90s through the appropriation of someone else's or state capital.

American billionaire Donald Trump is another matter. He was brought up in an ordinary family with four children. Donald was a difficult child, and in order to curb the boy's hard temper at least a little, he was placed at the Military Academy at the age of 13. And there he learned discipline and toughness. He perfectly described his temper with the words: "In business, it is better to be cocky, even impudent, than tough and intractable." The study provided a moral start, and Donald decided to be more aggressive in order to get the desired result. The owner of numerous casinos and hotels scattered all over the world, began with the fact that with the support of the state, together with his father, he reconstructed the Commodore Hotel. The biography of the richest people in the world - Donald and Fred Trump - tells us that there are no easy paths to wealth. Life rewards those who are not afraid of difficulties.

The biography of the richest people in the world often begins precisely with impulses of a moral and psychological nature. The main thing is to be able and not to deviate from the intended goal.

Ksenia Sobchak is a name that is familiar to almost every resident the former USSR... Her life is a vivid example of dedication and self-confidence. She was able to achieve considerable success in television, journalism, journalism. The biography and personal life of Ksenia Sobchak often become the subject of discussion. We decided not to be like the "yellow press" and will briefly talk about the difficult path to recognition that she managed to go through.

Today we will tell you about who Donald Trump is: biography, rise to the top of business, political Olympus and other main facts from his life. At the moment, Trump is the 45th President of the United States and therefore is in the spotlight, but there are many interesting points in his biography, which we will consider in this article.

Every year the popular American magazine Forbes publishes a ranking of the richest people in the world. Moreover, not only men but also women fall into it. Today, women have gained financial independence - they are building their own empires, making billions, opening charitable foundations and chasing success. Strong women inspire all representatives of the beautiful half of humanity and serve as an example for them. Many, and we are sure not only women, will be interested in reading the latest statistics from Forbes Woman. We will talk about all the successful ladies who made it to the top of the list of rich people in 2016 in our article. Enjoy reading!

Robert Kiyosaki is one of the most successful investors and businessmen of our time. His life principle is not to go with the flow, but to always look for non-standard ways to solve problems in the business sphere. This approach motivated the entrepreneur to write a whole series of motivational books, the main of which, according to experts and critics, is “Rich Dad Poor Dad”. Now Kiyosaki conducts trainings all over the world. His books have been translated into 51 languages ​​and sold in over 100 countries.

Carlos Slim owns the holding, which he began to develop in the late 60s, and the telecommunications corporation America Movil. The richest man in the world believes that the main thing is to change his children for the better, and not to give them something ready-made.

The richest people in the world and earth

Let's see who they are - the richest people in the world. Most people associate wealth with the success of its owner in society. This is true and not true. Hundreds of thousands of people consider themselves successful people without having significant funds... They live in abundance, but they do not have wealth. Since the wealth of individuals arises, and what it takes to become rich: the life goal of constant enrichment; luck or luck; unique ability or talent; high education and knowledge? Let's look at these people, their biographies and maybe understand what the mystery and answer to the acquisition of wealth is.

The generally recognized rating of the world's wealthy is published annually by the American magazine Forbes, the first copy of which appeared in 1917, and the first rating of the rich was published in 1918 and in it the first line was occupied by John Rockefeller. The magazine has been published in Russia for 10 years, annually assessing the wealth of the richest people in Russia. It is the most authoritative source of information about the wealth of people and its ranking on the pages of the magazine is considered the most reliable.

Forbes richest people ranking 2015

The richest people in the world at Forbes are 1,826 people, they own $ 7 trillion, with an average fortune of about $ 4 billion. Of course, the magazine does not list all 1,826 people on its pages, but only lists the 300 richest people in the world, and we will cite only the top ten richest people in the world:

1. Bill Gates (USA) - founder of Microsoft with a fortune of $ 79.2 billion;
2. Carlos Slim Elu (Mexico) - the owner of the telecommunications network with a fortune of $ 77.1 billion;
3. Warren Buffett (USA) - the largest investor with a fortune of $ 72.7 billion;
4. Amancia Ortega (Spain) - founder and owner of Zara, net worth $ 64.5 billion;
5. Larry Alison (USA) - founder of the software company Oracle with a fortune of $ 54.3 billion;
6. Charles Koch (USA) - construction and oil refining business with a fortune of 42.9 billion;
7. David Koch (USA) - construction and oil refining business with a fortune of 42.9 billion;
8. Christy Walton (USA) - co-owner of the Wal-Mart with a fortune of $ 41.7 billion, and the richest woman in the world;
9. Jim Walton (USA) - a banker and co-owner of the Wal-Mart retail chain with a fortune of $ 40.6 billion;
10. Liliane Bettencourt (France) is the owner of the L'Oreal cosmetics empire and the richest woman in Europe with a fortune of $ 40.6 billion.

Forbes ranking of richest people in Russia 2015

1. Vladimir Potanin - owner of TMK Norilsk Nickel, worth $ 15.4 billion;
2. Mikhail Fridman - controls the financial and industrial company Alfa Group, a fortune of $ 14.6 billion;
3. Alisher Usmanov - owns the assets of the metallurgical giant Metalloinvest, the mobile operator Megafon and a number of other assets, a fortune of $ 14.4 billion;
4. Viktor Vekselberg - owner of the Renova group of companies and a number of other assets, worth $ 14.2 billion;
5. Alexey Mordashov is the owner of Severstal with a fortune of $ 13 billion;
6. Vagit Alekperov is the owner of the largest private oil company Lukoil, worth $ 12.2 billion;
7. Leonid Mikhelson - owner of Novatek with a fortune of $ 11.7 billion;
8. Vladimir Lisin - the owner of the Novolipetsk Metallurgical Plant, a fortune of $ 11.6 billion;
9. Gennady Timchenko - the owner of many assets with a fortune of $ 10.7 billion;
10. Mikhail Prokhorov is a banker, media mogul, co-owner of the world's largest producer of potash fertilizers, Uralkali, worth $ 9.9 billion.

Of course, the richest people in Russia are not limited to this list and their distribution within the list very often changes, for example, for the last two years it was headed by Alisher Usmanov.

Biographies of the richest people on the planet

Analyzing life path each of the richest people on the planet, they can be divided into heirs of huge fortunes and people who have risen to this list from the very bottom, or who have achieved their fortune with organizational talent, a sense of time and other abilities necessary for a successful business.

The biography of the richest people in the world shows the features of the ways to achieve wealth for each of them. Of the top ten ranking, the richest people in the world according to Forbes, only three inherited huge capital: Christy Walton, Jim Walton - the heirs of the largest Wal-Mart retail chain, and Lillian Bettencourt, who inherited the L'Oreal company from Eugene Scheller's father. Of course, there are a lot of rich people on the Forbes lists, whose fortunes were made by their fathers and even grandfathers. Among them are well-known names: Rockefellers, Morgan and others. Preserving inherited wealth is also not an easy task, but much easier than making a multi-billion dollar fortune from scratch.

The richest people in the world are described. Rich people are not so few as it seems at first glance.

The ranking of the richest people in the world begins with Bill Gates (William Bill Gates), a man who made his fortune with his intellect, organizational talents, and foresight. His company Microsoft is a leading global manufacturer software for personal computers, the general development of which, Gates foresaw. He did not even finish his studies at Harvard University and, after leaving his third year, founded Microsoft. Gates was actively involved in the development of software products and developed a strategy for the development of Microsoft.

The list of the richest people in the world was occupied by representatives of the United States, but for some time, from 2010 to 2013, it was headed by the representative of Mexico, of Arab origin, Carlos Slim Elu, a man who achieved everything he has with his work, perseverance, knowledge and desire to win. I must say that the basis of the future capital of Carlos Slim Elu was put together by his father. After graduating from the National University in Mexico City and receiving an engineering degree, at the age of 25 he set about creating the future Grupo Carso empire. In 1982, taking advantage of the crisis in Mexico, he bought for a pittance the shares of many famous companies, and at the beginning of 1990 buys the telecommunications company Telmex (Telefonos de Mexico). He further specializes in this industry and buys telecommunications companies throughout Latin America. He was included in the Forbes list already in 2002.

Warren Buffett, the richest and no less famous investor in the world, was born into the family of a stock trader and from childhood was familiar with financial transactions and the stock exchange. He first made a stock purchase when he was 11, bought several Cities Service shares for $ 38. The stock quickly dropped to $ 27, but later climbed to $ 40. Warren immediately sold it for $ 5. A few days later, the stock jumped to $ 200. After that, Buffett formed one of the most important principles of investing: "patience is rewarded." Unlike Bill Gates, Buffett received an excellent education, graduating from Columbia University and for his further activities as a successful investor received the nickname "The Oracle of Omaha". "The main secret of successful investing is to choose good stocks at the right time and keep them as long as those stocks are good" - this principle of Buffett is used by thousands of investors around the world.

The biographies of Russian billionaires are not nearly as impressive. Although it is believed that their wealth was created from scratch, the wealthy people of Russia made their fortunes through certain financial schemes, the legal purity of which is questionable. And biographical information is not always available.

Among a dozen names of Russia's billionaires, Mikhail Prokhorov looks like an example of typical growth from a simple entrepreneur to the Forbes list. Prokhorov in 1989, after graduating from the financial academy, worked until 1992 at the International Bank for Economic Cooperation, where Vladimir Potanin became his business partner until 2008. Then he went his own way, developing his business.

V modern world there are many billionaires, and there is nothing surprising here, but exactly how they achieved their financial excellence is truly amazing. Not all of them are catchy spendthriders, as we see them in Hollywood bulletins. In fact, many of them surround themselves with modest attributes of life. We have collected best advice about the attitude to money from the richest people on the planet.

1. Michael Bloomberg

Personal net worth: 34.3 billion

Realize what is good for you and follow it.

Michael Bloomberg is well known as one of New York's most controversial mayors and is the majority owner of LP Bloomberg, a global information company for participants in the financial markets. One of the facts that no one knows about is that in the last 10 years, Michael has only bought two pairs of shoes. These are two pairs of black loafers that go perfectly with all the suits the billionaire feels most comfortable in.

He realized what was good for him and was investing the fortune that could have been spent on an unnecessary pair of shoes in really useful things.

2. Bill Gates

Personal capital: 79 billion

Making mistakes in finances is a common occurrence in life. We all do this, with the difference that those who reach financial heights in life not only make mistakes, but also learn from them. Bill Gates, well known as one of the richest men in the world, once said.

It is good to enjoy your success, but it is much more important to remember mistakes..

3. Ingvar Kamprad

Personal capital: 53 billion

Ingvar Kamprad, founder of IKEA, believes that a lot of spending is absolutely useless, even if money burns your pocket. Like many other super-wealthy people, he chooses economy class flights instead of his private jet. In his memoirs, Kamprad writes:

We don't need flashy cars that inspire titles, uniforms, or other status symbols. We really rely on our own strength and will.

4. Warren Buffett

Personal net worth: 66.1 billion

Buy a home that suits your needs.

Warren Buffett is a classic example of the golden rule. He still lives in Omaha, Nebraska, in a home he bought in 1958 for $ 31,500. Despite a fortune of billions of dollars in the account, Buffett sees no point in living in an incredible mansion. He feels happy in his modest 5-room home in the heart of America.

5. Oprah Winfrey

Personal Capital: 2.9 billion

This simple piece of advice was instrumental in Oprah's life. Now this advice has become an aphorism

You become what you believe in. Where you are in your life is based on what you believed in before.

The realization that it really brings you joy and then helps you achieve the highest results.

6. Richard Branson

Personal capital: 5.1 billion

Set goals and do everything to achieve them.

British billionaire and founder of VirginGroup, Richard Branson started out with a list of goals. The goals on this list were not even realistic, but he set them and did everything to achieve them. He knew that goal-setting is the foundation of success.

7. Carlos Slim Hel

Personal capital: 78.5 billion

Put it aside from your youth.

Carlos Slim, a Mexican businessman who was named the richest man on the planet, like Bill Gates, shares the most important tips for financial success. Start saving money as early as possible! The sooner you start saving money and managing it wisely, the better it will be for you in the future, regardless of the position you hold and will hold.

8. John Codwell

Personal net worth: 2.6 billion

Don't neglect public transport.

A businessman from England has achieved his success in the mobile communications industry, but this does not at all mean that he uses an expensive car and flaunts his fortune. In fact, he loves to walk, ride his bike and use public transportation.

9. David Cheriton

Personal capital: 1.7 billion

Learn to do things yourself.

David Cheriton was one of the earliest investors in Google and is enjoying the result of his $ 100,000 investment in 1998. He nevertheless turns his hair down and cuts his own hair. Even such a seemingly insignificant amount can be useful in other areas of life. Just think how much money you give to other people, while you can do the same things yourself.

10. Mark Zuckerberg

Personal capital: 30 billion

Be humble.

Even the founder of Facebook lives frugally in many aspects of his life. One example is his auto, the $ 30,000 Acura sedan. He can afford absolutely any car or even a whole ship, but instead he chooses a modest and practical car.

11. John Donald MacArthur

Personal Capital: 3.7 billion

Make a budget and stick to it.

MacArthur was the sole shareholder of Bankers Life and Casualty Company. Despite living in the era of Hollywood glitz and glamor, MacArthur gave up expensive purchases and lived very modestly. He never owned luxury goods, had no press agents, and had an annual budget of $ 25,000.

12. Rose Kennedy

The financial condition at the time of death is unknown.

Be creative and look for cost alternatives.

Rose Kennedy is better known as the matriarch of an infamous family. But her money-saving tactics were amazing. Especially when you consider the wealth accumulated by the family. Instead of buying packs of waste paper, she preferred to wait until the end of the year and bought old table calendars, which were losing their relevance. As a rule, it was cheaper than waste paper. it good example saving even in small things.

13. Thomas Boone Pickens

Personal Capital: 1 billion

Make a shopping list and don't take more cash than you need.

Oil tycoon and billionaire Pickens always practices one surefire way to save money. He never carries more money in his wallet than he needs. He makes a shopping list before heading to the store. And he buys only what is on this list. And the amount of money in his wallet will not allow him to break this rule. You can't spend money that you don't have, can you?

14. Jim Walton

Personal capital: 34.7 billion

You don't need the latest and greatest.

Jim Walton, the youngest son of WalMart founder Sam Walton, lives a humble lifestyle. This is how his father always taught him. Despite his financial success, he still drives a pickup truck that is over 15 years old. He understands what needs to be received from your vehicle everything without a trace. Instead of driving around in the most luxurious and expensive car you can buy.

15. Donald Trump

Personal Capital: 3.9 billion

Donald Trump has earned his success with his hard work. Many losers think Trump is just lucky in the world of finance. But Trump says luck comes after hard work.

If your work is paying off for you, then most likely people will say that you are just lucky. Maybe it’s because you’re lucky enough to have brains to work with.!

16.Robert Kuok

Personal Capital: 11.5 billion

Use all the opportunities that you have.

Robert Kuok, the richest man in Malaysia, lives by the rules he learned from his mother. Never be greedy, don't take advantage of others, and always have high moral standards when it comes to your relationship with money. Robert says that in order to become successful at financial plan, you must be brave and always take every opportunity that comes your way. Even when others question your ability.

17. Lee Kashin

Personal Capital: 31 billion

Live modestly.

Lee is the richest man in Asia and is one of the ten richest people in the world. Lee owns an empire that is represented in 52 countries with 270,000 employees. He believes his incredible success lies in a simple and humble life. When you are just starting your journey, you must train yourself to live modestly and not be proud of your fortune.

18. Jack Ma

Personal Capital: 10 billion

The customer always comes first.

Jack Ma, founder of the Alibaba Group and billionaire, believes that customers should always be the number one priority. They are followed by employees, and the last in this chain should be shareholders. Ma believes that a person's attitude towards how they live their lives is more important than their abilities.

19. Howard Schultz

Personal Capital: 2.2 billion

I never wanted to be one of the billionaire list. I have never defined myself by my wealth. I always try to define myself and my values.

Howard Schultz, chairman of the board of directors of Starbucks, said that a person's values ​​are much more important than his capital.

Do you want to become a coach in your field,
make big money and influence society? You can do this
learn live "". Come!

The number of world billionaires has doubled in 10 years. In 2017, there were 1,810 people on the list, and in 2018 this figure increased to 2208. However, in 2018, there were 55 fewer billionaires in the world. There are currently 2,153 people whose combined wealth is estimated at $ 8.7 trillion.

On average, billionaires' fortunes rise by $ 900 billion per year, or $ 2.5 billion a day. At the same time, the entire capital of the poor population, which is 3.8 billion people, is equal to the fortunes of the 26 rich, and 3.4 billion people live on the brink of poverty, earning less than $ 5.5 per day.

However, this year the stock market has dropped severely several times, resulting in a drop in the number of dollar millionaires, although it has been stable since 2008. Due to another fall in American stock indices, the 10 richest people in the world have lost almost $ 18 billion. As a result of trading on August 14, the key indices fell by 3%. After that, the fortune of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos decreased by $ 3.5 billion, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg - by $ 3.2 billion, CEO and chairman of the board of directors of LVMH Bernard Arnault - by $ 3 billion. Prior to that, according to the results of trading on August 5, the richest people in the world lost $ 23 billion.

More than half of all dollar millionaires live in the United States, Japan, Germany and China.

Most often, millionaires move to Australia, the USA and Canada. Last year, 12 thousand dollar millionaires came to Australia, 10 thousand to the USA, and 4 thousand to Canada.

According to the consulting firm Capgemini, there were 18 million people in the world in 2018, whose capital exceeded $ 1 million. Total capital fell to $ 68.1 trillion.

In the United States of America, the number of millionaires has exceeded the number of people living in Sweden or Portugal, according to the consulting company Spectrem Group.

The population of Sweden is 10 million, and the population of Portugal is almost 10.2 million. There are 11.8 million people living in the United States, whose fortune is estimated at $ 1 million. The number of millionaires in America has been growing for 10 years in a row. However, growth in America's wealthy population has slowed in 2018 due to the ambiguous political situation and the state of the global economy.

At the same time, the number of the rich who own assets estimated at $ 5-25 million increased by 3.5% to 1.397 million people. The capital of 173 thousand of the richest Americans exceeds $ 25 million.

The current TOP-5 of the Forbes rating

The American financial magazine Forbes, since 1987, has published an annual list of the richest people in the world. The list does not include people with "unclear" origins of capital, as well as dictators and members of their families.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is considered the richest man in the world. His fortune is already estimated at $ 112 billion. According to the humanitarian and charity organization Oxfam, just 1% of Bezos's total capital is equal to the health budget in Ethiopia, which has a population of 105 million. Jeff Bezos is best known as the owner of the Amazon retailer. In addition, he owns the aerospace company Blue Origin and the publishing house The Washington Post.

In addition to him, Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Bernard Arnault and Mark Zuckerberg were in the top five. Zuckerberg made it to the top of the rankings for the first time in 2017, becoming the youngest billionaire in the world, because then he was only 31 years old.

In 2017, Gates had $ 75 billion, Buffett had $ 60.8 billion, Bezos had $ 45.2 billion, and Zuckerberg had $ 44.6 billion. The top five rich also included Amanicio Ortega ($ 67 billion) and Carlos Slim Elu ($ 50 billion).

In addition, Bloomberg updated its ranking of wealthy families in 2019. According to Bloomberg, the 25 richest families have concentrated on their property $ 1.4 trillion. In the first place in the list of the richest families in the world - the Waltons. This family controls the Walmart supermarket chain.

In total, the capital of the entire Walton family is $ 191 billion. Totally agree Last year this amount increased by $ 39 billion. Nearly 9,000 Walmart Stores Inc. work in 15 countries, and thanks to this, the Waltons become richer by $ 4 million every hour.

In second place are the heirs of Frank Mars, the founder of the confectionery company Mars Inc. The capital of the Mars family grew to $ 126.5 billion in a year. The third place was taken by the Koch brothers, owners of the petrochemical company Koch Industries. Their fortune is estimated at $ 125 billion.

In fourth place is the ruling dynasty of Saudi Arabia, Al-Saud, whose capital is $ 100 billion. The five leaders are closed by brothers Alain and Gerard Wertheimer, the heirs of the founder of Chanel with a capital of 57.6 billion dollars.

The richest Ukrainians

He is followed by Konstantin Zhevago. His fortune grew by 400 million to $ 1.6 billion.

Slightly lower on the list - Yuriy Kosyuk, Ukrainian entrepreneur, owner of a controlling stake in the company and director of MHP S.A., chairman of the board of OJSC Mironovsky Hliboproduct with a capital of $ 1.5 billion. This means that he had more money by $ 300 million in a year.

Victor Pinchuk, who occupies the next position, enriched by $ 100 million to $ 1.4 billion.

The following are Gennady Bogolyubov and Igor Kolomoisky, who spent money in a year, but did not make a profit. Bogolyubov's fortune fell from $ 1.4 billion to $ 1.2 billion, and Kolomoisky's - from $ 1.1 billion to $ 1 billion.

Vadim Novinsky also became a billionaire, taking 2057 place in the general list.

According to the declarations of income for 2018, the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine recorded an increase in hryvnia millionaires. If at the end of 2017 there were 742 such citizens, then at the end of last year their number increased to 1,120 people.

The consulting company New World Wealth conducted a study, according to which it turned out that over a hundred dollar millionaires left Ukraine for the whole of 2018. However, the outflow of Ukrainian millionaires is not as serious as in other countries. In the overall ranking, Ukraine ranks between Venezuela and Egypt.

According to a study by the international consulting company Wealth-X, Ukraine is in the top 10 countries, in which the number of owners of a million fortune is growing rapidly.

At the end of 2018, there were more than 22 million people worldwide whose financial position estimated from 1 to 30 million dollars. Ukraine managed to close the top ten leading countries in terms of growth in the number of millionaires. New millionaires appear in Ukraine every year 9.2% more often. Nigeria became the absolute leader in this list with an increase of 16.3%.

The most successful entrepreneurs in history

Among the most successful entrepreneurs who have left their mark on history, the Rothschild family should be named, whose fortune is now estimated at $ 350 billion. Mining enterprises, winemaking, investments in banks, agricultural land and private assets helped them to accumulate such capital.

John Rockefeller became the world's first dollar billionaire on September 29, 1916. He made $ 340 billion (in modern terms) in his lifetime, founded Standart Oil, and invested in railways, steel mills, shipping companies, and real estate firms.

Andrew Carnegie is an industrialist with American and Irish roots, the owner of the steel company Carnegie Steel, whose assets would now be $ 310 billion.

Henry Ford, an American car manufacturer, left a mark on history as successful businessman and a wise man of his time. Billions were brought to him by the Ford Motor company he founded, which has many branches in various countries of the world. His net worth would be $ 199 billion by today's standards.

Cornelius Vanderbilt, who also founded a dynasty of entrepreneurs, virtually changed the course of American history. Its main profitable business were investments in railroad, actively developing at that time. In total, during his life, he earned $ 185 billion in terms of today's level.

Michael Bloomberg, who is in 8th place in the Forbes Top Ten, has donated about $ 4 billion to charity so far. His main areas of assistance are contributions to the development of the arts, educational goals and medical research, in particular, therapy and diagnosis of cancer.

The Koch brothers, co-owners of the Koch Industries holding, actively donate funds to the development of education in the United States, and in 2014 one of the areas of the Metropolitan Museum in New York was named after David Koch in gratitude for the funds allocated for its reconstruction.

Successful people and charity

Many of the success stories of wealthy people include lines about charitable giving and sponsoring low-profit organizations.

For example, Bill Gates founded his own charitable foundation and has donated more than $ 39 billion to educational programs, vaccinations in developing countries, AIDS research, refugee assistance and the fight against polio.

Michael Bloomberg, who has been in the top 10 for several years in a row, has donated about $ 4 billion to charity. The main areas of his assistance are contributions to the development of the arts, educational goals and medical research, in particular, therapy and diagnosis of cancer.

The Koch brothers, co-owners of the Koch Industries holding, actively donate funds to the development of education in the United States, and in 2014 one of the squares of the Metropolitan Museum in New York was named after David Koch in gratitude for his help in the reconstruction of the museum.

Bitcoin billionaires

In 2017, the first Bitcoin billionaires appeared in the world. They were the Americans, the twin brothers Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, who are known to the general public for accusing Mark Zuckerberg of stealing the Facebook idea.

Part of the money that Zuckerberg paid them under the settlement agreement, in 2013 they invested in the Bitcoin cryptocurrency. The total investment amounted to $ 11 million.

In the first "crypto list" Forbes, there are 19 names.

Second place went to Ethereum co-founder and former CEO of Goldman Sachs, Joseph Lubin. He was counted 1-5 billion dollars.

The bronze was taken by the creator of the largest crypto exchange Binance, Changpeng Zhao. He has from $ 1.2 billion to $ 2 billion in cryptocurrency.

Today these people are on the Forbes list, but the beginning of their life did not foreshadow such a development of events. Many billionaires have amassed their fortunes by overcoming social, political and psychological barriers. Inspirational examples of the richest people in the world.

Members of the Forbes list are considered to be darlings of fate who have drawn out a lucky ticket and do not know the hardships of a simple life. However, many billionaires have made their fortunes out of poverty and overcoming incredible social, political and psychological barriers. The most inspiring stories from the 2015 world rankings in our selection.

Moed Altrad

• Condition: $ 1 billion
• Country: France

The story of the 67-year-old French billionaire, who entered the Forbes rating for the first time this year, is like a fairy tale. Born to a Bedouin family in the Syrian desert, Moed lost his mother at the age of four. His father regularly beat him, and in the end he completely abandoned his son. The orphaned child was raised by his grandmother. Out of superstition, she forbade Moed to attend school, so the boy actually had to do it in secret.

The craving for knowledge was so great that Altrad received a scholarship to study in France. He moved to his new homeland 46 years ago penniless and without knowing the language. At first, Moed ate no more than once a day on the most meager food. But his talent for physics and mathematics gradually helped him out of poverty. He received his degree in information technology and began his career with internships in technology and oil companies.

In 1985, Altrad decided to go into business himself, for which he bought a bankrupt construction plant in the south of France. Despite the lack of experience in the industry, the aspiring entrepreneur very quickly learned the basics of business, made his company profitable and engaged in an expansion that has not ended to this day.

Li Ka-shin

• Condition: $ 33.3 billion
• Country: Hong Kong

The richest man in Asia, Li Ka-shin knows firsthand what life is on the verge of poverty. At the age of 12, he had to drop out of school and work in a watchband factory to feed his family. By 1950, he had amassed his first capital and went into the trade in plastic toys and related products... Later, Li Ka-shin bought the factory himself - and things went uphill. Since then, the billionaire's business has grown into a diversified holding with assets in real estate, ports, technology and a host of other industries. Li Ka-shin employs 270,000 people in 52 countries.

Leonardo Del Vecchio

• Condition: $ 20.4 billion
• Country: Italy

The mother of the future billionaire sent her son to Orphanage when Leonardo was seven years old, the family did not have enough funds to raise a child. After going through a tough orphanage school, at 14, Del Vecchio got a job as an apprentice in a factory that was engaged in the production of eyeglass frames and auto parts. Eleven years later, he founded his own company - Luxxotica. Today it is the world's largest manufacturer of sunglasses and prescription glasses, owning the Ray Ban and Oakley brands and producing products for Burberry, Bulgari, Chanel, DKNY, Dolce & Gabbana, Armani, Prada, Ralph Lauren, Tiffany, Versache and many others. Del Vecchio is deservedly called the "king of glasses" in his homeland.

Roman Abramovich

• Condition: $ 9.1 billion
• Country Russia

The world's most famous billionaire from Russia 14 was orphaned when he was four and raised by relatives. Not having received higher education, went to serve in the army, and upon his return he took up his first business - selling toys from his own apartment. Later, the enterprising entrepreneur made a fortune in oil deals and in 1995 got the then-powerful Boris Berezovsky as a business partner. In tandem, at a more than modest price tag, they purchased Sibneft from the state, which became the basis of Abramovich's fortune.

David Murdock

• Condition: $ 3.1 billion
• Country: USA

Dyslexic David did not finish his studies at school and was forced from his teenage years to start earning money at a gas station, until he went to serve in the army in 1943. Returning from the front, he borrowed $ 1,800 from friends and opened a diner restaurant. Since then, Murdoch's business has grown at an incredible pace. Today he runs the world's largest producer and exporter of fruits and vegetables, Dole Food Corporation.

Sheldon Adelson

• Condition: $ 31.4 billion
• Country: USA

The son of a taxi driver, Adelson grew up in a small apartment in a "social" house on the outskirts of Boston. He had to sleep on the floor, and his grandmother became the boy's main educator. At the age of 12, Sheldon borrowed $ 200 from his uncle and started selling newspapers and magazines. Since then, the business has developed on an incremental basis. Over the decades of his entrepreneurial career, Adelson has experienced ups and downs - he sold vending machines, advertising publications, consulting services, services for organizing large conferences, etc. In the end, the businessman found his niche in the gambling business - he became the "king of Las Vegas" , the owner of the largest casino management company Las Vegas Sands, which has a representative office not only in the United States, but also in Macau, China.

John Paul Dejoria

• Condition: $ 2.8 billion
• Country: USA

In the early 1980s, Dejoria found himself homeless and slept in his car on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. A veteran of the Vietnam War, he was selling shampoo in a door-to-door format at the time. The businessman has since turned his $ 700 savings into one of the country's largest manufacturers of hair care products, John Paul Mitchell Systems, which he founded together with Paul Mitchell. Today the company sells a wide range of products, from familiar shampoos to exotic product categories such as tequila (brand Patrón Spirits) and mobile phones(ROK Mobile).

Yang Kum

The iconic TV presenter, producer and women's rights activist was born when her mother was still a minor. Raised by her grandmother on a farm in Mississippi. Winfrey took her first steps on television in Nashville, Baltimore. She then moved to Chicago, where she forcibly turned the third-rate morning show into the number one federal talk show. Over time, Oprah left the frame, preparing for herself a real business empire, which today includes many businesses, from producing Hollywood films to publishing bestsellers.

Christos Lazari

• Condition: $ 2.1 billion
• Country: UK

Now one of the most influential investors in London real estate, Lazari came to the British capital at the age of 16 from his small village in Cyprus with £ 20 in his pocket. At first, he washed dishes and served guests in restaurants, thus saving money for training in design courses. Christos later created own brand Drendie Girl, but the fashion industry did not work out - and in 1978 the aspiring entrepreneur switched to the real estate market. Today, his Lazari Investments owns 2.5 million square feet of office space in prime locations in London.

Miki Jagtiani

• Condition: $ 5.2 billion
• Country: India

In his youth, Jagtiani dropped out of college and tried to gain a foothold in London, not hesitating to work as a janitor in a hotel and a taxi driver. He ended up leaving Britain for Bahrain to help the family run a children's store. Soon, within just one year, Miki lost all close relatives - mother, father and brother. Business management fell completely on his shoulders. But Jagtiani did it - and turned a modest store into trading network Landmark Group with $ 5 billion in revenue and 1,900 points of sale in the Middle East, Africa and India.