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25 Visionaries Who Created Empires From Virtually Nothing

businesspundit.com — Today, we celebrate 25 of these iconic figures - businessmen, technology entrepreneurs, even celebrities and athletes - by recalling the tales of their rise to glory.

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  • Tinu, on 07/24/2008, -2/+29In light of the " why do people think rich people are evil" discussion that I witnessed on Twitter the other day, it's of note that 70% of these folks also became wildly philanthropic at some point in their lives.
    • GerryBot, on 07/25/2008, -7/+9It's bred from jealousy more than anything else. There's a book called Richistan which looks at how much the richest people are pumping into philanthropic projects, worth a read. Mind you, the amount of money they spend on opulent mansions, yachts and other stuff could buy a small third world country...
      • Arramol, on 07/25/2008, -11/+14No, it's because a lot of them genuinely are evil. The stereotype probably comes from people who were able to get rich in the first place because of their willingness to cut corners, and from others who gradually lose their morals as they look for ways to get more money. Look at the RIAA execs as an example, or Enron, or pick a drug company that hid results about the danger of one of their products. There are a lot of wealthy people out there who are rich because they'll destroy anyone for another dollar. And no, I'm not just spouting off out of jealousy - I don't care to be fabulously wealthy, all I'm really interested in is having my basic needs and a few luxuries. I don't need a large house, a luxury sedan, or a yacht.

        Yes, there are some good rich people. Much as we all like to criticize Microsoft, Gates has done some great things with his money. But it's not accurate to say that it's jealousy that produces the criticism of many of the rich people out there - it's genuine acts of evil that produce it.
      • xL0Sx, on 07/25/2008, -3/+3The world is cutthroat man, if you aren't willing to do what they do then be comfortable with you "morality" and don't judge because somebody else is willing to do what you are not. Whether or not you agree with the actions taken, advances can only be made when a risk is taken. Good and Evil is a moral point of view, Right and Wrong really depends on the perspective you have based on your beliefs.

        Enron wasn't accountable for itself. The Drug companies can do what they want when there are suckers out there willing to take a pill for a leg twitch. You speak with your dollars, buck up or shut up.
      • Klinky, on 07/25/2008, -3/+5Not sure why Arramol is getting dugg down, but he is on the nose. There are some rich people out there who do decide to devote their wealth to philanthropic goals, but there is a majority who don't.

        The first 3 men listed in this article, Henry Ford, John Rockefeller & Andrew Carnegie are all barons, who worked to kill competition, gain monopolies and repress their workforce when they were at their height. Should we glorify them and their 16hr workdays, horrendous working conditions and pennies a day wages? They got where they are by exploiting people.
    • nycmac247, on 07/25/2008, -6/+4"it's of note that 70% of these folks also became wildly philanthropic at some point in their lives."

      - out of guilt.

      aka "White Man's Burden" of last century
    • xL0Sx, on 07/25/2008, -3/+2Out of necessity to avoid Estate taxes on their death.
  • clogon, on 07/24/2008, -3/+22I hate to hear that "rich people are evil". Without money it's nearly impossible to help others. These people featured are interesting to evaluate as you strive to achieve success.
    • fuzzmeister, on 07/25/2008, -0/+5Some of them are fascinating. Take, for instance, John D. Rockefeller. He was an absolutely brutal businessman, establishing a monopoly without restraint and crushing those in his path. However, he later become one of the greatest philanthropists to ever live. Same with Carnegie and, to a much less dramatic degree, Gates.
    • BabyWookie, on 07/25/2008, -0/+1Many of these "others" wouldn't need help in the first place, if these assholes didn't horde all the resources for themselves.
    • Ortheos, on 07/26/2008, -0/+1And without 'others' it's impossible to make money. So give some back, because you made some of it on the backs of others.
  • BorsKaegel, on 07/24/2008, -6/+14All hail the Woz!
  • RocquesDiggs, on 08/28/2008, -4/+11Rich people who do not give back to society die young. That is just my private theory. To whom much is given much is expected.
    • SkittlesUSA, on 07/25/2008, -0/+10It is EVERYONE'S responsibility to give back to society. Do not place the burden of bettering society on one group of people. Even if you are dirt poor, you can still give back to society in many, many ways; it has nothing to do with how much you have. I hate the mentality, "I want people to be helped but I want other people to make the sacrifices to help them."

      No, rich people do not owe you anything. However, EVERYONE has a responsibility to better society and be the servant to all regardless of how much money one has.

      • KyjL, on 07/25/2008, -1/+2So in other words Steve Jobs is well overdue for a painful death.
  • thatsgoodkarma, on 07/24/2008, -4/+27How Richard Branson didn't make the list is beyond me.
    • dr34m, on 07/25/2008, -0/+3Branson is certainly a much better choice than Steve Forbes. Steve Forbes?? lol.
  • michaelpinto, on 07/24/2008, -8/+15Steve Forbes? He got all of his money from his father Malcolm Forbes! There are some self made people on that list, but reality is that most wealth is passed down from the parents.
    • kinerry, on 07/25/2008, -2/+9wrong

      80% of all wealth is built within a single generation for the rich, a good portion of them lose it all within 3 generations with a general pattern that goes like so: built, maintain, squander (see paris hilton)
      • Charlotte_Web, on 07/25/2008, -0/+1You're talking statistics, which are general observations about averages; michaelpinto is talking a specific case.

        Regardless, a billionaire's son becoming a billionaire, himself? Come on, he was groomed for wealth, whether it was given to him or he had to acquire it, himself.
    • danielf30, on 07/25/2008, -0/+7Exactly 80% of the worlds millionaires and rich are self made. Read the book "The Millionaire Next Door" or "The Millionaire Mind" you will be surprised about their habits.
  • tj241, on 07/24/2008, -1/+14Thats a weird photo of Bill Gates. Looks like he's sitting on that dude's lap.
  • timeisapear, on 07/25/2008, -0/+13i need to drop out of school.. right now
    • iburydupes, on 07/25/2008, -0/+2is school in the way of a momentous opportunity? momentous opportunity is the reason why the people on this list that did drop out did. don't drop out until you know of a time sensitive opportunity to pursue, otherwise stay in school and accrue more debt until your educated enough to be hired in the private sector providing a service or product that a third world country competitor will provide at half the price, then take your experience and relocate to said third world country competitor and become an 'indispensable' 'with business contacts' English speaking consultant and dominate the market.
  • bmatherlyjr, on 07/25/2008, -8/+3What? No Trump? - I like the list, it's rather solid but Trump should have been on the list despite what personal views others have about the guy. It's hard to dismiss someone who made billions, filed for bankruptcy only to remake billions more.
    • ascguy, on 07/25/2008, -0/+12He made his billions because his father handed him a real estate empire worth hundreds of millions. "25 Visionaries who created empires from virtually nothing."

      If a couple hundred million is virtually nothing to you, I'd like to do what you do for a living.
      • bmatherlyjr, on 07/27/2008, -0/+1I will concede that the first time he made his billions he had help and lots of it, but you'll have concede that he in fact was in debt for millions, which mean he had less than nothing. So technically, he did build an empire from virtually nothing.

        Even if it was the second time around.
  • techdever, on 07/25/2008, -2/+10Sergey Brin/Larry Page - yellow teeth billionaires
    • theutopian, on 07/25/2008, -0/+2Yeah I noticed that too. They can afford dental work now.
  • Ymeg, on 07/25/2008, -0/+3The world would be a lot less with out the self made men and women who create and progress markets. Governments would not be able to do half as much as the private sector.
  • Tychee, on 07/25/2008, -1/+5They forgot Nikola Tesla too.
    • Kristijan12, on 07/25/2008, -0/+11He was never rich.
      Yet he gave so much more.
    • mk3k, on 07/25/2008, -0/+3Yea he invented Alternating Current, seems like they were giving Edison credit for that.
    • fuzzmeister, on 07/25/2008, -0/+4You could say that he wasn't included because he never headed a huge business, but neither did Woz, and he's on the list.
    • Eslamicolt3, on 07/25/2008, -0/+3They ALWAYS forget Nikola Tesla.
  • mikesbaker, on 07/25/2008, -4/+15hmm I wanted to digg for Carnegie (because he is the epitome of the dedicated self made man) but then edison makes me want to bury it. the article only mentions the electrical grid. edison wanted a DC electric gird which was highly unrealistic in large applications. Tesla was the real brains behind eidson. this article doesn't mention how many of edison's inventions were invented by someone else and patented to him.

    ***** EDISON

    /still dugg story though
  • C4Strife, on 07/25/2008, -0/+10I thought you meant actual Empires....
  • gkm314, on 07/25/2008, -6/+7dugg for Ayn.
  • Bunner007, on 07/25/2008, -0/+5I'm not sure if I can grasp comparing Henry Ford and John Rockefeller to A-Rod's Manager and Madonna - somethings not right here...
  • 9bpm9, on 07/25/2008, -7/+1O, hay, it's a list of crooks and criminals who undercut, undersold, and bought out all of their competitors with questionable methods, and then were cut down by Theodore Roosevelt.

    Oh, and internets people and people who are athletes and have created no empire what so ever but are being payed a lot for their athletic ability. Hard work isn't it?
    • ousthouse, on 07/25/2008, -0/+4so...

      Empire creators = bad
      Not empire creators = lazy
    • thatsgoodkarma, on 07/25/2008, -0/+1"...Hard work isn't it?"

      Have you ever stopped and tried to think about just how hard it would be to establish an enormously successful billion dollar business? Have you put thought into the intense body conditioning and practice it takes to get to be a professional athlete?

      I'm sorry you're jealous of Mark Zukker-whatever-the-hell making facebook before you.

      Yeah it's hard work, you pompous dick. Think. I know it hurts.
  • trollick, on 07/25/2008, -0/+6Athletes are not visionaries. Some of them even work for the man.
  • Gravey9, on 07/25/2008, -3/+4So you either have to invent something revolutionary, be a business tycoon, a pro athlete or a musician to reach the top? If that's the case I'm changing my name to Ayn Rand.
  • hoppdawg, on 07/25/2008, -1/+11Steve Forbes? He's a ***** trust fund baby who inherited the magazine. There are quite a few wtf's on this list.
  • Masternajee, on 07/25/2008, -0/+5Madonna?
  • Bmarofsky, on 07/25/2008, -1/+14Buried for having athletes in the list. Just because you are paid an ungodly amount of money to play a game does not make you creator of an empire.
    • ousthouse, on 07/25/2008, -1/+2all these guys were paid an ungoldly amount of money to play some sort of game.
    • fuzzmeister, on 07/25/2008, -2/+2For most athletes, that is true. However, someone like Tiger Woods has shown true business acumen in getting sponsorships, mainly through demanding an equity stake in the business, as the article mentions.
  • pe5t1lence, on 07/25/2008, -0/+13No Palpatine?
  • slifty, on 07/25/2008, -2/+5You forgot Palpatine.
    • thatsgoodkarma, on 07/25/2008, -0/+2ooh, so close...

      Normally I'd be an ass and tell you its been said before. But you matched his posting time, so I'll digg ya.
  • Negligence, on 07/25/2008, -0/+6))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

    There. Now, next time, close the ***** parentheses.
    • Sunflare670, on 07/25/2008, -0/+2Thank you. There were so many damn errors like that it was driving me mad!
    • fuzzmeister, on 07/25/2008, -0/+1Seriously, what does this guy have against closing parentheses.
  • sojakfa, on 07/25/2008, -0/+7Uh, the Ayn Rand part is messed up.

    "She grew up in soviet Russia, just in time to see her father’s successful pharmacy confiscated by the invading Bolsheviks and her family made to flee the country."

    Can anybody else spot the obvious historical flaw here?
    • xiphy, on 07/25/2008, -2/+0No, enlighten us
      • theutopian, on 07/25/2008, -0/+3It should be 'she grew up in Imperial Russia.'
    • Eslamicolt3, on 07/25/2008, -1/+2Her father's pharmaceutical company was confiscated by the *Soviets. Which couldn't have helped her growing distaste for communist rule. Funny how that works.
  • Annon, on 07/25/2008, -0/+10There are so many inaccuracies in this list it's not even funny.
  • bokep, on 07/25/2008, -0/+10This is a horrible list. I don't want to take away from their amazing accomplishments, but some of these people simply don't belong on a list of people that supposedly made empires from nothing.

    Take Tiger Woods, for example. Anyone who knows anything about Tiger would know that this guy was raised to be a world-class golf athlete. His dad started training him on the golf course since he was two years old.

    As above posters have said, Steve Forbes are you kidding? He inherited the whole thing.

    Mark Cuban is a visionary? He was some dude who lucked out from the dot-com scene and decided to buy the Mavs. No one would even know he existed if he didn't have such a big mouth.

    Again, horrible list.
    • kinerry, on 07/25/2008, -0/+1not according to cubs fans lol!
    • krahzee, on 07/25/2008, -0/+2Mark Cuban, love him or hate him is a visionary.

      He had the ability to see that streaming media over the internet was going to be a big deal and jump in right at the moment he did.

      He also was smart enough to know that the tech bubble was going to burst eventually, and had the foresight to diversify his holdings in Yahoo (5.9 Billion) into other investment before the bubble burst.

      Before that, he built a software sales company from nothing into something he was paid 6 million for. That doesn´t happen out of luck.

  • TyrelVnne, on 07/25/2008, -0/+1he is also the father of the modern electrical grid.- ever hear of tesla!
    Thomas Edison didnt even invent a goddamn laser beam! or at least try to!
  • rpfinley, on 07/25/2008, -0/+2What did this author use for research, wiki? His facts are horrible.
  • Kenzan, on 07/25/2008, -6/+2This should be titled:
    25 people who started from nothing and then turned into World-class douchebags.

    Or:

    25 people who are the the main reasons why the world is as ***** up as it is now.

    Except for Woz.
    That man's a saint.
    • itsthebrod, on 07/25/2008, -1/+3So how does being rich and successful automatically make one a douchebag again? Especially when considering most of the people on this list are also the world's biggest philanthropists? You're an idiot.
    • thatsgoodkarma, on 07/25/2008, -0/+3"..then turned into World-class douchebags."

      Stopped reading right there. Educate yourself.


      http://www.gatesfoundation.org/default.htm


      Just one (very large) example.
  • jeremyduffy, on 07/25/2008, -1/+1Madonna - The only 80's pop legend to still be relevant (Michael, Whitney, etc fell off fast)

    And: Holy crap that guy standing with Bill Gates scares me.
  • aadsm, on 07/25/2008, -1/+4I don't consider the pre-Microsoft wealth of Gates family "Virtually Nothing"

    from wikipedia:
    "His family was wealthy; his father was a prominent lawyer, his mother served on the board of directors for First Interstate BancSystem and the United Way, and her father, J. W. Maxwell, was a national bank president. "
    • xiphy, on 07/25/2008, -0/+0No kidding, in order to drop out of Harvard, you have to GO to Harvard first.
    • kingmanic, on 07/25/2008, -0/+3But Gates didn't get free money to start his business. Gates was loaned $100,000 and parlayed that to a mufti billion dollar return.
  • fluffyturtle, on 07/25/2008, -0/+2Steve and Woz? Ok.. Might as well include Ballmer if you are going to go to those extremes.
  • Br3ach, on 07/25/2008, -2/+3I hate to point this out, but where is Oprah on this list ? She is one of the wealthiest woman on the earth, if not the wealthiest

    http://www.forbes.com/2007/01/17/richest-women-ent ...
    • HeDiggMe, on 07/25/2008, -0/+2She's there. Apparently wearing a mask that looks just like Steve Forbes.
  • itsthebrod, on 07/25/2008, -2/+1So did anyone else think #9 looked like the guy who tries to blackmail Batman in the Dark Knight?
  • Piontek, on 07/25/2008, -2/+1Buried for including almost only americans and for including zennström in the list without mentioning the other co-creator of skype and kazaa, the danish Janus Friis.
  • 0nova, on 07/25/2008, -0/+7The person who made this list is no visionary, he suffering from a western myopic vision...

    He completly ignored the Asian giants like
    Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita - Sony
    Lakshmi Mittal - Steel Conglomerate
    Narayan Murthy - Infosys
    Jamshedji Nusserwanji Tata - Tata
  • MeauxToo, on 07/25/2008, -0/+3So, let get this straight. You include Beckham, Woods, and A-rod, but not Jordan? Without Jordan and Co's pioneering work with Nike and Gatorade those jokers wouldn't have a business empire. Also, how does Mark Zuckerberg make the list. Facebook could easily implode as many expect that its value is massively over inflated. This list is too focused on technology and American business. There are plenty of Europeans and Russians who deserve placement on this list.
    • xiphy, on 07/25/2008, -0/+0Not to mention Zuckerman stole the Facebook concept from ConnectU.com
  • devincalloway, on 07/25/2008, -1/+1True visionaries actually come up with ideas on their own without thievery. Just because you dream of playing a professional sport as a kid and then one day get paid way too much to do so, doesn't classify you as a "visionary". There are some accuracies but overall this list is very funny!
    • JCMets4112, on 07/25/2008, -0/+0There is no such thing as "too much." Star athletes are paid a portion of the revenue (or what the team owner believes to be a portion of the revenue) that they will create. Just basic supply and demand, really. Mega-star athletes are scarce and paid accordingly.
  • xiphy, on 07/25/2008, -0/+1
    This list is full of dubious information and generous half-truths. Reads like "success porn" cliches for business types who wank it to thoughts of their future "empires". Many of these "noted figures" either stole their best ideas, rode on the backs of others to the top, or in the case of Steve Forbes, inherited everything from daddy. The inclusion of athletes and celebrities is especially questionable, considering their limited shelf-life and tendency to evaporate from significance the moment they fall from the spotlight.

    Also, Ayn Rand??? If you're gonna go there, you might as well include Danielle Steele.
  • katich, on 07/25/2008, -2/+0The broader markets are set to open higher this morning on the heels of a stronger than expected Durable Goods report from the Commerce Department, and as oil trades slightly higher, approaching the $126 level with gold approaching $930. Get more market strategies at http://xil.in/5952/ .
  • screamingjoker, on 07/25/2008, -0/+2Yes they all made empires, and many became philanthropists, but as an above post suggest, this is just "success porn" to encourage people to further commoditize everything in a quest to immortalize their own greatness. Give me a list with some everyday titans who changed the world without having to have a billion dollar jet.
  • JCMets4112, on 07/25/2008, -0/+0Anyone who thinks Tiger Woods and A-Rod haven't created empires is crazy. You might personally *think* it's dumb for athletes to be paid a lot of money but there's no denying their huge status in their professions. Can you think of a bigger name in (present day) golf or baseball than those two? People who eve non-sports fans can instantly identify? Probably not.

    Some of you guys are just splitting hairs over the words "visionary" and "empire."
  • PuppiesSuckALot, on 07/25/2008, -0/+0AROD OVER TIGER?!?!
  • tylanga, on 07/25/2008, -4/+1Buried for not mentioning Kevin Rose
  • Eslamicolt3, on 07/25/2008, -0/+4Hmm Walt Disney, anyone?
    • thatsgoodkarma, on 07/25/2008, -0/+2seriously...this list blows.
    • UbIwerks, on 07/25/2008, -0/+2I was thinking "Alright, Walt Disney is gonna be on the next page..."

      Nope, we get A-Rod instead.
  • mlrigsby, on 07/25/2008, -0/+4Needs more Jay-Z.

    And less Ayn Rand. WTF?
  • mttyd, on 07/25/2008, -0/+1Why was Operah's picture a dude???
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