Most of the world famous geniuses became wealthy as a result of their incredible ideas, not because they purposefully wanted to become rich. These people were inventors, engineers, and revolutionists in various fields of science and economics. They believed in themselves and that’s what made them truly successful. Here are 10 millionaires that have changed the world.
1. Henry Ford
Henry Ford was not the inventor of automobiles, but he certainly did a lot to make them affordable to as many people as possible. He owned factories that produced cars all over the world and tried to make the production cheaper using innovative ideas and making unusual decisions. And he succeeded! Henry Ford is definitely one of the most persistent and inspiring men that have ever lived.
2. Steve Jobs
Creative imagination and incredible talent are the two things that kept Steve Jobs going even when he wasn’t quite sure of what he was doing. Yet he believed that all people should have a PC and that all gadgets should be affordable and easy to make. He was also the one who pushed the envelope and made Apple improve and move forward all the time. We owe him a lot for shepherding the creation of some outstanding inventions.
3. Richard Branson
Have you ever heard about ‘space tourism’? That’s exactly what Richard Branson is trying to create. Going to space is not as unusual as it used to be, so the next step would be sending people there just to ‘admire the view’. Tourists will be offered a suborbital 5-7-minute flight on an actual spaceship. The project has hit the final stage and soon enough we’ll all be able to go to space for the weekend!
4. Nolan Bushnell
The ‘father of the modern gaming industry’ was a truly remarkable man. Despite being born into the Mormon family, his passion for gaming and risk-taking took over and he became a successful engineer and founder of the famous Atari Company that’s made millions of gamers happy. It was a patchy bunch of hippies, bikers, geeks and homeless people who were all burning with the same dreams that Nolan Bushnell was trying to make come true. Bushnell was also the first (and only) boss of the young 19-year-old Steve Jobs who was still struggling to find his way in life. Bushnell even came up with a special night shift for the misanthropic Steve Jobs! We can thank Nolan Bushnell for Etak, Catalyst Technologies, uWink, ByVideo and many more incredible companies!
5. Gedeon Richter
Gedeon Richter is among the most famous pharmacists of his time, an innovator, businessman and the founder of the biggest international pharmaceutical company that has remained the leader in the industry for decades. He devoted his life to the development of unique drugs and medical treatments that were meant to improve the lives of people. He was also striving to make medicine more affordable so that anyone could by meds regardless of their financial status. Gedeon Richter met a tragic end in 1944 when he was executed by the Nazis. His body was thrown into the river and he never received a proper burial.
6. William Lear
It’s hard to imagine our lives without planes. We can thank William “Bill” Lear for popularizing and improving them. He was the one who invented autopilot after he lost his way and was flying around for hours in his biplane. He founded the Lear Jet Corporation that was the first company that mass-produced business jet aircraft. He was also the one who developed the automobile radio.
7. Pablo Picasso
Pablo Picasso was a bit of everything – genius, expatriate painter, artist, sculptor, stage designer, ceramicist, and even a printmaker. One thing he refused to be was – ordinary. Along with Georges Braque he founded Cubism and was often considered radical in his works. Yet being a revolutionary definitely had its perks – not only did Picasso became famous, he also had no problems with money whatsoever. Pablo Picasso’s legacy lives on – his followers are striving to invent complex styles and break all the rules imaginable to create art that’s even more meaningful and passionate. He spent 80 out of his 91 years developing and enriching the art of the 20th century.
8. Mark Zuckerberg
Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, doesn’t consider the platform his work – it’s more of a mission to make the world a better place. Since early childhood he’s been dreaming of something grand and beautiful, until he finally came up with the idea that could unite people all over the world. Facebook is not just the means of communication, it’s a place for exchanging ideas, information, and a source for creativity and inspiration.
9. Thomas Edison
This American inventor has truly changed the course of human history. Unlike Tesla, he believed that you shouldn’t invent something that can’t be used by the majority or mass-produced. He’s acquired more than 1,000 patents during his lifetime, among which are the phonograph, a motion picture camera, incandescent light bulb, and many more. He also invented the first ever industrial research laboratory and has become one of the most famous scientists the world has ever known by the age of 30.
10. Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin was a comic, filmmaker and a composer who has popularized movies and movie-making. He made millions of people believe that it was a new incredible form of art that should be properly recognized by the publicity. His character became a black-and-white movie icon that gained popularity all over the world. Charlie Chaplin also tapped into directing and produced films like Modern Times and City Lights.
