“When I was in college, I wanted to be involved in things that would change the world.” – Elon Musk.
Running a successful business takes more than hard work, dedication, and excellent leadership skills — it requires innovation. So many entrepreneurs have achieved greatness by changing the game with their visionary ideas, taking a business to new heights in ways no one else could have imagined. From Bill Gates’ Microsoft empire to Steve Jobs’ Telecommunications revolution at Apple, to Mark Zuckerberg’s popularization of social media via Facebook, Jeff Bezos’ the man who created the Amazon shopping paradise, and Elon Musk’s significant technological advances such as Tesla and SpaceX; these game-changing entrepreneurs have had an immense impact on the way we live and do business. This blog looks at game-changing entrepreneurs, the companies they created, and how their business ideas and visions have impacted the way we live.
Steve Jobs, Cofounder of Apple Inc.
“We’re here to put a dent in the universe. Otherwise, why else even be here?” – Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs was a pioneer in the development of early personal computers. In combination with Steve Wozniak, Jobs founded Apple Inc. in 1976 and transformed the company into a world leader in telecommunications. Jobs is widely considered a visionary and a genius; he oversaw the launch of such revolutionary products as the iPad, Apple Watch and the iPhone.
How has Apple Inc. impacted the World?
Apple’s primary purpose is to create products that enrich people’s daily lives. This has involved developing entirely new product categories, such as the iPhone, iPad and Apple Watches, and creating innovations within those categories. The first iPhone laid the foundation for modern smartphones, ushering in an era wherein pocket-sized computers-devices have changed how we communicate, manage money, use the internet and consume products and services. Smartphones allow people to share ideas with others, consume information, and capture important moments by taking photos and videos. Today, roughly 5 billion people around the World use mobile services, according to estimates from GSMA Intelligence.
Bill Gates, Cofounder of Microsoft Corporation.
“It’s fine to celebrate success, but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure.” – Bill Gates.
William Henry Gates III, born October 28, 1955, is an American business magnate and philanthropist. Gates co-founded Microsoft Corporation in 1975 (with Paul Allen) and led the company to become the worldwide leader in business and personal software and services. During the 1980s, a partnership with IBM, resulted in Microsoft providing the DOS operating system (OS) for IBM-made PCs. This meant that for every IBM Computer sold, a royalty was paid to Microsoft.
How did Microsoft change the World?
Bill Gates set the ambitious goal of putting a PC on every desktop and in every home. Forty years later, that vision has, for the most part, been realized. Today well over a billion PCs are in use by businesses and homes around the World. For example, the release of Windows 95 was a game-changing innovation. It was the first operating system aimed at making computers user-friendly for regular people. Moreover, it was powerful enough to appeal to tech-savvy hobbyists and professional users. In 2022, Microsoft’s market capitalization amounted to nearly $2 trillion.
Mark Zuckerberg, Founder of Facebook
“The biggest risk is not taking any risk… In a world that is changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks.” – Mark Zuckerburg.
Mark Elliot Zuckerberg, born May 14, 1984, is an American business magnate, internet entrepreneur, and philanthropist. Zuckerberg is famous for being the co-founder and CEO of Facebook, the World’s largest social media network. He founded Facebook in 2004 while he was a student at Harvard University.
How did Facebook change the World?
Facebook has made the World smaller by connecting people with friends and family in ways that weren’t possible before. For instance, it has allowed people across nations to stay in contact, communicate, share pictures, and exchange ideas. Plus, Facebook has helped to create a sense of community of friends, family, and colleagues regardless of geographic location.
Facebook continues to be popular; as of 2022-23, the number of active Facebook users in North America fell slightly between 2020 and 2022, from 198 million to 197 million. That said, globally, Facebook usage has increased by 10% during that same two-year period and is expected to grow by 3% through 2024. In 2023 Facebook’s net worth is approximately $320 Billion. Facebook is one of the biggest and most successful social media platforms today.
Jeff Bezos, Founder of Amazon.com
″Good intentions don’t work; mechanisms do” – Jeff Bezos
Jeffrey Preston Bezos, born January 12, 1964, is an American entrepreneur, media proprietor, investor, and commercial astronaut. He is the founder, executive chairman, and former president and CEO of Amazon.com. Amazon is an internet-based business that provides e-commerce, cloud computing, digital streaming, and artificial intelligence (AI) services. His company revolutionized the way consumers shop.
How has Amazon changed the World?
Amazon succeeded in creating a convenient internet-based shopping experience. The company sells a wide selection of retail products, services and, at the same time, offers a marketplace for individuals to participate in selling goods through the Amazon platform. Furthermore, Amazon provides competitive prices, excellent customer service, and the quickest home delivery.
In 2022, Amazon’s brand value reached $705.65 billion U.S. This figure represented a slight increase from 2021, whereas the previous year’s value recorded a dramatic expansion of nearly 70%. Experts estimate that every second, Amazon records almost $4,722 in sales. Every minute, those sales total $283,000, and in an hour, the company averages more than $17 million in sales.
Elon Musk, Cofounder of PayPal, CEO of Tesla, Founder of SpaceX and The Boring Company.
“If something is important enough, even if the odds are against you, you should still do it.” – Elon Musk.
Elon Reeve Musk FRS, born June 28, 1971, is a business magnate and investor. He is the founder, CEO, and chief engineer of SpaceX; angel investor, CEO, and product architect of Tesla, Inc.; owner of The Boring Company; and in 2022, he purchased the social media service Twitter.
What was PayPal’s impact on the World?
Founded in 1998, PayPal was originally called Confinity, a digital payment platform for consumers and businesses. In 2002, the company was renamed PayPal to create the World’s first digital payment platform, making money work better, faster, and more coinvent than ever. After changing its core focus, PayPal eventually became the most extensive debit electronic payment system in the World. PayPal allows customers to pay bills, make purchases and send and receive money transfers. As of January 13, 2023, PayPal Holdings’ net worth is $90.61B.
How has Tesla impacted the automotive industry?
Tesla’s vision is to “create the most compelling car company of the 21st century by driving the world’s transition to electric vehicles,” while its mission is “to accelerate the advent of sustainable transport by bringing compelling mass-market electric cars to market as soon as possible.” Tesla Makes Its 3 Millionth Car After 10 Years —Goal: To Sell 20 Million Per Year By 2030.
Tesla has made substantial technological advances in the electric vehicle (EV) car industry. However, it was not the first company to make an electric car (the first electric car was invented in 1890); it was the first to mass-market one successfully. As of January 2023, Tesla has a market cap of $386.50 Billion. This makes Tesla the World’s 17th most valuable company in the World by market cap as of late 2022.
The Boring Company
The Boring Company’s ultimate goal is to eliminate “soul-destroying traffic” with its vast networks of tunnels. Currently, The Boring Company generates revenue by providing tunnel infrastructure and boring machine services. The company’s flagship project is the LVCC Loop in Las Vegas, with future expansion plans already approved. Zippia’s data found The Boring Company’s revenues to be $2.7M annually from all of its projects. The company has 200 employees, and the revenue per employee ratio is $13,500. In early 2022, the company announced a valuation of approximately $5.675 billion.
SpaceX
SpaceX is an American aerospace company in Hawthorne, California. The company makes and launches space rockets and communications satellites (some can connect to the internet). SpaceX has gained worldwide attention for a series of historic milestones. It is the only private company capable of returning a spacecraft from low-Earth orbit. In 2012 SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft became the first commercial spacecraft to deliver cargo to and from the International Space Station. As of 2022, Bloomberg reported that SpaceX was raising money at a $140 billion valuation, up from a recent valuation mark of about $125 billion.
In Summary
Entrepreneurs build companies to realize a vision or dream known as entrepreneurship. These entrepreneurial ideas combine capital and labor to pursue unique goods or services. Entrepreneurship is almost always risky but can be highly rewarding to the entrepreneur and the people that support them. Additionally, entrepreneurs are vital for solving problems and moving society forward because their ideas can act as a vehicle for significant economic, social, and technological change.
“I feel that the best companies are started not because the founder wanted a company but because the founder wanted to change the World… If you decide you want to found a company, you maybe start to develop your first idea. And hire lots of workers.” – Mark Zuckerberg.
While many entrepreneurs have left a lasting legacy, the importance of taking innovative leaps and standing out in the World of business cannot be overstated. Beyond having passion and drive, successful entrepreneurs understand the power of creativity and being a leader who can make bold choices. By learning from these great disruptors, we hope to inspire aspiring entrepreneurs to explore their infinite possibilities, discovering new paths that could once again create a drastic shift in our World. So when it comes to making your mark on business, remember those whose pioneering visions shaped modern-day entrepreneurship — they laid down the blueprint for making history.
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