Here
are a List of entrepreneurs who changed the world in their own way...
Many names on the list below are famous. A few are not. But they have all made key contributions. Read on to find out how they left a mark on our world:
Benjamin Franklin
As one of the US’ founding fathers, Ben Franklin was also one of its first entrepreneurs. He was the inventor of products like bifocal glasses, the lightning rod and the Franklin stove (among others) as well as a media magnate. Of course, Franklin also earned fame with other contributions such as creating the nation’s first free library.
As one of the US’ founding fathers, Ben Franklin was also one of its first entrepreneurs. He was the inventor of products like bifocal glasses, the lightning rod and the Franklin stove (among others) as well as a media magnate. Of course, Franklin also earned fame with other contributions such as creating the nation’s first free library.
Jerome Hal Lemelson
While he was not as wellknown as
others, Lemelson was one of the most prolific inventors of the 20th century,
with some 600 patents to his credit for products like automated warehouses,
industrial robots, cordless telephones, fax machines, camcorders and the
magnetic tape drive used in Sony’s Walkman tape players.
Thomas Alva Edison
Considered the greatest inventor of all time, Edison is credited with some 1,093 US patents for a range of inventions that includes the light bulb, the phonograph, and the motion picture camera. Just as importantly, his work on the distribution of electricity led to the world’s first power plant in New York City.
Considered the greatest inventor of all time, Edison is credited with some 1,093 US patents for a range of inventions that includes the light bulb, the phonograph, and the motion picture camera. Just as importantly, his work on the distribution of electricity led to the world’s first power plant in New York City.
Henry Kaiser
Few entrepreneurs can match the track record of Henry Kaiser, who, starting in 1914 with a road-paving company, built a series of wildly successful companies in several industries that included: construction, ship building, forging steel and aluminum, car manufacturing and even healthcare.
Few entrepreneurs can match the track record of Henry Kaiser, who, starting in 1914 with a road-paving company, built a series of wildly successful companies in several industries that included: construction, ship building, forging steel and aluminum, car manufacturing and even healthcare.
Ted
Turner
Turner began building his media empire in 1963 at the age of 24 where he took over running his father’s billboard company. He soon bought a UHF TV station and launched Turner Broadcasting System. But it was in 1980, when Turner launched CNN, the first 24-hour news channel, that he made his mark on the world. More recently, he launched a national chain of restaurants that sell buffalo meat.
Turner began building his media empire in 1963 at the age of 24 where he took over running his father’s billboard company. He soon bought a UHF TV station and launched Turner Broadcasting System. But it was in 1980, when Turner launched CNN, the first 24-hour news channel, that he made his mark on the world. More recently, he launched a national chain of restaurants that sell buffalo meat.
Richard Branson
Branson, the dashing entrepreneur behind the Virgin Group, the brand behind some 400 enterprises, was just 16 when he started his first business, a magazine called Student. But it was his chain of music stores called Virgin Records, which he opened in 1972, which made Branson’s fortune. But, he didn’t stop there as he subsequently launched an airline, a phone company, and most recently, a space tourism company.
Branson, the dashing entrepreneur behind the Virgin Group, the brand behind some 400 enterprises, was just 16 when he started his first business, a magazine called Student. But it was his chain of music stores called Virgin Records, which he opened in 1972, which made Branson’s fortune. But, he didn’t stop there as he subsequently launched an airline, a phone company, and most recently, a space tourism company.
Oprah Winfrey
Considered one of the most influential people, Winfrey has ridden the popularity of her selftitled TV show to international fame. But Winfrey has also turned her name into a global brand, under which she has launched a magazine, a website, a satellite radio show, a TV network & published 5 books.
Considered one of the most influential people, Winfrey has ridden the popularity of her selftitled TV show to international fame. But Winfrey has also turned her name into a global brand, under which she has launched a magazine, a website, a satellite radio show, a TV network & published 5 books.
Magic Johnson
Rather than rest on his laurels as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, Johnson, who retired in 1996, now spends his days honing his skills as an entrepreneur. His company, Magic Johnson Enterprises, has a reported net worth of $700 million based on the success of subsidiaries.
Rather than rest on his laurels as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, Johnson, who retired in 1996, now spends his days honing his skills as an entrepreneur. His company, Magic Johnson Enterprises, has a reported net worth of $700 million based on the success of subsidiaries.
Esther Dyson
Starting her career as a fact checker at Forbes, Esther Dyson used her keen eye to spot trends and opportunities in emerging technologies and markets to gain fame, which helped fuel the purchase of her first company, EDventure Holdings. After selling her firm in 2004, Dyson has helped fund and guide dozens of successful startups.
Starting her career as a fact checker at Forbes, Esther Dyson used her keen eye to spot trends and opportunities in emerging technologies and markets to gain fame, which helped fuel the purchase of her first company, EDventure Holdings. After selling her firm in 2004, Dyson has helped fund and guide dozens of successful startups.
Evan Williams
No list of the world’s most
influential entrepreneurs would be complete without Evan Williams, who helped
found two of the most influential firms in the Internet era: Blogger
(eventually bought by Google) and Twitter. Williams, who grew up on a Nebraskan
farm and spent his summers irrigating crops, is an unlikely tech hero and has
an uncanny foresight into how people use social media.
Robert Johnson
Born the ninth of the ten children
in rural Mississippi, Robert Johnson climbed the ranks of the world’s most
wealthy people thanks to his foresight in founding Black Entertainment
Television, BET, in 1980. After selling BET to Viacom in 2003 for $3 billion,
Johnson launched The RLJ Companies, an asset management and holding firm that
has stakes in a range of industries.
