Do you feel dejected or left behind by your peers because you don’t have a college degree?
Do you feel dejected because you are not educated? If YES, here’s a list of famous richest school drop out billionaires & entrepreneurs without college degrees.
Do you see your supposed illiteracy as a limitation to achieving your dreams? Or are you in the group that thinks education is the ultimate yardstick for success? If any of these questions best describes you, then please read on.
How does it sound to your ears that most of the world’s richest men and women were school drop outs?
Well don’t be surprised; it’s the truth, and you too can be in that stage in ten years or less.
“I have nothing against education. But at times, education gives people false confidence. It makes people relax, trusting in the power of their certificates rather than in working hard.” – Rasaq Okoya
Today, I will be sharing with you a brief compilation of the entrepreneurial success stories of self made men and women; who took the bull by the horn by building a business, without being held back by the lack of a college degree. These men and women found their entrepreneurial spirit, surmounted business challenges, completed the entrepreneurial process and became successful entrepreneurs.
“I have been within the four walls of school and I have been on the street. I can confidently tell you that the street is tougher, challenging, daring, exciting and more rewarding. In school; you play alone. But on the street, you play with the big boys.” – Ajaero Tony Martins
Warren Buffett, Mo Ibrahim, Mike Adenuga, Oprah Winfrey, George Soros, John D. Rockefeller, Sam Walton, Jerry Yang and David Filo, Anita Roddick, Sergey Brin and Larry Page, Jeff Bezos, Pierre Omidyar, Martha Stewart, Henry Ross Perot and Aliko Dangote; the richest black man in the world did not make the list because they possessed college degrees. Without wasting much of your time, below is a comprehensive list of some of the world’s richest school drop out billionaires.
“Behind every adversity is an opportunity. If you lament over the adversity, you will miss the opportunity.” – Ajaero Tony Martins
1. Bill Gates:
He is the billionaire co-founder of Microsoft Corporation, the world largest software company. Dropped out of Harvard to focus on building Microsoft. According to Forbes magazine, Bill Gates has held the position of the world richest man for thirteen consecutive years and he not showing a sign of letting go that position.
“To win big, you sometimes have to take big risks.” – Bill Gates
“We were young, but we had good advice good ideas and lots of enthusiasm.” – Bill Gates
2. Thomas Edison:
Thomas Edison was labeled dumb and scatterbrain by his school teachers but he went on to become one of the world’s greatest inventors and founded General Electric; one of the most powerful companies in the world.
“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” – Thomas Edison
3. Orji Uzor Kalu:
He is one of the richest men in Africa. This young billionaire was rusticated from college for his participation in a student’s protest. Instead of lamenting over his predicament; he started trading on palm oil and from that humble beginning, he grew his business into a conglomerate “Slok Group.” Though he was later pardoned by the school authorities, he rejected the amnesty offer thereby refusing to return to school.
“A good businessman must have nose for business the same way a journalist has nose for news. Once your eyes, ears, nose, heart and brain are trained on business, you sniff business opportunities everywhere.” – Orji Uzor Kalu
4. Li Ka Shing:
Billionaire owner of Hutchinson Whampoa; one of the largest conglomerates in Hong Kong, with operations that span over fifty countries and more than 220,000 staff worldwide. Dropped out of school at the age of 15 and started out by selling watch bands.
“The first year, I didn’t have much capital so I did everything myself. I had to keep my overhead low by learning everything about running a business, from accounting to fixing the gears of my equipment. I really started from scratch.” – Li Ka Shing
5. Richard Branson:
Best known for his adventurous spirit and outrageous business tactics. He dropped out of school at the age of 16 to start his first successful business venture; Student Magazine, bought his own 79-acre Caribbean island when he was just 24 and he was knighted in 1999. He is the billionaire founder of the Virgin brand and its 360 companies. His companies include the famous Virgin Atlantic Airways.
“I wanted to be an editor or journalist. I wasn’t really interested in becoming an entrepreneur, but I soon found I had to become an entrepreneur in order to keep my magazine going.” – Richard Branson
6. Lawrence J. Ellison:
A philanthropist and a internet entrepreneur Larry Eliiison, the 7th billionaire in the world dropped out of University of Illinois and further went to study in University of Chicago. After dropping out again, he started working at Amdahl Corporation, an IT company, before he joined Ampex Corporation, which he nicknamed "Oracle" in 1977.
“I have had all the disadvantages required for success.” – Larry Ellison
7. Michael Dell:
He dropped out of college at the age of 19 to start PC’s Limited; later renamed Dell Computers Inc. Dell became the most profitable PC manufacturer in the world making Michael Dell a billionaire.
“I had to give it a full go and see what happened.” – Michael Dell
8. Steve Jobs:
Billionaire co-founder of Apple Inc and Pixar; dropped out of Reed College to start Apple.
9. Henry Ford:
This automobile billionaire was born in abject poverty. He never saw the four walls of school but he went on to build Ford Motor Company and become one of the richest men that ever lives
“Thinking is the hardest work to do, that’s why so few people are engaged in it.” – Henry Ford
10. Walt Disney: Walt, regarded as the most influential animator because of his creativity with cartoons. He dropped out of high school at 16 and founded Walt Disney; a company which now has an annual revenue of about $30billion.
“If you can dream it, you can do it.” – Walt Disney
11. Ray Kroc: Billionaire Ray Kroc never saw the four walls of school and spent most of his life working as a salesman. He bought McDonald’s in 1961 for $2.7m and grew it into a multi billion dollar company.
“Press on. Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” – Ray Kroc
12. Debbi Fields: A 20 year old housewife with no education and business experience started Mrs. Fields Chocolate Chippery and became the most successful cookie company owner. She later renamed, franchised, and then sold Mrs. Field’s Cookies.
“You don’t have to be superhuman to do what you believe in.” – Debbi Fields
13. Cosmos Maduka: Nigerian Elementary school drop out and billionaire founder of the Coscharis Group.
14. Ingvar Kamprad: Billionaire founder of IKEA. He dropped out of high school at the age of 17 to start IKEA; now the top home furniture retailer in the world, with over 90,000 employees working in its 200-plus stores, and annual revenues in excess of $10 billion.
“I’m not afraid of turning 80 and I have lots of things to do. I don’t have time for dying.” – Ingvar Kamprad
15. Carl Lindner: This billionaire dropped out of high school to deliver milk for his family’s dairy. In 1940 he used a $1,200 loan to open an ice cream shop with his sister and two brothers. In 1959 he left the business and started investing in savings and loans, and eventually insurance concerns, which he assembled under American Financial Group. In 1984 Lindner bought Chiquita Brands International (formerly United Foods) and ran it until 2001. The family dairy, called United Dairy Farmers, now has 200 ice cream parlors and convenience stores. Lindner’s estimated net worth: $1.7 billion.
16. Simon Cowell:
The caustic judge pulled down an estimated $80 million last year, thanks to his involvement with American Idol; Britain’s Got Talent; musical talent show The X Factor; and SyCo records, his production company. The 50-year-old impresario dropped out of school at age 16 and landed a job in the mailroom at EMI. At 23 he left to start his own record label, Fanfare. Cowell recently shifted his focus to a U.S. version of the The X Factor, where he serves as both judge and executive producer.
“Good is not enough; you’ve got to be great.” – Simon Cowell
17. Mary Kay Ash: Founder of Mary Kay Inc and best known as the most outstanding business woman in the 20th century. Mary never saw the four walls of school.
“When you reach an obstacle, turn it into an opportunity. You have the choice. You can overcome and be a winner, or you can allow it to overcome you and be a loser. The choice is yours and yours alone. Refuse to throw in the towel. Go that extra mile that failures refuse to travel. It is far better to be exhausted from success than to be rested from failure.” – Mary Kay Ash
18. Coco Chanel: Fashion magnate and founder of the Coco Chanel brand, she never saw the four walls of school.
19. Wayne Huizenga: Wayne is the only person in history to build three Fortune 1000 companies practically from scratch: Waste Management Inc, Blockbuster Entertainment and AutoNation. He is the only person to have developed six NYSE-listed companies. He also owns the Miami Dolphins and is previous owner of the Florida Marlins baseball team and the Panthers hockey team, making him the only person ever to own three pro teams in a single market, two of which won national championships. He dropped out of college to join a friend in a garbage collection business.
20. Barry Diller: This billionaire media magnate dropped out of college to start Fox Broadcasting Company. He is chairman of Expedia, and was once the CEO of IAC/InterActiveCorp which includes Home Shopping Network and Ticketmaster.
“There’s a world in which reasons are made up because reality is too painful.” – Barry Diller
21. Andrew Carnegie: Founder of Carnegie Steel Company and one of the richest men that ever lived. Born in abject poverty, Andrew never saw the four walls of school.
“I shall argue that strong men conversely know when to compromise and that all principles can be compromised to serve a greater purpose.” – Andrew Carnegie
22. Sir Philip Green: Billionaire retail mogul and owner of the Arcadia brand, he dropped out of school at the age of 16. After four business failures, Philip Green made his first million at the age of 33.
“If you’ve got a natural talent, I think it’s fantastic. If I wasn’t in retail, being a singer or a tennis player would be a better idea.” – Sir Philip Green
23. Madame C. J. Walker: She was born into the family of ex-slaves and farmers. Despite being widowed at the age of 20 and faced with extreme hardship, she started a cosmetics business and went on to become the first American self made female millionaire.
“I had to make my own living and my own opportunity! But I made it! Don’t sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them” – Madam C.J. Walker
24. Mark Zuckerberg:
The youngest billionaire in the world, dropped out of Harvard to promote his social networking platform; Facebook. As at 2010, he was 23 years and worth $4billion.
25. Ted Turner: Billionaire drop out media mogul and founder of CNN; pledged a billion dollars to the United Nation.
22. Sir Philip Green: Billionaire retail mogul and owner of the Arcadia brand, he dropped out of school at the age of 16. After four business failures, Philip Green made his first million at the age of 33.
“If you’ve got a natural talent, I think it’s fantastic. If I wasn’t in retail, being a singer or a tennis player would be a better idea.” – Sir Philip Green
23. Madame C. J. Walker: She was born into the family of ex-slaves and farmers. Despite being widowed at the age of 20 and faced with extreme hardship, she started a cosmetics business and went on to become the first American self made female millionaire.
“I had to make my own living and my own opportunity! But I made it! Don’t sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them” – Madam C.J. Walker
24. Mark Zuckerberg:
The youngest billionaire in the world, dropped out of Harvard to promote his social networking platform; Facebook. As at 2010, he was 23 years and worth $4billion.
25. Ted Turner: Billionaire drop out media mogul and founder of CNN; pledged a billion dollars to the United Nation.
“All my life, people have said that I wasn’t going to make it.” – Ted Turner
“Over a three year period, I gave away half of what I had. To be honest, my hands shook as I signed it away. I knew I was taking myself out of the race to be the richest man in the world.” – Ted Turner
26. Cornelius Vanderbilt: Dropped out of school at the age of 11, began operating his own boat at the age of 16 and became one of the richest men in history.
“If I had learned education, I would not have had time to learn anything else.” -Cornelius Vanderbilt
27. Mayer Amschel Rothschild: was born in a ghetto; started business as a money lender and built the largest private fortune in history. He never saw the four walls of school.
“Give me control over a nation’s money supply and I don’t care who make the laws.” – Mayer Amschel Rothschild
28. Ty Warner:
Billionaire real estate investor, hotel owner, sole owner, CEO, and Chairman of Ty, Inc. Ty Warner is a savvy, yet private business man. Ty, Inc; made $700 million in a single year with the Beanie Babies craze without spending money on advertising. He has since expanded to include Ty Girlz dolls, directly competing with Bratz dolls.
29. Howard Hughes: Dropped out of California Institute of Technology and Rice University; founded Hughes Aircrafts and Co and went on to become a billionaire.
“I intend to be, the richest man in the world.” Howard Hughes
30. Giorgio Armani: Billionaire founder of the fashion brand; Giorgio Armani S.P.A. Dropped out of medical school at the University of Bologna because he couldn’t stand the sight of blood.
“Remain true to yourself and your philosophy.” – Giorgio Armani
Successful Entrepreneurs and World’s Richest School Drop Out Billionaires
31. Asa Candler: Founder of the Billionaire company and world’s most popular brand; Coca Cola. He dropped out of school at the age of 10.
32. Jenny Craig: With no college degree, this woman started Jenny Craig Inc from scratch and grew it to become one of the largest and most recognized companies in the weight management industry.
“If I make a commitment to something, I will stick to it no matter what.” – Jenny Craig
33. Rachael Ray: Despite having no formal training in culinary arts, Rachel Ray made a name for herself in the food industry. With numerous shows on the Food Network, a talk show and cookbooks, high-energy Rachael never slowed down. She has also appeared in magazines as well has having her own magazine debut in 2006.
34. Milton Hershey: With only a fourth grade education, Milton Hershey started his own chocolate company. Hershey’s Milk Chocolate became the first nationally marketed chocolate.
35. Frank Lloyd Wright: surpassed all odds to become the most influential architect of the twentieth century. Frank Lloyd Wright designed more than 1,100 projects with about half actually being built. He never saw the four walls of high school.
36. David Geffen: billionaire founder of Geffen Records and co-founder of DreamWorks.
“I never went to business school. I was just bumbling through a lot of my life. I was like the guy behind the curtain in the Wizard of Oz.” – David Geffen
37. Billy Joe (Red) McCombs: founder of Clear Channel media, real estate investor.
38. Craig McCaw: billionaire founder of McCaw Cellular.
39. Dave Thomas: billionaire founder of Wendy’s.
“There’s no one to stop you but yourself.” – Dave Thomas
40. ay Van Andel: billionaire co-founder of Amway.
41. Micky Jagtiani:
He did his schooling in Madras, Mumbai and Beirut, before emigrating to London, where he joined a London accounting school from which he eventually dropped out. He is a college dropout, drove a taxi in London before moving to Bahrain and taking over his deceased family's baby products shop. Over the years his Landmark Group moved to Dubai and expanded into fashion, electronics, furniture and budget hotels in Middle East and Southeast Asia. Net worth US$ 4 billion
42. John Paul DeJoria: billionaire co-founder of John Paul Mitchell Systems and Patron Spirits tequilla.
43. David Green: billionaire founder of Hobby Lobby.
44. Frederick “Freddy” Laker: billionaire airline entrepreneur.
45. Kirk Kerkorian:
At last count by Forbes, this megaresort tycoon, who dropped out of school to pursue amateur boxing when he was only in eighth grade, is now worth $3 billion. Bankrolled Vegas Strip mainstays like the International Hotel and MGM Grand and bought a majority stake in MGM Mirage in 2006. Survived a multimillion-dollar hit in 2008 after unloading Ford stock at a third of original buying value. Kerkorian’s Lincy Foundation has donated more than $180 million to Armenian reconstruction efforts and various charities.
46. Leandro Rizzuto: billionaire founder of Conair
47. Leslie Wexner, billionaire founder of Limited Brands.
48. Marc Rich:
Billionaire commodities investor and founder of Marc Rich & Co.
49. S. Daniel Abraham: billionaire founder of Slim-Fast.
50. Theodore Waitt: billionaire founder of Gateway Computers.
51. Y.C. Wang: billionaire founder of Formosa Plastics.
52. Paul Allen: billionaire co-founder of Microsoft Corporation; dropped out of Washington State University.
53. Ralph Lauren: Billionaire fashion mogul. Studied business at Baruch College for two years and dropped out.
54. Dean Kamen:
Billionaire Kamen holds more than 80 US patents; famous for the Segwey PT, Auto syringe and IBOT robotic wheelchair; dropped out of Worcester Polytechnic.
55. Dhirubhai Ambani: Famous founder of Reliance Group and father to two billionaires; Anil and Mukesh Ambani. Started Reliance Industries from scratch and never saw the four walls of school.
56. Eden Pagan,
57. Robert De Niro
Fans of Vito Corleone and Jake LaMotta can thank one of the world’s most popular actors for leaving high school before his 17th birthday. The two-time Oscar winner studied his craft at Lee Strasberg’s Actor’s Studio and the Stella Adler Conservatory. De Niro learned a thing or two about business along the way, too: His financial portfolio includes film studio TriBeCa Productions and a handful of posh New York eateries.
58. Vidal Sassoon
After spending seven years in an orphanage, the future British hair guru struck out, at age 14, for a barbering apprenticeship, followed by a stint in the Israeli Defense Force. Best known for his severe geometric cuts, the coiffure connoisseur is credited for Mia Farrow’s heavily copied ‘do in Rosemary’s Baby. Sassoon’s personal fortune has been valued at roughly $130 million.
59.Francois Pinault: France
With holdings like Christie’s Auction House, Gucci, Samsonite and Puma, it’s hard to believe the third-richest man in France quit high school in 1947 to work at his father’s lumber mill. One reason he quit school: Classmates made fun of his poor background. Net worthUS$13.2 billion (Pinault family)(June 2015)
60. 50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III, aka multi-platinum rapper 50 Cent, made his entrepreneurial debut at age 12, hustling crack on the streets of South Jamaica, Queens. (He earned his GED while doing time for drug possession.) After his attorney slipped them a demo tape, Eminem and Dr. Dre signed Jackson to their label for $1 million. Good move: Jackson’s albums have sold more than 26 million copies. Product endorsements include Reebok sneakers, Vitamin Water and Right Guard body spray. Fifty’s film company Cheetah Vision landed $200 million in funding in 2010.
61.Peter JacksonBorn to a factory worker and an accounting clerk, this three-time Oscar-winning high school dropout showed signs of filmmaking flair as a child, crafting short movies with a Super 8 cine-camera in New Zealand. At age 20 he worked as a newspaper photo engraver by day and made slapstick horror films by night. His first mainstream hit, the murder drama Heavenly Creatures, came out in 1994. Jackson struck box-office gold with the Lord of the Rings trilogy, which grossed just under $3 billion worldwide.
62.Jessica SimpsonSouthern songstress, fashion designer and reality TV star Jessica Simpson boasts two multi-platinum albums, a shoe line, hair care products and a handful of endorsements–all despite having dropped out of high school. The buxom blonde donned daisy dukes for her 2005 film debut in the Dukes of Hazard and globe-trotted for reality show The Price of Beauty in early 2010. Simpson announced in November she was headed to the altar with one-time NFL tight end Eric Johnson.
63.Uma ThurmanFor this striking high school dropout, beauty and brains runs in the family. Thurman’s mother was a model and her father, a professor at Columbia University, was the first Westerner ordained a Tibetan Buddhist monk. Thurman enrolled in the Professional Children’s School in New York City but left at 16 for onscreen pursuits. The sexy starlet made her movie debut in 1988 and went on to light up the screen in films such as Dangerous Liaisons and Quentin Taratino’s Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill saga, which earned the actress Golden Globe nods.
64.Larry FlyntThis Hustler publisher and outspoken first amendment advocate didn’t need a high school degree to live in his penthouse. Before becoming an adult entertainment icon, the controversial pornographer joined the United States Army using a counterfeit birth certificate at age 15. Flynt ran a fleet of bars and strip clubs before launching his magazine in 1974. In 2003 he threw his hat into the California recall gubernatorial election, finishing 7th in a field of 135.
65.Billy Joel“If I’m not going to Columbia University, I’m going to Columbia Records and you don’t need a high school diploma over there,” Billy Joel once famously declared after learning he had fallen one credit short of his high school graduation requirement in 1967. The six-time Grammy Award winner has sold more than 150 million records worldwide and recently finished touring with Elton John in March 2010. (Joel’s old high school finally agreed to award their famous alumnus a diploma–25 years after he left.) Joel was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999. His estimated net worth is $160 million.
66.Catherine Zeta-JonesThe daughter of a seamstress and factory owner quit school at age 15 to pursue a stage career in London. The smoldering Welsh actress rose to fame in the late ’90s with her performance alongside Anthony Hopkins and Antonio Banderas in The Mask of Zorro. In 2002 she captivated audiences as Velma Kelly in the blockbuster musical Chicago, earning the actress an Oscar, BAFTA Award and Screen Actors Guild Award. Zeta-Jones also has appeared in advertisements for Elizabeth Arden, T-Mobile, Alfa Romeo and Di Modolo jewelery. Zeta-Jones’s estimated net worth is nearly $45 million.
67.David KarpThis 24-year-old home-schooled social media visionary has the blogosphere to thank for his millions. The peach-fuzzed creator of popular blogging platform Tumblr dropped out of Bronx Science High School at 15 to establish his own Web development company. As of March 2010 Tumblr gets 2 million posts and averages 15,000 new users per day.
68.Don ImusJohn
32. Jenny Craig: With no college degree, this woman started Jenny Craig Inc from scratch and grew it to become one of the largest and most recognized companies in the weight management industry.
“If I make a commitment to something, I will stick to it no matter what.” – Jenny Craig
33. Rachael Ray: Despite having no formal training in culinary arts, Rachel Ray made a name for herself in the food industry. With numerous shows on the Food Network, a talk show and cookbooks, high-energy Rachael never slowed down. She has also appeared in magazines as well has having her own magazine debut in 2006.
34. Milton Hershey: With only a fourth grade education, Milton Hershey started his own chocolate company. Hershey’s Milk Chocolate became the first nationally marketed chocolate.
35. Frank Lloyd Wright: surpassed all odds to become the most influential architect of the twentieth century. Frank Lloyd Wright designed more than 1,100 projects with about half actually being built. He never saw the four walls of high school.
36. David Geffen: billionaire founder of Geffen Records and co-founder of DreamWorks.
“I never went to business school. I was just bumbling through a lot of my life. I was like the guy behind the curtain in the Wizard of Oz.” – David Geffen
37. Billy Joe (Red) McCombs: founder of Clear Channel media, real estate investor.
38. Craig McCaw: billionaire founder of McCaw Cellular.
39. Dave Thomas: billionaire founder of Wendy’s.
“There’s no one to stop you but yourself.” – Dave Thomas
40. ay Van Andel: billionaire co-founder of Amway.
41. Micky Jagtiani:
He did his schooling in Madras, Mumbai and Beirut, before emigrating to London, where he joined a London accounting school from which he eventually dropped out. He is a college dropout, drove a taxi in London before moving to Bahrain and taking over his deceased family's baby products shop. Over the years his Landmark Group moved to Dubai and expanded into fashion, electronics, furniture and budget hotels in Middle East and Southeast Asia. Net worth US$ 4 billion
42. John Paul DeJoria: billionaire co-founder of John Paul Mitchell Systems and Patron Spirits tequilla.
43. David Green: billionaire founder of Hobby Lobby.
44. Frederick “Freddy” Laker: billionaire airline entrepreneur.
45. Kirk Kerkorian:
At last count by Forbes, this megaresort tycoon, who dropped out of school to pursue amateur boxing when he was only in eighth grade, is now worth $3 billion. Bankrolled Vegas Strip mainstays like the International Hotel and MGM Grand and bought a majority stake in MGM Mirage in 2006. Survived a multimillion-dollar hit in 2008 after unloading Ford stock at a third of original buying value. Kerkorian’s Lincy Foundation has donated more than $180 million to Armenian reconstruction efforts and various charities.
46. Leandro Rizzuto: billionaire founder of Conair
47. Leslie Wexner, billionaire founder of Limited Brands.
48. Marc Rich:
Billionaire commodities investor and founder of Marc Rich & Co.
49. S. Daniel Abraham: billionaire founder of Slim-Fast.
50. Theodore Waitt: billionaire founder of Gateway Computers.
51. Y.C. Wang: billionaire founder of Formosa Plastics.
52. Paul Allen: billionaire co-founder of Microsoft Corporation; dropped out of Washington State University.
53. Ralph Lauren: Billionaire fashion mogul. Studied business at Baruch College for two years and dropped out.
54. Dean Kamen:
Billionaire Kamen holds more than 80 US patents; famous for the Segwey PT, Auto syringe and IBOT robotic wheelchair; dropped out of Worcester Polytechnic.
55. Dhirubhai Ambani: Famous founder of Reliance Group and father to two billionaires; Anil and Mukesh Ambani. Started Reliance Industries from scratch and never saw the four walls of school.
56. Eden Pagan,
57. Robert De Niro
Fans of Vito Corleone and Jake LaMotta can thank one of the world’s most popular actors for leaving high school before his 17th birthday. The two-time Oscar winner studied his craft at Lee Strasberg’s Actor’s Studio and the Stella Adler Conservatory. De Niro learned a thing or two about business along the way, too: His financial portfolio includes film studio TriBeCa Productions and a handful of posh New York eateries.
58. Vidal Sassoon
After spending seven years in an orphanage, the future British hair guru struck out, at age 14, for a barbering apprenticeship, followed by a stint in the Israeli Defense Force. Best known for his severe geometric cuts, the coiffure connoisseur is credited for Mia Farrow’s heavily copied ‘do in Rosemary’s Baby. Sassoon’s personal fortune has been valued at roughly $130 million.
59.Francois Pinault: France
With holdings like Christie’s Auction House, Gucci, Samsonite and Puma, it’s hard to believe the third-richest man in France quit high school in 1947 to work at his father’s lumber mill. One reason he quit school: Classmates made fun of his poor background. Net worthUS$13.2 billion (Pinault family)(June 2015)
60. 50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III, aka multi-platinum rapper 50 Cent, made his entrepreneurial debut at age 12, hustling crack on the streets of South Jamaica, Queens. (He earned his GED while doing time for drug possession.) After his attorney slipped them a demo tape, Eminem and Dr. Dre signed Jackson to their label for $1 million. Good move: Jackson’s albums have sold more than 26 million copies. Product endorsements include Reebok sneakers, Vitamin Water and Right Guard body spray. Fifty’s film company Cheetah Vision landed $200 million in funding in 2010.
61.Peter JacksonBorn to a factory worker and an accounting clerk, this three-time Oscar-winning high school dropout showed signs of filmmaking flair as a child, crafting short movies with a Super 8 cine-camera in New Zealand. At age 20 he worked as a newspaper photo engraver by day and made slapstick horror films by night. His first mainstream hit, the murder drama Heavenly Creatures, came out in 1994. Jackson struck box-office gold with the Lord of the Rings trilogy, which grossed just under $3 billion worldwide.
62.Jessica SimpsonSouthern songstress, fashion designer and reality TV star Jessica Simpson boasts two multi-platinum albums, a shoe line, hair care products and a handful of endorsements–all despite having dropped out of high school. The buxom blonde donned daisy dukes for her 2005 film debut in the Dukes of Hazard and globe-trotted for reality show The Price of Beauty in early 2010. Simpson announced in November she was headed to the altar with one-time NFL tight end Eric Johnson.
63.Uma ThurmanFor this striking high school dropout, beauty and brains runs in the family. Thurman’s mother was a model and her father, a professor at Columbia University, was the first Westerner ordained a Tibetan Buddhist monk. Thurman enrolled in the Professional Children’s School in New York City but left at 16 for onscreen pursuits. The sexy starlet made her movie debut in 1988 and went on to light up the screen in films such as Dangerous Liaisons and Quentin Taratino’s Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill saga, which earned the actress Golden Globe nods.
64.Larry FlyntThis Hustler publisher and outspoken first amendment advocate didn’t need a high school degree to live in his penthouse. Before becoming an adult entertainment icon, the controversial pornographer joined the United States Army using a counterfeit birth certificate at age 15. Flynt ran a fleet of bars and strip clubs before launching his magazine in 1974. In 2003 he threw his hat into the California recall gubernatorial election, finishing 7th in a field of 135.
65.Billy Joel“If I’m not going to Columbia University, I’m going to Columbia Records and you don’t need a high school diploma over there,” Billy Joel once famously declared after learning he had fallen one credit short of his high school graduation requirement in 1967. The six-time Grammy Award winner has sold more than 150 million records worldwide and recently finished touring with Elton John in March 2010. (Joel’s old high school finally agreed to award their famous alumnus a diploma–25 years after he left.) Joel was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999. His estimated net worth is $160 million.
66.Catherine Zeta-JonesThe daughter of a seamstress and factory owner quit school at age 15 to pursue a stage career in London. The smoldering Welsh actress rose to fame in the late ’90s with her performance alongside Anthony Hopkins and Antonio Banderas in The Mask of Zorro. In 2002 she captivated audiences as Velma Kelly in the blockbuster musical Chicago, earning the actress an Oscar, BAFTA Award and Screen Actors Guild Award. Zeta-Jones also has appeared in advertisements for Elizabeth Arden, T-Mobile, Alfa Romeo and Di Modolo jewelery. Zeta-Jones’s estimated net worth is nearly $45 million.
67.David KarpThis 24-year-old home-schooled social media visionary has the blogosphere to thank for his millions. The peach-fuzzed creator of popular blogging platform Tumblr dropped out of Bronx Science High School at 15 to establish his own Web development company. As of March 2010 Tumblr gets 2 million posts and averages 15,000 new users per day.
68.Don ImusJohn
Donald Imus Jr. grew up on a cattle ranch in Arizona and quit school when he was 17. Following short stints as a military bugler and railroad brakeman, the radio rabble-rouser took to the airwaves in 1968, disc jockeying for a small Palmdale, Calif., station. Fired for saying “hell” on air, Imus moved his on-air pranks to Sacramento, Cleveland and finally New York City in 1971. After the shock jock’s morning show was canceled in 2007, thanks to his disparaging comments about the Rutgers women’s basketball team, it was later picked up by WABC under a five-year deal worth up to $40 million.
69.Sidney Poitier
The first black man to win an Academy Award (for Best Actor in 1963) dropped out of school at age 12 to help support his impoverished family. After serving briefly in the U.S. Army, Poitier earned a living as a dishwasher; at 17, he got on as a janitor in exchange for acting classes at the American Negro Theater in New York City. Since 1997 Poitier has served as Bahamian ambassador to Japan. In 2009 he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama.
70.Amancio Ortega
69.Sidney Poitier
The first black man to win an Academy Award (for Best Actor in 1963) dropped out of school at age 12 to help support his impoverished family. After serving briefly in the U.S. Army, Poitier earned a living as a dishwasher; at 17, he got on as a janitor in exchange for acting classes at the American Negro Theater in New York City. Since 1997 Poitier has served as Bahamian ambassador to Japan. In 2009 he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama.
70.Amancio Ortega
The founder of Inditex–a fashion empire including brands such as Zara, Stradivarius and Massimo Dutti–began life as a railway worker’s son. Ortega ditched school at age 14 to run errands for mom-and-pop T-shirt stalls. In 1972 he founded a line of bathrobes, soon expanding to what would become popular bargain fashion chain, Zara. Today he owns a luxury apartment complex in Miami and properties in Madrid, Paris, London and Lisbon. Ortega, the richest man in España, is worth an estimated $25 billion.
71.Ahmet Nazif Zorlu
Zorlu dropped out of school at age 15 to help with his family’s modest fabrics business. By the early ’90s and under his direction, the company would become the world’s largest polyester yarn producer and curtain manufacturer. Today the billionaire textile magnate, who travels in a custom-designed helicopter, also owns Vestel, maker of televisions in Turkey. In 1997 Zorlu Holdings took over Denizbank, transforming it into one of Turkey’s leading banks. Zorlu also builds wind farms in Pakistan.
72. Shawn Carter
72. Shawn Carter
Jay-Z may have “99 problems,” but not having a high school diploma ain’t one. Carter grew up in one of Brooklyn’s roughest housing projects, dealing drugs before finding salvation in hip hop. In 1995 Carter took his first single to Def Jam Records, the company he ended up running from 2004 until 2007. In 2008 he signed a 10-year, $150 million deal with Live Nation that gave him control over his records, tours and endorsement deals with companies like Dell and Budweiser. The 10-time Grammy Award-winning hip-hop superstar is now worth an estimated $450 million.
73.George Foreman
This pervasive pitchman grew up poor in Marshall, Texas. A mentor, through Lyndon Johnson’s Job Corps program, encouraged the 15-year-old delinquent to box. Foreman would eventually win a gold medal at the 1968 Olympics. His big pay day came in 1999, when he bagged $138 million for selling naming rights to grill manufacturer Salton. He has since pitched brands like Doritos, KFC and Meineke, and has launched a line of environmentally safe cleaning products, a line of personal care products, a health shake, a prescription shoe for diabetics and a restaurant franchise.
74.Gisele Bundchen
When Bundchen was 14 years old a modeling scout discovered her in a Brazilian shopping mall. In 1996 she debuted at Fashion Week in New York City. The highest paid model in the world is worth about $150 million, thanks to contracts with Versace, Dior and other companies. She also has a line of sandals called Ipanema by Gisele.
75.David Murdock
Murdock left high school, was drafted into the Army in 1943 and moved to Detroit after WWII. In 1985 he took control of Dole Food and Hawaiian real estate company Castle & Cooke. Murdock took debt-laden Dole public in October 2009 (current market capitalization: $1 billion). The produce company is the world’s largest producer of fruits and vegetables. The Dole chairman is now worth an estimated $2.5 billion.
76.Jim Clark
This high school dropout bloomed into a Silicon Valley legend, founding the likes of Silicon Graphics, Netscape, Healtheon and Shutterfly. In recent years he started a real estate company in South Florida with Tom Jermoluk, another Shutterfly investor. He co-produced the Academy Award-winning 2009 documentary, The Cove. Today Clark is worth nearly $900 million.
77.Dean Graziosi
78. Mukesh Jagtiani
According to Rediff Business, Jagtiani was the first-ever Indian businessman to top the list of ‘The richest Indian-origin entrepreneurs’ in the region of Gulf Co-operation Council.He joined business school in London to learn economics but soon left it and started his own business. Jagtiani owns the Dubai based Landmark group which is a chain of retail-stores in the Gulf, India, China, Pakistan and Spain. There are more than 600 stores of Landmark groups in these countries. His net worth is estimated to be around $3.2 billion.
78. Mukesh Jagtiani
According to Rediff Business, Jagtiani was the first-ever Indian businessman to top the list of ‘The richest Indian-origin entrepreneurs’ in the region of Gulf Co-operation Council.He joined business school in London to learn economics but soon left it and started his own business. Jagtiani owns the Dubai based Landmark group which is a chain of retail-stores in the Gulf, India, China, Pakistan and Spain. There are more than 600 stores of Landmark groups in these countries. His net worth is estimated to be around $3.2 billion.
79.Gautam Adani
80.Dr. Subhash Chandra
Dr. Subhash Chandra was a rice exporter and later went into the business of Media, and turned Indian Media Baron. He is also the Chairman of Essel Group. Subhash Chandra is not a college dropout but a school dropout. As on March 2012, Chandra’s net worth is estimated to be around $1.8 billion, as told by Forbes.
81.P.N.C. Menon
Puthan Neduvakkatt Chenthamaraksha Menon or PNC Menon is an NRI and is owner of Bangalore-based construction company Sobha Developers. Menon faced lots of trouble in his childhood due to loss of his father at age 10. He also dropped out of Sree Kerala Varma College, Thrissur, to pursue a business in interior decoration. His net worth is estimated to be around $1.25 billion.
82.Vinod Goenka
83.Shahid Balwa
84.Sachin Tendulkar
With a personal fortune of $160 million, Sachin Tendulkar is now India's wealthiest cricketer
85.Evan Williams: Twitter-US
86.Jan Koum: WhatsApp-US
87. Matt Mullenweg: Wordpress
88.Eike Fuhrken Batista
89.Roman Arkadyevich Abramovich
A Russian businessman, investor and politician. He is the main owner of the private investment company Millhouse LLC. He is best known outside Russia as the owner of Chelsea Football Club, an English Premier League football team. According to Forbes, Abramovich's net worth in 2015 was US$ 9.1 billion (2015), This makes him the 12th richest person in Russia, and the 137th richest person in the world. He first worked as a street-trader and then as a mechanic at a local factory. At the peak of perestroika, Abramovich sold imported rubber ducks from his Moscow apartment. He and Olga set up a company making dolls. Within a few years his wealth spread from oil conglomerates to pig farms and he also started investing in other businesses.
90. Sheldon Gary Adelson
An American business magnate, investor and philanthropist. He is the chairman and chief executive officer of the Las Vegas Sands Corporation, which owns the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore and is the parent company of Venetian Macao Limited which operates The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino and the Sands Expo and Convention Center. He also owns the Israeli daily newspaper Israel HaYom. As of June 2015, Adelson was listed by Forbes as having a fortune of $28 billion, and as the 18th richest person in the world.
Adelson was born into a poor family and grew up in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston. He started his business career at the age of 12, when he borrowed two hundred dollars from his uncle and purchased a license to sell newspapers in Boston.At the age of 16, he had started a candy-vending-machine business. Adelson attended City College of New York, but decided to drop out. In the 1960s, he started a charter tours business.[5] He had soon become a millionaire, although by his 30s he had built and lost a fortune twice. Over the course of his business career, Adelson has created over 50 of his own businesses.
Adelson was born into a poor family and grew up in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston. He started his business career at the age of 12, when he borrowed two hundred dollars from his uncle and purchased a license to sell newspapers in Boston.At the age of 16, he had started a candy-vending-machine business. Adelson attended City College of New York, but decided to drop out. In the 1960s, he started a charter tours business.[5] He had soon become a millionaire, although by his 30s he had built and lost a fortune twice. Over the course of his business career, Adelson has created over 50 of his own businesses.
91. Donald Newhouse: US
Donald Edward Newhouse is an American heir, business magnate and philanthropist. According to Forbes, with an estimated net worth of $10.5 billion, Newhouse is the 2nd richest resident of New Jersey and the 56th richest person in the United States.
92: Jack Taylor: US
Jack Crawford Taylor was an American businessman and billionaire who founded the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Company. Net worth: US$8.6 billion (February 2016). Jack C. Taylor was a young salesman at a St. Louis Cadillac dealership in 1957 when he became intrigued by the relatively new practice of automobile leasing.
93.Henry Fok: Hongkong
Self-made Hong Kong billionaire Henry Fok with an estimated net worth of $2 billion, Fok has a rags-to-riches tale. Fok ranked 181 among The World's Richest People In 2006. He has ancestral roots in Lianxi Village, Panyu, now part of Guangzhou, Guangdong.
94.Mohammed Al Amoudi: SA
Mohammed Hussein Ali Al-'Amoudi is a Saudi Arabian and Ethiopian billionaire businessman. In 2016, his net worth was estimated by Forbes at approximately $10.9 billion.
95. Stef Wertheimer
96. Stanley Ho: China
Dato' Sri Stanley Ho GBM GLM GBS GML OBE is the founder and Chairman of SJM Holdings, which owns nineteen casinos in Macau, China including the Grand Lisboa. Net worth: $US 2 billion (2011)
97. Sheldon Solow: US
Sheldon Solow is an American real estate developer in New York. Net worth: 4.7 billion USD (2017) Forbes
98.Ted Waitt
99.Richard Li: China
Source: http://www.gutenberg.us/articles/eng/List_of_countries_by_the_number_of_billionaires
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