This is a compilation of 20 great entrepreneurs

1. The Greatest Entrepreneurs of Our Time

2. The characteristics of successful
entrepreneurs are widely varied, largely due
to inherent human diversity.
Determination, Resilience,Willingness to
take Risk,Competitiveness, Hunger – these
appear on most lists.

3. But to be truly great, they need to have
revolutionized their industry and/or
changed the way we think and live.
This is a compilation of 20 great
entrepreneurs who fit that description.

4. Need Help Becoming a Great Entrepreneur?

5. Steve Jobs
Co-founder of Apple Computer Inc. (1976)
With an initial dream of everyon
e having a personal
computer, Jobs went on to
revolutionize technology with hi
s signature products – the
iPhone, iPod and iPad.
And, when he died in 2011,
his net worth was $11 billion.

6. 6
Bill Gates
Co-founder of Microsoft Corp. (1975)
Bill Gates helped revolutionize
operating systems for personal
computers.
Best known as an American business
magnate, investor, and philanthropist,
with $79 billion in net worth, he ranks
consistently among the wealthiest
people of the world.

7. 7
Jeff Bezos
Founder of Amazon.com (1995)
Bezos, “The King of E-Commerce”,
created a $89 billion online
marketplace that changed Internet
purchasing.
Amazon.com perfected industry
standards like product recommendation
s, easy check out, and incorporation of
customer reviews.

8. 8
Howard Schultz
Chairman & CEO of Starbucks Corp. (1971)
Schultz’s early employers had no
interest in his coffee shop idea, but
gave him both financing and their bra
nd
name, Starbucks.
Today, Starbucks is the world's largest
coffee chain, with annual revenues of
more than $19 billion.

9. 9
Fred Smith
Founder of Federal Express Corp. (1971)
Fred Smith amassed his $3.7 billion
fortune by enabling businesses
to deliver goods quickly, anywhere in
the world.
Though initially told it couldn't be don
e, the visionary changed the way the
world does business and FedEx now h
as revenues in excess of $47 billion.

10. Ray Kroc
Founder of McDonald'sCorp. (1955)
Ray Kroc perfected fast-food
franchising. McDonalds’
spectacular
growth is a result of Kroc’s focus
on its long-term development, its
franchisees, and making the
customer experience uniform
across locations.
At Kroc’s death in 1984, he was
worth $500 million.

11. 11
Larry Page & Sergey Brin
Co-founders of Google (1998)
With $66 billion in annual revenues,
Google is one of the fastest-growing
businesses of all time.
The founders’ invention, Page Rank,
helped make Google the most popular
search engine in the world.

12. Mark Zuckerberg
CEO and co-founder of Facebook (2004)
Mark Zuckerberg launched Facebook from
a dorm room, and developed it into the
most successful social networking website
on the internet. Today, he is worth
$35.7 billion.
His motto: If you aren’t making mistakes,
you aren’t moving fast enough.

13. 13
Warren Buffett
Primary shareholder, chairman and CEO
of Berkshire Hathaway (1955)
With a net worth of $66.7 billion, Buffet
is one of the world’s wealthiest people,
and is known as the 20th century’s
most successful investor.
His credo: Look for undervalued
companies and seek controlling interest
.

14. Sam Walton
Founder of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (1962)
Sam Walton filled the need for low-cost
retail stores in rural communities, some
times scoping out underserved markets
in his private airplane.
Today, Wal-Mart is the world's third
largest firm with $486 billion in annual
revenues.

15. Michael Bloomberg
Founder of Bloomberg L.P. (1981)
With a net worth of $34 billion, Bloomberg
is the 16th richest person in the world.
He founded and owns 88% of Bloomberg,
a global financial data and media company
notable for its Bloomberg Terminal.

16. Richard Branson
Founder of The Virgin Group (1970)
Richard Branson developed "branded
venture capital." This strategy of licensing
the Virgin name enabled him to launch a
patchwork of businesses with
minimal investment.
Today, the Virgin Group has more than
400 subsidiaries, and has annual
revenue of $24 billion.

17. Marc Benioff
Founder of the software company
Salesforce (1999)
Marc Benioff transformed enterprise
software by moving it from the data
center to the cloud. Today, the
influential Salesforce is worth
$34 billion and
has 130,000 customers.
Benioff also owns 13% of Fitbit, and
invests in dozens of tech startups.

18. Peter Thiel
PayPal Co-Founder (1998)
Thiel exited PayPal when it sold to
eBay for $1.5 billion, and netted him
$60 million.
Currently, Thiel’s largest holding is in
Palantir, a data analytics company.
His firm Founders Fund invests in
companies that can effect dramatic
technological change.

19. 19
Walt Disney
Founder of Walt Disney Co. (1923)
With his cartoon films and iconic theme
parks, Disney pioneered branding,
brand stretching and merchandising.
Today, Walt Disney Co. is the largest
media company on earth, with annual
revenues of $35 billion.

20. 20
Martha Stewart
Founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia
(1997)
Stewart changed the way America view
s cooking, home decoration,
gardening and entertaining.
By marketing her taste, Stewart turned
her own life into a business empire that
sold for $353 million.

21. Philip Knight
Co-founder of Nike Inc. (1972)
Philip Knight was initially opposed to heavy
marketing. But after being nearly forced out
of business by rival Reebok, he
revolutionized the concept of company
branding.
Today, Nike’s revenues are $7.4 billion, and
Knight’s net worth stands at $25.1 billion.

22. 22
Pierre Omidyar
Ebay Founder (1995)
Ebay got its start when Founder,
Pierre Omidyar developed an online
system to trade collectible PEZ
dispensers. The idea caught on like
wildfire, altering the dynamic of
internet commerce.
Today, eBay’s revenue is $17.9 billion,
with operations in 30 countries.

23. 23
Oprah Winfrey
Founder of Harpo Productions Inc. (1986)
Oprah, the richest African American
of the 21st century, has a net worth
of over $3 billion.
Starting as a talk show host, she create
d a business empire, including OWN
network. Oprah is the most influential
woman in the world.

24. BusinessPlanTemplate.com
helps entrepreneurs, business owners and executives to create plans
to grow their organizations.
Learn more about our business plan template at
www.businessplantemplate.com