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Jeffrey Preston Bezos started his entrepreneurial journey in 1995 when he founded Amazon.com as an online bookstore. The company that literally started its journey from his garage touched the pinnacle of success with his adventurous mind and innovative heart. In less than 4 years, Bezos was featured on TIME Magazine as the Person of the Year.

He was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico to a teenage mother whose marriage lasted just over a year. She remarried when Bezos was about four. From the early childhood he had remarkable mechanical aptitude, and had various scientific interests. He spent his early childhood with his grandfather at Cotulla (a city in La Salle County, Texas) where they had 25,000-acre ranch. Bezos converted his parents’ garage into a laboratory and did several science projects of his interests. Later, he moved to Miami, Florida with his family and there he fell in love with computers. On completion of his high school from Miami Palmetto Senior High School, he attended Princeton University to study physics, but later he changed his mind and graduated with a degree in computer science and electrical engineering. On completion of his studies, he worked for a company called Fitel, where he developed networking system for international trade. He later worked for Bankers Trust and for D. E. Shaw & Co. as a financial analyst prior to founding Amazon in 1994.

The idea of building Amazon, an electronic commerce company, came in his mind while on a cross-country drive from New York to Seattle. It was then he sat alone and analyzed how the internet was going the change the way the world shops. He foresaw the opportunity of exploring new sphere of business and he started finding the possibilities to reach limitless number of people across the world. In the meantime, he visited the American Booksellers’ Convention in Los Angeles where he thought of doing book business. He saw that the book wholesalers had massive electronic lists of their inventory but with no single platform where public could directly find out the available books, order them and get them delivered at their addresses. The venture, back in those days, was difficult for him because people around could hardly believe on the viability of such electronic shop; and therefore he had to decide to plunge alone without financial supports or continue what he was doing-a secured job and a respected position. He chose the first and wrote a business plan with his wife and started the company from their garage.

In 1995, he launched his site and spread the world through his 300 beta testers. Within 30 days his site Amazon could sell books in 50 states and 45 foreign countries. The site started expanding at the rate that he had never imagined. The company went public in 1997 and sales started mounting by every week. Two years later, Amazon’s share value became bigger than its two biggest retail competitors combined, they handled greater deals from its heavy Internet traffic.

Jeff Bezos continues to revolutionize people’s online shopping experience. In 2008, he was called one of America’s best leaders by U.S. News & World Report, and in the same year he was also awarded an honorary doctorate in Science and Technology from Carnegie Mellon University. In 2011, he along with Gregg Zehr received an Innovation Award for the Amazon Kindle by The Economist.

According to Forbes, as of September 2012, Jeff Bezos’ net worth stands at $23.2 billion.
Jeff Bezos Quotes

Life’s too short to hang out with people who aren’t resourceful.

A company shouldn’t get addicted to being shiny, because shiny doesn’t last.

If you’re competitor-focused, you have to wait until there is a competitor doing something. Being customer-focused allows you to be more pioneering.

I think frugality drives innovation, just like other constraints do. One of the only ways to get out of a tight box is to invent your way out.

Mediocre theoretical physicists make no progress. They spend all their time understanding other people’s progress.

I believe you have to be willing to be misunderstood if you’re going to innovate.

I strongly believe that missionaries make better products. They care more. For a missionary, it’s not just about the business. There has to be a business, and the business has to make sense, but that’s not why you do it. You do it because you have something meaningful that motivates you.

The human brain is an incredible pattern-matching machine.

Info Source: wikipedia.org

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“There are a lot of things that go into creating success. I don’t like to do just the things I like to do. I like to do things that cause the company to succeed. I don’t spend a lot of time doing my favorite activities.” Michael Dell

Wikipedia

Michael Dell, a renowned entrepreneur, author and the founder as well as the chief executive officer of Dell Inc, was born on 23rd February 1965 in Houston, Texas. His father was a stockbroker and an orthodontist and mother was a money manager. Two things inspired Dell more than anything; first came his parents and the second was business. Dell once confessed that he had crave for computers as well as stock market. At the early age of eight, he sat for a high school equivalency exam in hope to venture into business. He did his schooling from Herod Elementary School in Houston, Texas

From teenage, Dell kept doing several part time jobs from where he would collect money to invest in precious metal and stocks business. At the age of 12, he operated a mail-order trading business for stamps and baseball cards and earned $2,000. At the age f 14 he received his first computer Apple II and studied details on how it worked and developed a knack for computers. During his studies at Memorial High School, he worked part time as a marketing executive for the Houston Post and learnt some precious selling strategies. He used to make cold calls and learned that the newlywed couples or new comers in the area were easy-to-convert prospects. In a year, Dell managed to earn $18,000; back then it was quite an amount.

When Dell was at the University of Texas, in 1984, he began his computer company “PCs Limited” with his pocket money $1000. Hi family financed him with $300,000 and Dell started assembling computer and selling with a year free service warranty. His dedication to service got him hundreds of satisfied customers. The next, Dell took a big decision; he quit his studies from the university to devote whole time in business and started selling PC, kits and add-on components. After that company was renamed with Dell Computer Corporation and moved in North Austin. In 1992, Fortune Magazine kept his company among top 500 companies and with that he became the youngest CEO at the age of 27. After 4 years in 1996, Dell began selling computer online and launched a server and the growth doubled within years and became world’s largest PC manufacturer.

In 2004, his position as CEO was taken over by Kevin B. Rollins but after 3 years once again he became the president and CEO of the company.

Dell published his first autobiographical book “Direct From Dell: Strategies That Revolutionized an Industry” in 1999 with a detailed description of his childhood, his mistakes and finally lessons through which he finally found the company Dell. Dell Computer Corporation became Dell Inc. which is now in business of offering personal devices as well as home entertainment.

Philanthropic work:

In 1999, Michael, along with Susan Dell, founded the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation through which they serve for the betterment of children and has already contributed over $530 million for developing urban communities in the United States and India by the year of 2010.

He has also donated $65 million to the Dell Pediatric Research Institute, the Michael & Susan Dell Center for Advancement of Healthy Living, and the Dell Children’s Medical Center. All three health organizations are associated with the University of Texas where he studied.

Awards and recognitions:

In 1989, at the age of 24, Dell got the “Entrepreneur of the Year” given by Inc. magazine. Worth magazine honored him with the “Top CEO in American Business”

In 2002, University of Limerick awarded Dell with an Honorary Doctorate in Economic Science for his generous investment in Ireland and the local community for educational initiatives

Financial World, Industry Week and Chief Executive Magazines honored him with the “CEO of the Year”
He has been a member of the U.S. President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology besides working on the executive committee of the International Business Council, the governing board of the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad, India, the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum and the U.S. Business Council.

Info Source: Forbes, Wikipedia

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Lee Shau Kee, the majority stake owner of Henderson Land Development, was born in China’s southern province Guangdong in January 29, 1928. He spent his early years in Hong Kong and devoted his 40 years of life in doing some commercial business and property development.

Currently he holds many positions; he is the Chairman of Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited, Chairman of Miramar Hotel and Investment, Founder, Chairman, Managing Director of Henderson Land Development Company Limited, Vice Chairman Independent Non-Executive Director of Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited, Member of Board of Directors of Hong Kong Ferry (Holdings) Limited and The Bank of East Asia Limited. He has his stakes in China Shenhua Energy, China Life, and PetroChina.

Philanthropic work:

He contributed The Chinese University of Hong Kong a lot. Dr Lee has been a Member of the then Advisory Board of the Three-year MBA Programme since 1977 and a Member on the Board of Trustees of the United College since 1988. In 1991, Dr Lee donated to the CUHK-Yale South China Studies Programme, which funded academic conferences and research projects, grunted fellowships for doctoral students and researchers and lectureships, and made library collections and research resources. He has donated to the Chinese University to support research works and human resources development.

Recognition:

In 1993, Chinese University awarded Dr Lee with the honorary degree of Doctor of Social Science.
In 2006, he could make a substantial profit from Mainland-controlled stocks after which he was named the Hong Kong’s Warren Buffett

Dr. Lee was honored with the highest award the ‘Grand Bauhinia Medal’ for serving community by Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in 2007.

According to Forbes Magazine 2010, he is the second wealthiest person in Greater China Region and Hong Cong and the world’s 22th richest man whose net worth is $18.5 billion.

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Some say “the world is immeasurably better because of Steve Jobs.” A career spanning over three decades, Mr. Jobs influenced almost every significant aspect of our life raging from computers and mobile to movies and music. Apart from being an impeccable innovator, Jobs will be remembered as a fascinating entrepreneur who, through his steadfast dedication, brought creativity, innovation and value to his customers.

Do it as a passion

Follow your heart and work for your passion. Passion not only makes you feel great but also changes the world for better. Once he said, “.. almost everything – all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure – these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.”

Creativity

“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” –Steve jobs. He believed in saying no to a hundred things to get on the right track and work with the people with real passion for excellence. He would also feel proud of what he had not chosen to do in his life and equally felt proud of what Apple had not chosen to do.

Failures teach you more than success

There might be several barriers especially when you are innovative but do not step back, face them and go ahead confidently.

Start small but think something big and beyond

You might have handful of innovative ideas, but start with simple and small. Do not bug your head with too many things at the same time. Once Steve jobs spoke out his dreams by saying, “I want to put a dent in the universe”. He advised to “believe in the power of your dream” to win.

Do something different and try hard for it

Taking first step is the hardest decision but once taken it can make a big difference. Steve jobs believed in having the idea of what your customers want. In his words, “they (customers) hardly have anything to do with your complicated products or the store of intricate applications in the products. Make it so simple that literally an infant can handle it. Do not show your highness to customer; instead, make the easiest way for them so that they can enjoy it in every way.”

Communicating with your ideas

Steve jobs was one of the greatest storyteller, he would always emphasize on communicating with ideas. In his words, “you might have thousands of innovative ideas but if you fail to communicate or express, then your ideas have no value. They are actually dead.”

Make your customers feel different with your product

Thousands of brands evolve every year, so why would people pick up yours? Steve jobs felt to serve his customers with distinct experiences with his products each time. For it, he would suggest, see brilliance in your craziness and passion, have faith in your vision, and stay confident enough to sand for it.

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Steve Jobs The Life Journey
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“No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there… Yet death is the destination we all share… Death is very likely the single biggest invention of life. It’s life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new.” Steve Jobs

Jobs was born on February 24, 1955 in San Francisco to Abdulfattah John Jandali, a Syrian Muslim immigrant and Joanne Schieble, an American graduate student. He was adopted by Paul Jobs and Clara Jobs from Mountain View California and given the name Stephen Paul Jobs

Jobs studied at Cupertino Junior High and later at Homestead High School in Cupertino, California.

From early years, Jobs took interest in technology and attended various after-school lectures at the Hewlett-Packard Company. He briefly worked at the same company as a summer intern with with Steve Wozniak.

In 1972, Jobs enrolled at Reed College, Portland Oregon but dropped out after attending a semester. However, he continued auditing classes, sleeping on the floors of friends’ rooms, collecting water and soft drink bottles for food and getting meal every Sunday at a local Hare Krishna Temple. The next year he enrolls for Calligraphy

In 1974 Jobs joined Atari, a video game maker and attended meetings of Homebrew Computer Club with Steve Wozniak with whom he later founded Apple.

On April 1, 1976, Jobs and Wozniak formed Apple Computer. They created the circuit board in a grage and set Apple I on sale by midsummer.

In 1977, Apple launched Apple II, the first computer ever that generated color graphics.

In 1978, as a result of a brief courtship with a Bay Area painter Chrisann Brennan, Jobs’ daughter, Lisa Brennan-Jobs is born. Initially, he denies but later acknowledges her as his daughter.

In 1983, Apples puts Lisa computer on sale. Jobs ask John Sculley to quit Pepsico and serve as Apple CEO. He convinced him by asking, “Do you want to sell sugar water for the rest of your life, or do you want to come with me and change the world?

On January 24, 1984, Jobs introduced the Macintosh which soon became the first commercially successful small computer with a graphical user interface

The following year, Jobs quits Apple following a clash with John Sculley. The same year, Wozniak also resigned.

In 1985, Jobs founded NeXT Computer with and investment of $7 million. He promoted NeXT products across scientific organizations, government bodies and educational institutions.

In 1986, Jobs bought The Graphics Group which he named Pixar

By the year 1993, Jobs sold 50,000 NeXT machines.

In 1993, Apples reported quarterly loss of $188 million. It failed to compete with IBM and other computer giants that led to the resignation of John Sculley.

In 1996, Apple Bought NeXT and appointed Jobs as advisor.

1n 1998, Jobs is requested to take over as ‘interim’ CEO and the same year Apple started making profits

iMac desktop becomes the most successful computer in the year 2000

In 2001, Apple formally announces Jobs as its CEO. The same year, Apple launched iPod and releases iTunes software.

In 2003, Apple launches iTunes Music Store

In 2004, Jobs is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and undergoes for surgery

Disney Group buys Pixar for $7.4 billion in the year 2006

In the year 2007, Apple releases its first iPhone. The following year, Jobs health further deteriorates leaving speculations in market.

In 2009, Jobs goes on medical leaves and receives liver transplant. By the end of June, Jobs returns to Apple and attends various meetings and seminars.

By the end of 2010, Apple sold over 15 million iPads

As of March, 2011, Apple sold about 108 million iPhones worldwide

Steve goes on another medical leave and quits as CEO on August 24

On October 5, 2011, Jobs’ family announced that he “died peacefully

“Almost everything–all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure–these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.” Steve Jobs

“Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes… the ones who see things differently — they’re not fond of rules… You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things… they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.” Steve Jobs

“Almost everything: all external expectations, all pride all fear of embarrassment or failure. These tings just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose.”

Steve Jobs, Stanford Commencement Adress, 2005

“Sometimes life is going to hit you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith.”

Steve Jobs, Stanford Commencement Adress, 2005

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People Who Changed the World in Business
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Lawrence Ellison,popularly known as Larry Ellison, co-founder and chief executive officer of Oracle Corporation, was born in 1944, on 17 August in New York City. He is the son of Florence Spellman, an unmarried Jewish lady. He grew up in Chicago with his mother’s uncle and aunt who adopted him when he was less than a year old. He never saw his biological mother until he was 48. From his early childhood, he was a bright student, and had lot of interest in science and math but he was inattentive. In 1958, he completed his graduation from Eugene Field Elementary School, Chicago. After that he attended Sullivan High School but the next year he moved to South Shore High School. He was known as a science student at the University of Illinois. He dropped his studies after the second year and enrolled at the University of Chicago where he learnt the commuter programming. But after first semester he dropped the idea of furthering his studies and he went to Northern California permanently at the age of 20. Next, for almost eight years he worked in various firms; he worked as a technician for Fireman’s Fund and Wells Fargo bank and later as a programmer at Amdahl Corporation

In 1970, he worked for Ampex Corporation where he developed a database for CIA named ‘Oracle’

In 1977, Lawrence with Robert Miner and Ed Oates, his fellow colleagues, established their own company Software Development Labs (now Oracle Corporation) where he played the role of Chief Executive officer. After two years, in 1979, Ellison changed the company name in Rational Software Inc.

After recovering from almost bankruptcy in 1990, once again Oracle started growing in America’s automobile company, airlines, banks and retail companies. Soon, it became a giant company. In 1992, with arrival of Oracle 7 into the market, it accomplished previous value and became leader in database management software

In 2004, Ellison took initiative to increase the market share and spent $25 billion in purchasing large and small sized companies, logistics and retail inventory, and software for managing database. In the same years, 2004, he bought PeopleSoft for $10 billion, then Siebel Systems and in 2007, software provider Hyperion Solution. In 2009, he declared to buy Sun Microsystems and in 2010, European Union agreed Oracle’s acquisition.

Besides being a successful businessman he takes interest in outdoor activities. In spite of undergoing a serious surgery, he practices acrobats and races his 78-foot yacht, Sayonara. In 2010, his sailing yacht USA 17 won the second race 33rd America’s Cup. He made history bringing 159 years America’s oldest trophy in international sport back.

According to Forbes Magazine 2012, he is the sixth richest man whose net worth is $41 billion.

Philanthropic work: In 2002, Ellison Medical Foundation predicted that Ellison will raise his annual contribution from $35 million to $100 million.

Quotes:

“I have had all of the disadvantages required for success.”

“When you innovate, you’ve got to be prepared for everyone telling you you’re nuts.”

“A corporation’s primary goal is to make money. Government’s primary role is to take a big chunk of that money and give it to others.”

“Our goal is very simply to become the desktop for e-businesses.”

“I saw that we needed to grow, but our top line wasn’t growing, so we had to find other ways to grow the business. We had to reshape our business and acquire share in a nonconventional way. But most tech leaders don’t come out of a business background. They really have a very parochial point of view. All they know are the go-go years of Silicon Valley. That’s the environment in which they were raised.”

“If your cash is about to run out you have to cut your cash flow. CEOs have to make those decisions and live with them however painful they might be. You have to act and act now, and act in the best interests of the company as a whole, even if that means that some people in the company who are your friends have to work somewhere else.”

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