Negative people hate billionaires, but I am inspired by billionaires, especially when I read many of their life stories.
My first billionaire inspiration was George Mitchell, when he was just another $400mm guy in the Fortune 500. He was the son of Armenian immigrants and built a Texas oil empire. I used to work staking his west Texas oil wells. He was a very generous and incredibly creative man. He helped my father start his own business. (I think he liked that my dad was an immigrant who came to America with nothing.) He invented the rotating drill bit that unleashed the fracking revolution. IIRC, he sold the design to Baker Hughes, who improved it and caused it to really take off. He sold his Mitchell Energy company to Devon Energy late in life.
He was known for his philanthropy, gave away many millions. Billionaires are the only people in the world that CAN give away many millions.
—”I think he liked that my dad was an immigrant who came to America with nothing”
Reading down the list more than a few came from money, but many did not.
Reminds me of a fun book “The Millionaire Next Door”.
I don’t recall any billionaires in the book, but it would probably scale up?
https://www.amazon.com/Millionaire-Next-Door-Thomas-Stanley/dp/0671015206
I have mixed feelings about George Mitchell. Pro: his rags-to-riches story; his role in the fracking revolution; the fact that I live in the community he planned out in the 70s. Con: the only time I met him, I heard him speak just before Clinton’s inauguration. He went on and on about how great our economy and the oil industry would do when Clinton was in charge! I always thought that was idiotic, but benefit of the doubt, maybe he just hated the Bushes. Also con: when he was drawing up my hometown, he initially wanted not to allow churches but force congregations to share time at community centers. Fortunately he had an adviser who told him no one would move here without churches. (We currently have 75 for 115,000 population.)
Agreed. Proof that some people are a million times more productive than others. Something to aspire to.
I agree with you. There are a lot of American dream stories that should be told out there. Thank you for posting this.