Top 20 Stories Of Self Made Millionaires

Richard Branson

Richard Branson has a decent family, but he had a really hard time in school because of his dyslexia and he dropped out at the age of sixteen. That incident, however, led him to launch a youth-culture magazine that was managed by students. In 1969, he came up with an idea to establish a mail-order record firm known as Virgin.

Branson started a recording studio in 1972 and success happened little by little for him. Today, Virgin Group holds over four hundred companies in different countries. He explored several industries such as banks, hotels, airlines, space tourism, and mobile phone companies. Branson is one of the world’s wealthiest people with a net worth of $5 billion.

Chris Pratt

The Starlord Chris Pratt used to actually just be a lowly gas boy. At age 20, Pratt was living in a van in Hawaii where he worked minimum hours and gained just enough salary to purchase food and gas. His life suddenly changed when he met actress Rae Dawn Chong during his shift at Bubba Gump Shrimp Company in Maui. Apparently, great things can come from meeting a director while you're at the restaurant waiting tables.

After Pratt was hired for a role in a debut movie named "Cursed Part III," things turned around. The casting opportunity granted him a ticket to Los Angeles, leaving behind his times as a van dweller. "It's a pretty awesome place to be homeless." Prior to moving to Maui, he conducted a sales operation for two years selling coupons. His business ad read, "Do you like rock and roll music? Do you want to make money? Call me."

John D. Rockefeller

To many, John Davison Rockefeller was an investor, a philanthropist, and an oil tycoon. But before his remarkable success, John and his family struggled to make ends meet. His father, William Avery Rockefeller, find it hard to do a permanent work so he tried different tricks and schemes, not to mention the odd jobs he took just to support his growing family. His mother Eliza Davison, on the other hand, have difficulty bringing stability at home. To help her husband, she sold candies, potatoes, and even raised turkeys.

John’s family moved to Ohio, where he received his first employment opportunity as a bookkeeper for a small produce commission company. He worked very hard and was able to raise $4,000 in capital for his first enterprise. In 1863, he established an oil refinery that helped him became the richest entrepreneur in history. According to Forbes, his net worth was an approximate $663.4 billion based on the value of US dollars in 2007.

Halle Berry

When young Halle Berry was given some cash to enter a beauty pageant, she won and went on to compete in bigger pageants. Not only did Berry gain the title as Miss Ohio, she took the spotlight as the first African-American to represent USA as well as being a Miss USA first runner-up. It was 1989 when she first landed her first casting role as an actress in an ABC TV series. This carved a path for her to star in numerous box office hits like "Die Another Day" and "Monster's Ball."

After winning some more awards, the most notable being an Academy Award for Best Actress, Berry created more abundance for herself by combining her expertise in fashion with experience as a leading actress. She became the face of Revlon cosmetics and the Versace brand for many years before proceeding to sign a multi-million-dollar deal with the perfume company Coty Inc. Halle Berry is a successful and award-winning actress, model, and entrepreneur.

J.K. Rowling

Joanne Rowling, famously known as J.K. Rowling, came from a difficult family. That made her teenage years gloomy and complicated. Her mother suffered from multiple sclerosis for ten years, then died on December 1990. Before her mother’s death, Rowling had already started writing Harry Potter. She moved to Portugal and got married, not long after. She got pregnant and gave birth to a beautiful daughter, but the couple separated in 1993. Jobless and no money, depression hit Rowling and she even thought about suicide.

The many obstacles in life, however, did not stop Rowling from chasing and achieving her dreams. She continued writing and completed her first novel. The Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone got published in 1997 and success happened. Rowling wrote ten critically acclaimed novels. She became the best-selling living author in the United Kingdom and one of the world’s richest women.

Dr Phil

Dr. Phil McGraw's early career revolved around his Ph.D. in psychology. He later constructed a self-development seminar called Pathways where he preferred talking to an audience rather than one on one psychology sessions. In addition, he founded a law organization called Courtroom Services. It was designed to aid in crafting cases for lawyers by conducting mock trials, arbitration, behavioral analysis, and jury designation. And when his firm helped Oprah Winfrey win a lawsuit case, he became a frequent guest on the Oprah show.

McGraw persevered until he started his own television show, Dr Phil. His TV program has gotten one of the highest ratings ever in the industry due to its close connection to the Oprah show. McGraw has also formulated several self-improvement books that placed in the best-selling charts. His two sons, Jay and Jordan, are incredibly proud of him.

Liz Murray

Motivational speaker Liz Murray experienced a tragic childhood and early homelessness because her parents were drug addicts and later died of HIV/AIDS. At an early age, she suffered from neglect and often left alone without nothing to eat. But instead of giving up, she strove to escape from her dark past.

Murray made an effort to have a great education and was able to graduate from the Ivy League with the help of a full scholarship program. She then became a famous international speaker. Murray is a great example that anyone can turn misfortune into prosperity and become a better person. Her success story proves that when you believe in your strengths and you work hard, you can achieve your dreams in life.

Daniel Craig

Once a struggling young actor that waited tables, Daniel Craig went on to star as the new James Bond. As a kid, he would only watch the original Bond movies in the cinema. Since then, film and drama had become a huge part of his early life. At age 16, he auditioned at the National Youth's Theatre during one of their tours in Manchester. When he was accepted, he relocated to London and played a role as Agamemnon in Shakespeare's "Trolius and Cressida" during his stage debut. Several years of persistence and commitment really paid off when he made his film debut in a 1992 classic named "The Power of One."

Craig's acting career skyrocketed when he landed a supporting role in 2001's Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. And believe it or not, he was the only cast member to be a big fan of the Tomb Raider console games. Numerous awards, great performances, and nominations later, Craig became the new and enhanced James Bond. All of the past Bond actors: Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, and Pierce Brosnan agree that Craig is an excellent choice to play Bond. I personally can't decide whether the reason is the blond hair and blue eyes, smooth manly voice, exotic facial features, or the muscular body. Although directors stated that it's mainly due to his "reserved demeanor."

Oprah Winfrey

Before Oprah Winfrey became the queen of daytime television, she suffered a tough childhood and years of physical and sexual abuse. She often wore potato sacks because her poor family cannot afford to buy clothes. She did well in high school, earned honors, and received a full scholarship to Tennessee State University. Winfrey, however, took a great risk when she decided to drop out of college and pursue her dreams in the media industry. Fortunately, that complicated choice paid off.

At the age of 20, Winfrey became the first black woman news anchor. She rose to fame when she got the hosting role in the morning talk show AM Chicago, which was later renamed into The Oprah Winfrey Show. That is when her lucrative career started. Winfrey’s life is a true rags-to-riches story. Now, a report from Forbes reveals that her net worth is $3 billion.

Michael Oher

The lead character in Michael Lewis' book "The Blind Side" and its 2009 film remake, Michael Oher, is an NFL football star. He found his passion for the sport at age 17 when he played for his high school. Oher is one of 12 children and was adopted into the Touhys family at age 16. He rapidly gained attention from top football schools as his performance as a starting left tackle greatly impressed the player scouts.

His path in life illuminated when he was offered and accepted a scholarship offer from the University of Mississippi. In 2006, Oher was featured in the news as a star in a highly competitive arena. During that same year was when Michael Lewis published the book that told the story of his life from the foster home to college football stardom- "The Blind Side." Three years after, a movie based on the book was released, starred Sandra Bullock, and was nominated for an Oscar Award. Oher went on to lead the Baltimore Ravens to amazing victories and pushed his team to take the Super Bowl against the San Francisco 49'ers during the 2012-13 season.. "It's true that we can't help the circumstances we're born into and some of us start out in a much tougher place than other people. But just because we started there doesn't mean we have to end there."

Ozzy Osbourne

Born in Birmingham, U.K., Ozzy grew up in a family that is struggling financially but that encouraged him to make it big and settle everything in life. His dark past includes theft, drug abuse, and stays in prison. He often got into trouble, but his life turned around when he became a singer of a local band.

Osbourne’s career has not been an easy road, though. There are times when he experienced rejected record deals. His wife, Sharon Osbourne, helped him improve his health and career. That made Ozzy a legend today.

Steve Harvey

Surely, Steve Harvey is a renowned expert in hard work and success. Some are aware of the fact that he was homeless for three whole years and that he embodied real struggle. Before being an author of best-selling books and the host of top rated TV programs, Harvey was a comedian. And after a couple of failed gigs, he began living in his sedan; washing up in public bathrooms, gas stations, swimming pool showers, and using an Igloo cooler as a refrigerator.

Everything took a turn when he was contacted to appear on a television show named "Showtime at the Appolo," which was his showbiz career breakthrough. Since then, Harvey has become a world-class entertainer and TV show host, appearing in numerous television and radio broadcasts as well as hosting the ever so popular game show Family Fued. His increase in net worth enable him to own two huge homes located in Chicago and Atlanta. He has donated to several charities that really help the ones in desperate need and started the Harvey Foundation, an organization that provides outreach to fatherless children all across the nation. Steve Harvey is and continues to be a leader in the showbiz industry while contributing to an overall positive industry reputation.

H. Wayne Huizenga

Born in Chicago, Illinois, Wayne grew up in a house where the father constantly abuses his wife. He was only five years old when his parents decided to divorce. In his early teens, Wayne convinced himself to do better in life and make a mark in the business industry. It all started with one garbage truck and that made himself a billionaire.

Wayne’s business was all throughout Southern Florida and soon took over the U.S. With all the efforts he made, he was able to establish and manage three Fortune 500 companies.

Hilary Swank

Hilary Swank, a master star actress, started learning the art of drama as a child. Her first experience as a performer was in a live rendition of "The Jungle Book" as Mowgli. During high school, Swank competed in swimming and gymnastics while taking numerous acting lessons. She was 20 years old when she appeared in "The Karate Kid," the movie that propelled her acting career. When she and her mother moved to Los Angeles from Washington, first living out of their van for a period of time, she strived to act as a professional and got the opportunity to appear in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." Within a decade, Swank successfully attained a world-class reputation, a Golden Globe Award, and an Academy Award for Best Actress.

This resulted in receiving more offers to star in many movies. Swank has gotten to work with big names like Al Pacino, Robin Williams, and Morgan Freeman. She's even starred in a legendary Clint Eastwood movie named "Million Dollar Baby." Her collaboration with Morgan Freeman landed her an Oscar as well as a Golden Globe award for best actress; alongside other prestigious commendations. Now having an A-list celebrity status, Swank went on to star in three blockbuster hits, "The Black Dahlia," "Freedom Writers," and "The Reaping."

Jim Carrey

Before Jim Carrey became a famous comedian and producer, he was actually homeless and helpless most of his childhood. So at an early age, he took full-time jobs – from a factory worker to a custodian. When his family moved into a new home, Carrey decided to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. Eventually, he received regular paid jobs as a comedian in different shows.

A career full of ups and downs, Carrey took a long, difficult road to stardom. His energetic and funny performances ensured him a spot in Hollywood. Today, he is an amusing guy who is worth more than $150 million.

John Paul Dejoria

The Forbes' list billionaire John Paul Dejoria began his entrepreneurship journey as a door-to-door salesman. "I started with $700 in 1980. Inflation was 12%. Interest rates were 18-20%. Unemployment was 10.5%, and you had to stand in line around the block to get gasoline for your car." Now worth about five billion dollars, Dejoria deeply struggled to start the Paul Mitchell. Dejoria and his partner, Paul Mitchell, didn't possess startup cost or advertising money. They found their way around this business obstacle by maintaining the quality of their beauty products.

This lead to workers in the industry to be frequently using their top quality beauty products and then recommending them to other workers and their customers, which was Dejoria's goal. He and Mitchell really hung in there during the first two years of their business launch; "By all normal business standards, we should have declared bankruptcy every week." The principles he follows have been instilled in him as a young child when he started learning how to sell products like Christmas cards and newspaper subscriptions. Now he is worth billions and feeds 8,000 hungry people every day. Apparently, John Paul Dejoria never gives up until he achieves his goals. "If you knock on one hundred doors, and show your product to one hundred people and they all say 'no,' or won't even talk to you, you have to be just as enthusiastic at door 101 as you were at the first."

Chris Gardner

In his youth, Chris Gardner was brought up in different foster homes. He did not know his real father and his stepfather was violent and abusive. When he had nowhere to go, he joined the Navy and he served in the US Corps.

Gardner wanted to do something rewarding, so he decided to become a stockbroker. In despite of all of these troubles, his mother motivated him to be confident and strong. His dedication and hard work eventually paid off, and he built his own firm. From homeless to multimillionaire, Gardner proves that your passion can turn your life around.

Ralph Lauren

At a young age, Ralph Lipschitz, set his eyes on one goal: to be a millionaire. And today, he has over $7 billion in the bank, homes in Jamaica, Long Island, Bedford, New York, and owns a whopping 17,000 acres of land in Colorado. He is also popular for possessing one of the most valuable car collections in the world. His fashion brand, Polo Ralph Lauren, brings in billions of dollars of yearly revenue. And all he started with was a high school diploma, a few business classes, and a solid commitment to form a successful company.

His inspiration for his designs mainly comes from Hollywood as he was a huge fan of actors like Gary Cooper and Cary Grant. Imagination and being a visionary were key points to his success. He had also attained his excellent work ethic by joining the army. The big motivation for Lauren to start the Polo brand was when he attended his first polo match with a friend named Warren Helstein. "The silver, the leather, the horses, the tall slinky blondes with the big hats, and the high society that we really weren't knowledgeable of." Lauren made his company public in 1997. Polo has a Twitter following of about 3 million.

Andrew Carnegie

Andrew Carnegie was once a poor boy living in a small house in Scotland. For several years, his family suffered financially and find it difficult to make ends meet. They decided to move to America hoping to start a new life. Andrew first started working at a textile factory, then he received an offer as a telegraph messenger. Because of his perseverance and abilities, someone from the Pennsylvania Railroad Company gave him a job.

Carnegie saved a lot of money and climbed up the corporate ladder. He started investing and the projects he chose became so profitable. After several years, Carnegie grew his empire.

Harold Hamm

Harold Hamm is the 50th richest person in entire world, an oiling expert worth $16 billion. He was born to Oklahoman sharecroppers and one of 13 kids. At the early age of 17, he had left home to work as a carpenter and gas station worker in the city Enid, Oklahoma. He strived to finish high school by enrolling in an entrepreneurship program; it also allowed him to work full time. And that was when he met his first wife, Judith Ann, and had three children. Not long after, he started his own business Shelly Dean Oil Co., later known as Continental. The company ended up being incredibly successful, operating numerous oil wells across the state of Oklahoma.

A couple decades later, he acquires more than 500 oil and gas wells, setting a world record for company acquisition. More success came his way when he divorced Judith Ann and married Sue Ann. As an economist and a lawyer, Sue Ann represented Continental as well as managing a large part of its operations. Business really skyrocketed. So much so that Hamm found it ideal to purchase a monument to its success, the Continental Center. The Continental is a pioneer in numerous processes of oil production and field drilling. And after going public in 2007, profits went up even higher (by 500 percent). Today, Hamm is a campaign adviser on energy for top politicians and stays in the Oklahoma Hall of Fame.