Today, Jeff Bezos is known around the world as the founder of Amazon and one of the wealthiest individuals to ever live.
With an estimated net worth of around $209 billion, Bezos currently ranks as the second-richest person on the planet, just behind Elon Musk, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. From 2017 to 2021, Bezos held the top spot.
But long before Bezos became a global business icon, the road to his wealth began with a single decision. That move seemed risky at the time, but turned out to be life-changing. He quit his job.
It all started after Bezos graduated from Princeton University in 1986 with degrees in computer science and electrical engineering. Armed with a sharp mind and elite education, he stepped into the world of Wall Street, where he quickly made a name for himself.
He joined the hedge fund D.E. Shaw & Co., and within just four years, rose through the ranks to become the company’s youngest-ever vice president.
Jeff Bezos is worth over $125 Billion.
His “Day 1 philosophy” helped build the world’s 5th largest company.
Here’s how it works: pic.twitter.com/sA3ThGlhLT
— Aman Makkar (@amanmakkar) April 20, 2023
Bezos was in the data-driven, analytical environment of D.E. Shaw. It was here that he began to notice something that most others hadn’t yet grasped, the explosive growth of internet usage. As he studied the numbers, Bezos was convinced that the internet wasn’t just a passing trend; it was the future. And more importantly, it was a future with massive financial potential.
That insight sparked a radical choice. In 1994, at the age of 30, Bezos decided to walk away from his secure, high-paying job and pursue an idea that most would have considered too risky.
He packed up and moved from New York to Seattle. With $10,000 of his savings and an additional $84,000 in interest-free loans from family and friends, Bezos launched Amazon.com, initially conceived as an online bookstore.
Jeff Bezos is worth $204.3 billion — and even he’s afraid of what a Trump dictatorship could bring.
Money and privilege won’t buy you safety from fascism.
But you can still resist and prevent it, right now.
VOTE.
— Tristan Snell (@TristanSnell) October 26, 2024
Amazon went live on July 16, 1995. In just two months, it was already pulling in $20,000 in weekly sales, according to Biography. What started as a humble website was quick enough to gain momentum, fueled by the early internet boom and Bezos’ relentless drive.
The real turning point came in May 1997, when Amazon went public at $18 a share, as reported by Bloomberg. From there, the company exploded into an e-commerce giant, changing not just how people shop but how business is done altogether.
By 1998, just three years after Amazon launched, Bezos made his first appearance on the Forbes list with a net worth of $1.6 billion. He was only 34 years old. From that moment on, his fortune skyrocketed, following Amazon’s path to global dominance.
It all traces back to one brave move, where he left behind a prestigious career to bet on a vision. And that’s how Jeff Bezos became a billionaire before hitting 40.
