Some question how wealthy people get to the top, leaving an enormous difference between the rich and poor. Well, take comfort in the fact that all humans have one or more skeletons in their closets that made them or molded them into what they are today. Although it costs a lot to be rated among the most affluent and influential people globally, the matter is straightforward.
In the list below, some are in their early 30s and 40s, but the precocious black bunch is worth more than you might think. They stretch the world, emerging from all the diverse experiences that influenced their future.
Given the downturn of global markets in reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic, many remained at the top of their game. Several affluent cohorts are self-made millionaires and billionaires.
1. Vusi Thembekwayo
Vusi Thembekwayo, 33, is a professional South African business person, risk capitalist, and motivator. You may also have read his new book, ‘Business & Life Lessons from the Black Dragon’, which details his rise from a poor community to a well-established entrepreneur, author, and investor. But hold on a second!
Don’t be intimidated by his millions of dollars. Vusi came from a deprived home. Life was tough for him, but luckily he got an excellent secondary education. After finishing his high school diploma, the visionary went to university but dropped out because of financial constraints in his initial year. Vusi didn’t abandon his dream but looked for a job to pay his school dues. His efforts were futile.
He decided to use his public speaking skills after he had struggled to get a job. He established his first business, Global Professionals, South Africa. Suddenly, the company gathered traction and received clients from all over. The young entrepreneur then sold half the company to a digital company in South Africa.
Vusi Thembekwayo’s net worth is mind-blowing! The 33-year-old has a valuation of over 350 million dollars and has even businesses in which he holds shares. His corporations are based in Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa. His net worth is 550 million dollars, rendering him one of South Africa and Africa’s wealthiest young men.
Vusi is also a successful writer. He has sold over 50,000 copies of his books and is one of Africa and the world’s most prominent authors. Today, he is widely considered one of the most creative corporate capital forces in Africa.
2.’Rihanna’ Robyn Rihanna Fenty
Whoever does not know this spectacular musician and beauty, you are not in this world. The “Umbrella” Hitmaker Rihanna grew up in Barbados in a small, troubled, and low-income broken home. Her parent faced marital issues that affected her youth. To add on to that, her peers at school bullied and cursed her for her light skin complexion. This made her an introvert and a timid person.
Rihanna, the 32-year-old, overcame her shy personality while in school when she won a beauty pageant after singing “Hero” by Mariah Carey at the age of 16. She never looked back as she got signed to Jay-Z’s record label that saw her earn a fortune from her music career. The artist started up other ventures in the fashion industry that have also contributed to her $600 million net worth, as they call her a beauty Mogul by peers in the 21st century.
3. Tiger Woods
From the age of 2, Tiger showed his competitive spirit and the urge to strive for excellence in golf as he trained and worked towards being the best there is. This followed a crisis in his life that caused a slight setback after they had arrested him. He struggled with a severe injury that left him vulnerable to a point where he could barely sit or walk, which resulted in having four surgeries as he tried to get back to his career.
Many had doubts and couldn’t believe he would return, but he strove through and has put the set back behind him. He returned to his career as a champion as he kept fighting and believed in himself. Tiger Woods, who is the greatest of all time in the golf industry, is also worth $800 million.
3. Andre Young, aka Dr. Dre
By creating a different music genre through his perfectionism, Andre Young’s motivation grew from listening to wreck productions from some music producers. His music style saw him work with people like Eminem, where he left a record label he was producing then to create his Aftermath entertainment. He became the most significant and most famous producer in the world.
Andre was innovative enough to create headphones for people to enjoy music and enjoy it as it was meant to be heard as he found his niche and ignored the critics after he had released his first pairs. Ambitious Andre had a vision and kept to it. His headphones have made him one of the most fantastic movers in the Entertainment business and estimated to value $820 million as he still strives for more.
4. Sean Combs aka P-Diddy
After they gunned his father down at the age of two, Sean hustled along with his mother that later saw him through school till university. His entrepreneurial skills started manifesting during several weekly dance parties he was organizing for the airport charter service that last saw him create a company at 21. He made a record label “Bad Boy Records” with artists like Notorious BIG, which went multi-platinum.
The music producer and lifestyle curator trusted his entrepreneur skills and ability that saw him move off the streets of Harlem to being recognized as one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the entertainment industry as he sits on a fortune worth $885 million.
5. Shawn Carter aka Jay Z
After his father abandoned them, Jay Z, his mother, and brothers lived in a small cramped house. During his early youth, he made beats from the kitchen table before his mother bought him a boom boxer that helped him master his music’s freestyle and make beats.
Jay Z joined the music industry under mentorship that saw him become the most successful and wealthiest rappers in the entertainment industry. Shawn has made many investments that have earned him a luxurious lifestyle and have a $1 billion fortune to his name.
6. Kanye West
His value has been a mystery until recently when Forbes confirmed that he is worth $1.3 billion. Kanye later called Forbes Magazine to correct them, saying that he is worth $3.3 billion. Well, Kanye has always been a creative lad, from his music production to fashion designing and the entrepreneurial skills that have seen him own a fortune.
Once a shoemaker, Kanye West now owns a fashion design and is the brains behind the Yeezy shoes marketed and distributed by Adidas. Kanye dropped out of art school and wanted to make music. It was difficult for him. He found himself a tale marketer and almost considered joining the porn industry before his music breakthrough. Later, he joined Jay-Z’s record label as a producer. Unfortunately, he got in an accident, and as he was in the hospital, he requested his drums to finish his production.
The light shined in his life when his hard work was rewarded. After the accident, hardly did Kanye know he had produced an album worth a Grammy. The moral of the story is hard work and persistence can make you rich.
7. LeBron James
James LeBron grew up with a mentality of wanting to be the greatest of all time, to be one of the highest-earning players in the National Basketball Association (NBA). A single parent raised LeBron. His father abandoned them, so his mother hopped from job to another to ensure they both survived. However, the two became homeless. LeBron sought solitude under his friend’s roof, but they licked him out, and he started sleeping in a car.
LeBron has huddled through sports, starting as a runner and then as an American footballer where he scored 19 touchdowns. Parents at that school demanded James’ birth certificate because he was taller, faster, and stronger than everyone on the pitch. Without an excellent education, LeBron stuck to pursue basketball rather than American football after hurting his finger. Hardly did he know that his misfortune was a free ticket to winning championships in basketball. The rejection was merely a redirection to reshape and correct his destiny. LeBron is now worth a whopping $450 million.
8. Floyd Mayweather Jr
Off the cold streets to living in a mansion, Floyd and his family struggled to survive. His mother was a drug addict. Although boxing was a family craft, he vividly remembers his father as a weed supplier, who even sold drugs to his mother. The Mayweather family was known for trouble as the athlete’s leg was once shot during a family dispute. Floyd’s father was later arrested for selling drugs, and the young and ambitious boxer dedicated himself to the sport as a way out of their struggles.
At 16, Mayweather Jr had to get up like a man and take care of himself and the rest of the family. He used to carry a heavy bag to get to the gym and make things happen. One day, Floyd signed for a boxing competition and won a National Golden Gloves Championship.
Floyd kept his head high as he never gave up until he earned titles and a fortune for his hard work, selflessness, determination, and thirst for something better. Floyd is now the world’s highest-paid athlete with an estimated $560 million worth, yet some magazines rate his worth to be up to $1 billion.
9. Kobe Bryant
We couldn’t end this list without mentioning the late Kobe Bryant with such an inspiring story and life he lived. His net worth was unknown because he lived a private life. But after his death, they made it public that the retired NBA player was worth $600 million of fortune.
He had to train and work hard to become the celebrated Kobe Bryant that the world knew. Many of his peers thought he was soft because he was from the suburbs. He proved them wrong through his hard work and retirement after 20 years of the hustle.
Having suffered from arthritis, he realized his career could come to a stop. That’s when he realized he could tell stories to inspire many. Writing became his new venture, for he enjoyed it and sold out some of his published books that fueled his legacy and fortune.
Bottom Line
Hopefully, all this knowledge about these entrepreneurs has motivated you to start your company and drive yourself past the boundaries you may have set. So realize there’s always a benefit in failure. Only strive to spot the lotus flower blooming in the mud.
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