@writersroom.boardwalkBefore the billions, the grind looked a lot more ordinary. Jeff Bezos was dropping fries at McDonald's. Warren Buffett and Tim Cook both had paper routes. Bill Gates was coding early. Elon Musk was doing farm work. Mark Cuban and Howard Schultz each went door-to-door selling. Bernard Arnault clocked in at his dad's real estate company. Larry Ellison was a programmer at Ampex. Richard Branson started a magazine. Jensen Huang scrubbed dishes at Denny's. Michael Dell did the same at a Chinese restaurant. Oprah Winfrey worked a grocery store register. Jan Koum swept the floors in one. Fourteen billionaires, none of them started at the top.

@writersroom.boardwalkBefore the billions, the grind looked a lot more ordinary. Jeff Bezos was dropping fries at McDonald's. Warren Buffett and Tim Cook both had paper routes. Bill Gates was coding early. Elon Musk was doing farm work. Mark Cuban and Howard Schultz each went door-to-door selling. Bernard Arnault clocked in at his dad's real estate company. Larry Ellison was a programmer at Ampex. Richard Branson started a magazine. Jensen Huang scrubbed dishes at Denny's. Michael Dell did the same at a Chinese restaurant. Oprah Winfrey worked a grocery store register. Jan Koum swept the floors in one. Fourteen billionaires, none of them started at the top.