Jeff Bezos: From Garage Bookstore to World’s Richest Man

Everyone knows the name Jeff Bezos. It’s synonymously equated with colossal success. As of today, Bezos is officially the richest man in the world, owning the esteemed title with a net worth of $90 billion. This comes after an impressive leap in Amazon shares today by $15, pushing his worth over the top from yesterday’s close of $89 billion. His road to riches doesn’t stop there, this figure doesn’t even account for his assets that are non-Amazon related.

As CNBC articulately put forth, the future is volatile – “Amazon stock could pull back, or Microsoft could rally. But even if Bezos doesn’t end the day as the richest man, he will likely take the crown from Gates more permanently in the coming days and weeks.”

This moment is awe-inspiring when we take a step back. Just 22 years ago, Bezos was selling books out of his garage. Today, he’s surpassed Bill Gates to claim the title of world’s richest man. This event was not unexpected by industry insiders, especially considering that Gates, though still a formidable titan, is not actively managing a business empire like Bezos and has donated a significant portion of his wealth to charities. Despite criticism and intense scrutiny, even from the likes of President Trump, Bezo’s focus on his business empire remains unwavering.

Forbes, quoted by CNBC, reveals a historical perspective. Bezos is now “the first man to bump Gates from his perch in seven years and is only the sixth man to hold the ‘richest person’ title in the past 30 years.” With around 80 million Amazon shares, Bezos is expected to transform the image of the world’s richest man; his predecessor, Gates, was known for his philanthropy efforts.

Even though Bezos’s ascension to incredible wealth seems meteoric, it has indeed been a gradual journey. Cast your mind back to 1998 when Forbes first announced Bezos as a billionaire with worth of $1.6 billion. A decade later, in 2007, his wealth had escalated to $4.4 billion. In 2012, his net worth skyrocketed to $18.4 billion, making him the 26th richest person at the time. It’s extraordinary that within just five years, he added a staggering $71.6 billion to his net worth.

Despite his extreme wealth, Bezos is often seen as a ‘simple guy.’ He’s renowned for his ostensible frugality, despite owning the most expensive house in Washington D.C. Humble and driven, it seems Bezos is ever working toward his next venture, forever reshaping our idea of what the world’s richest man looks like.