Profiles Index
Henry Ford - Founder of Ford Motor Company and Assembly Line Innovator
Henry Ford was not the inventor of the automobile, but his innovations in assembly-line techniques and the introduction of standardized interchangeable parts contributed to making the United States a nation of motorists and produced the first mass-production vehicle manufacturing plant.
Anita Roddick - Redefining Business As We Know It
Anita Roddick was founder of The Body Shop, a store that purchases outstanding natural ingredients for a line of cosmetics, helping the disadvantaged communities generate income and providing women with superb cosmetics.
Bill Gates - Windows on Wealth
Microsoft Corp. co-founder Bill Gates is perhaps the most famous entrepreneur of this era. He had the vision to predict the evolving importance of the personal computer. This allowed him to top Forbes magazine’s list of the world’s wealthiest individuals, with a 2006 estimated net worth of $50 billion.
Ben & Jerry's - The Men Behind the Ice Cream
Ice cream is a sweet treat that few can resist. Although vanilla is the most popular flavor in the U.S., there are a seemingly endless number of varieties and manufacturers. One of the best-known purveyors is Ben & Jerry’s, the brand synonymous with funky flavors like Cherry Garcia and Chunky Monkey and a groovy Vermont vibe.
Walt Disney - The Man Behind the Mouse
Disney is one of the most recognized brands in the world, but few know as much about the man behind the Magic Kingdom, not to mention the hundreds of animated cartoons, countless feature films and endless toys that bear his name. An influential innovator and entrepreneur in the mid 20th century, Disney went from sketching a rabbit (yes, a rabbit) to running a multi-billion dollar empire.
Simon Cowell – Music Mogul Millionaire
Simon Cowell is best known as the obnoxious judge on the hit TV show American Idol whose cynical comments sent contestants running out the door in tears, but what most don’t know is that his work didn’t start there and most definitely won’t end there. His list of achievements is long and includes being a successful record producer and executive for the BMG UK record company to gathering wannabe entrepreneurs on his show, American Inventor.
Richard Branson - The Rebel Billionaire and the Ultimate Multipreneur
In a recent poll, About.com readers selected Oprah Winfrey as the Most Admired Entrepreneur. While perhaps less well known outside of his homeland of England, Richard Branson wins the Editor's Choice for Most Admired Entrepreneur. Learn about this British firebrand who has succeeded perhaps most of all at "engineering a breathtaking life for himself".
Lorenzo Borghese: The Bachelor Prince, the Cosmetics Entrepreneur
Even without a title of “prince,” Lorenzo Borghese would not fall into the category of “pauper.” Recently in the news for his appearance on ABC’s The Bachelor: Rome, Borghese is following in his grandmother’s footsteps as a cosmetics entrepreneur and has created his own line of luxury bath and grooming products – only these are for pets.
Howard Hughes: The Aviator, The Innovator, The Billionaire
Howard Hughes was once the most talked-about entrepreneur in the world - legendary for both his bold business tactics and his outlandish personal life. The recent popular movie "The Aviator" has prompted a new interest in this fascinating entrepreneur.
Donald Trump - Billionaire Real Estate Tycoon and Host of The Apprentice
Donald Trump has a long list of accomplishments. While he may be best known in pop culture for "The Apprentice", he built his reputation and his fortune (and lost it and built it again) in commercial real estate. He has developed some of Manhattan's most prestigious office buildings, residences and hotels, as well as casinos, hotels and golf resorts in prime locations like Atlantic City, Palm Beach and Palm Springs. He is also owner of the Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants.
Hugh Hefner: The Ultimate Lifestyle Entrepreneur
Hugh Hefner is the supreme bachelor of our time. He has forever changed our world by breaking the boundaries related to sexuality, age, and gender. He created a revolutionary magazine with naked women and great articles in a time when sexuality was not even appropriate to talk about.
Adam Osborne – The innovator of the first portable computer
Adam Osborne was an American entrepreneur who was most famously known for the first portable computer, but also was a British author and a book and software publisher. He made a successful move into publishing computer books.
Oprah Winfrey - About.com Readers' Most Admired Entrepreneur
In a recent poll, About.com asked readers to select the entrepreneur they most admired. Was it Bill Gates? Richard Branson? Donald Trump? Nope -- Oprah Winfrey stood out head and shoulders above the rest. Read Oprah's story and some of the things that make her so admirable.
Michael Dell: Innovator of the Personal Computer Industry
Michael Dell, born February 1965, started the road to success out of his University of Texas dorm room in with just $1000 and an idea in 1984. Michael Dell is both Chairman and CEO of his company with a net worth of over $30 billion. Dell sells directly to the customer so to avoid middleman mark-ups.
Mary Kay Ash - Most Outstanding Woman in Business in the 20th Century
The founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics created a business that has helped some half a million women fulfill their dreams of business ownership. A best-selling author and powerful motivational speaker, Lifetime Television named her the Most Outstanding Woman in Business in the 20th Century.
Wayne Huizenga Biography
Wayne Huizenga is the only person in history to have founded three Fortune 500 companies, and six NYSE-traded companies. Huizenga is founder of the third largest U.S. waste disposal company, Republic Industries; the global leader in video entertainment, Blockbuster Entertainment; and the country's first and world's largest publicly-traded automotive dealership, AutoNation. He's also currently the owner of the Miami Dolphins football team.