Despite his enormous fortune, Bezos was still driving a 1997 Honda Accord years after becoming a billionaire. Bezos’s choice of car came to light in a “60 Minutes” interview with Bob Simon in 1999. At that time, Amazon was a 5-year-old company known mainly as an online bookstore. Bezos, driving his Honda Accord, responded to Simon’s question about his modest vehicle choice saying, “This is a perfectly good car.” At the time, Bezos had a net worth of about $8 billion, according to Forbes. The interview also highlighted the frugal conditions of Amazon’s then headquarters, which were situated between a heroin needle exchange and an adult film store. Simon, observing Bezos’s desk made from a wooden door and 4x4s, asked why the CEO’s working conditions weren’t more luxurious. Bezos replied, “It’s a symbol of spending money on things that matter to customers.” Bezos’ lifestyle has evolved over the years. For instance, Bezos owns the superyacht Koru, which reportedly cost $500 million. The yacht is 417 feet long and is the tallest sailing yacht in the world, with upkeep likely to cost at least $50 million per year. In addition to his superyacht, Bezos has expanded his real estate portfolio. In 2023, he purchased a $79 million mansion in South Florida’s exclusive Billionaire Bunker, next to a home he paid $68 million for in June. The mansion spans roughly 19,000 square feet on 1.84 acres and includes a pool, theater, library and wine cellar. Bezos also owns a car collection reportedly worth around $20 million. His collection includes several high-end vehicles such as: - Cadillac Escalade - Land Rover Range Rover - Mercedes-Benz S450 - Ferrari Pininfarina Sergio - W Motors’ Lykan HyperSport - Bugatti Veyron Mansory - Koenigsegg CCXR Trevita Prices range from about $79,490 for the Cadillac Escalade to $4.8 million for the Koenigsegg CCXR Trevita.
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In the mid-1990s, investing in an online bookstore was a bold move. Bezos's siblings, Mark and Christina, took the leap. In 1996, they invested $10,000 each in Amazon, acquiring 30,000 shares. Today, those shares are potentially worth over $1.26 billion each. In 1996, a $10,000 investment in Amazon was considered a substantial risk. However, a 2018 Bloomberg report revealed that when Amazon's stock price reached $91, their shares were valued at $640 million each. At an Amazon share of $146, Bezos's siblings' stakes were valued at $1.025 billion each, as reported by Luxury Launches. It's important to note that there is no public information on whether they have retained their shares. Bezos held 60 meetings with family, friends, and potential investors, but 38 of them declined. Some of those who declined later admitted to regretting their decision, either accepting it as a life lesson or finding it difficult to discuss. Even Bezos’ parents were warned about the 70% risk of losing their investment. In the book "The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon," he reportedly stated, "I want you to know what the risks are because I still want to come home for Thanksgiving if this doesn't work." Amazon did face challenges along the way, including the dot-com bubble. Despite their low public profiles, Mark and Christina Bezos have remained integral to Amazon's story. Mark pursued a successful career in advertising and philanthropy, while Christina has focused on family and charitable efforts.
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Cristiano Ronaldo launched his YouTube channel on Wednesday, quickly attracting millions of subscribers within hours. The Portuguese star introduced 19 videos on his channel, ‘UR Cristiano,’ showcasing content featuring himself and his family. Ronaldo announced the launch on X, saying, “The wait is over. My YouTube channel is finally here! SIUUUbscribe and join me on this new journey.” The channel was an instant success. In just 90 minutes, the Al Nassr forward set a new YouTube record by becoming the fastest channel to reach 1 million subscribers. His subscriber count now stands at 22.8 million and continues to rise. This rapid growth highlights Ronaldo’s immense influence, especially among younger audiences who have grown up with social media and online content. #cristianoronaldo #ronaldo
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Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg significantly increased his wealth in 2023, adding $84 billion to his net worth. An increase of $84 billion in one year translates to an estimated $9.6 million per hour or approximately $230.6 million each day. For context, the median net worth for U.S. families is around $192,900, while the average is about $1.06 million. In 2021, Facebook’s rebrand to Meta was a strategic move signaling a pivot toward the metaverse. The rebrand aimed to position Facebook as more than a social media platform and marked its entry into creating an interconnected digital world. The rebrand, however, came at a time when Facebook was facing a series of challenges, including controversies over handling misinformation, mental health issues and user retention. Experts and analysts observed that while rebranding to Meta was a significant step, it would not immediately resolve these ongoing issues. The move was also seen as a strategic distraction from the company’s internal and external problems, reminiscent of corporate rebrands in the past where companies sought to change public perception amid crises. Despite these challenges, by 2023, Meta’s share price had rebounded, nearing its all-time high. This recovery in stock value significantly boosted Zuckerberg’s net worth, reflecting investor confidence in the company’s long-term vision. Zuckerberg recently made headlines for his luxurious and secretive compound in Kauai, Hawaii. The compound, known as Koolau Ranch, spans over 1,400 acres and features an array of high-end amenities and security measures. The project is estimated to have cost around $270 million, including $100 million for construction and $170 million for land acquisition. The Koolau Ranch compound is designed to be a self-sustaining oasis, complete with a 5,000-square-foot underground shelter that houses its own energy and food supplies. This bunker is equipped with a concrete-filled metal door and is connected to the main residences via a tunnel. The compound also includes over 30 bedrooms and bathrooms, two mansions, nearly a dozen tree houses linked by rope bridges, a fitness center and guest houses. In addition to the compound, Zuckerberg has also delved into high-end cattle farming on his Hawaiian property. He has invested in raising Wagyu and Angus cattle, which are fed a unique diet including beer and macadamia nuts, aiming to produce some of the highest quality beef in the world.
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✨ We're thrilled to announce that AJNA BioSciences won the "People's Pick" award in Benzinga's Startup Spotlight competition! Out of many incredible startups, we stood out, captivating the audience with our vision to transform healthcare using the power of plants and fungi. This award brings us a $1,250 prize and boosts our momentum as we push forward with our mission to develop groundbreaking botanical pharmaceuticals. Thank you for being part of this journey! 🌱💊 Check out the full story here: https://lnkd.in/eaQRqiqk
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In a November 2023 interview with GQ Magazine, Kevin O'Leary shared his deep attachment to his watch collection and his unique approach to collecting. He told GQ, “All of these watches are coming into my coffin. I'm like the pharaoh of time.” He keeps his watches in different safes around the world after experiencing thefts of his collection twice. O’Leary’s journey into watch collecting began in Geneva, where he bought his first Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch in 1975, a piece he still treasures. Unlike Microsoft Co-Founder Bill Gates, who is known for wearing a $25 Casio watch, O’Leary stands at the other end of the spectrum. One notable watch in O’Leary’s collection is the Patek Philippe 5711 series, launched in 2006 to mark the 30th anniversary of the Nautilus. Known for its steel construction and octagon-shaped bezel with a black-blue dial, the 5711’s value has skyrocketed since its discontinuation in 2022. Originally priced at $30,620, it now commands over $100,000 in the market. O’Leary also owns two Rolex Daytona 116500 watches, a model first introduced in 1963 and named after the Daytona race. This iconic watch has seen various improvements over the years. O’Leary personalized one of his Daytonas by replacing its ceramic bezel with a red strap, aligning with his preference for red accents. While the Daytona retails for $14,550, it can sell for upward of $36,000 on the secondary market. In 2019, O’Leary auctioned one of his Daytona watches for $56,700, with the proceeds supporting charitable causes. Another eye-catching timepiece in O’Leary’s collection is the Rolex Daytona Reference Number 116588TBR, also known as the Eye of the Tiger. This watch features a diamond-studded bezel and a dial with a tiger-stripe pattern adorned with diamonds. O’Leary’s version is customized with his signature red strap, and it can be priced at more than $200,000 on the secondary market. O’Leary also cherishes the F.P. Journe Élégante 48 mm Titalyt, a watch from a brand celebrated for its in-house movement designs and multiple Aiguille d'Or grand prizes. His Élégante 48 mm Titalyt, featuring a titanium case and luminescent sapphire dial, has a market price exceeding $60,000, despite its retail price being less than $14,000. Despite his extensive collection, O’Leary maintains a level of secrecy about the exact number of watches he owns, a precaution taken after thefts. His collection is so securely stored that, as he puts it, “It's impossible to steal my watches again because you'd have to travel to nine cities and break into nine different bank vaults.”
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Popular dog-themed meme coin, Dogecoin ticked upwards Monday overnight after one of its biggest endorsers, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, posted an AI-generated image referencing the cryptocurrency. In an X post, Musk shared a picture, showing him behind a mic stand with the words D.O.G.E, standing for Department of Government Efficiency. “I am willing to serve,” read the caption to the post shared from his official handle. Within minutes, DOGE started to trend upwards, taking its 24-hour gains to 3.56% at the time of writing. The canine coin’s trading volume surged 44.33% to $572 million.
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Elon Musk opened up about his deep-seated personal struggles during a recent interview at the DealBook Summit 2023 with Aaron Ross Sorkin of The New York Times. Musk’s revelations offer a glimpse into the mental challenges he faced as a child and how they shaped his life and career. Musk’s early readings, which delved into religious texts and German philosophy, played a significant role in shaping his thought process during his youth, potentially contributing to feelings of depression. These intellectual explorations, while enriching, may have also spurred deeper existential inquiries and challenges for him at that time. A shift occurred when Musk read “The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy” by Douglas Adams. The book reshaped his outlook, steering him to a realization that life’s purpose isn’t a black-and-white answer but an exploration of profound questions. “My motivation then was, well, my life is really finite … but if we can expand the scope and scale of consciousness then we are better able to figure out what questions to ask about the answer that is the universe and maybe we can find out what is the meaning of life,” he said. Musk explained his mind is often engulfed in a “very wild storm” of relentless ideas, a constant surge of creativity and thought. He said these inherent traits were exacerbated by a challenging childhood marked by intense bullying, which shaped his mental landscape. His mother, Maye Musk, has also spoken about the difficult family dynamics during her son's upbringing, highlighting the abuse by his father, Errol Musk. This tumultuous background profoundly influenced Musk’s early life, as shared by Maye during the promotion of her book “A Woman Makes a Plan.” Musk exhibited exceptional intellectual capabilities from a young age. He read the entire Encyclopaedia Britannica by age 9 and taught himself programming in just three days, eventually selling a video game he created when he was 12. Despite facing significant personal challenges, Musk has harnessed his mental “demons” to fuel his extraordinary achievements. “These demons of the mind are, for the most part, harnessed to productive ends,” he said, acknowledging his significant contributions to technology and entrepreneurship. “Once in a while, they, you know, go wrong.”
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