Did They Know They’d Be Famous?

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When you think of the captains of industry who are now prolific investors providing start-up funding for other people’s ventures, you cannot help but wonder if they knew from the beginning that they would someday become the rock stars of the corporate world. While they were tinkering about in their parents’ cellar or operating a vegetable stand to make extra money, did they know they were destined for greatness? Of course, we all dream of making it big someday, but few actually realise those dreams and become known around the world for their entrepreneurial endeavours.

There was a time when those providing start-up funding for new businesses were kept behind the scenes, but now that we have television shows like Dragons’ Den and The Apprentice, a light has been cast on the mysterious world of equity investment and big business success. This has not only made stars out of some business Angels, but has made the entire sector far more interesting and accessible to both the media and the public alike. Television shows like these that have no doubt broadened the horizons of future entrepreneurs who have grown up hearing phrases like start-up funding, business Angels and marketing plans, which inspire them to realise their true potential.

But, it still begs the question: Did the successful businessmen and women we now see in the limelight know they would be famous? Were they simply trying to strike it rich, or did the allure of fame also motivate them? Take Lord Alan Sugar, for example: He might be a well-known television personality and entrepreneur now, but would you have guessed that he started out as a tailor’s son in the East End of London first selling beetroots, and then later electronics out of the back of a van? And, when he was boiling those beetroots and setting up his stand, did he know that someday he would be a mover and shaker on the Sunday Times Rich List?

Or, what of Richard Branson, Warren Buffet or Bill Gates? Of course, Richard Branson is the poster boy for corporate poster boys. This is a man who knows a thing or two about self-promotion for the benefit of his business and is not afraid to use it. We can wager that he enjoys both the money and the fame, but it is also important to note that he now invests in numerous businesses every year, providing important start-up funding and helping businesses prosper. On the other hand, we have Warren Buffet who never seeks the limelight, but always seems to attract media attention simply for being one of the most successful businessmen in the world. Bill Gates did not come from humble beginnings and probably had some idea that he would be a success early on, but could he have imagined that his renown would grow to such epic proportions?

What we do know about all of these men is that they all have two things in common: an entrepreneurial spirit and a strong work ethic. They all had ideas, were not afraid of a bit of hard work and were able to acquire the start-up funding they needed to bring their dreams to fruition. Each of these men has succeeded beyond what most people would only dream and are now the ones providing start-up funding to those who also have an entrepreneurial spirit and a great idea. And it is this start-up funding that is launching the next generation of famous, successful businesspeople who will be gracing our television screens a few years from now.

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