The first steps on the path to success are often taken in young adulthood, and many of the most successful people in the world can trace their life's journey back to a single instance, incident or introduction in their youth.
Today's millennials might get some inspiration and insights from these millionaires' early endeavors.
Here are 10 people whose success defined their industries, and a look at the pivotal moments that changed their young lives.
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Richard Branson: Launched a Music Mail-Order Startup
Virgin Group founder and billionaire Sir Richard Branson struggled throughout his schooling and forewent college. Instead, Branson followed his entrepreneurial instinct that told him he, with some friends, could sell records cheaper than the market average if they sold them directly to customers, according to Bio. They started a mail-order business when Branson was just 20, which they soon parlayed into a discount record shop, then a studio, and eventually a record label that signed then-controversial acts like the Sex Pistols.
Virgin is now one of the most high-profile companies in the world, with dozens of investments and subsidiaries. It all started because Branson identified a problem in the market (high record costs) and positioned himself as the solution. The takeaway? Look for things that bug you about an industry you love, come up with a solution and work hard until the money rolls in.
Oprah Winfrey: Got Demoted, But Stayed Open to New Opportunities
In her early 20s, Oprah Winfrey got a promotion to be a co-anchor of a Baltimore news station — a huge accomplishment for someone so young. Yet Winfrey proved too green for the responsibility and after just a few months was demoted. Soon another opportunity came up in daytime talk show, however, and while Winfrey initially resisted the idea because she'd been focused on a career in news and reporting, she decided to try it. Immediately she loved it.
When her local TV talk show won national syndication in 1986, the world of daytime talk television was on a steep downward slide toward trashy subject matter and guest exploitation. Winfrey refused to cave to the trend and instead ignored tabloid subjects and built her theme around empowerment and self improvement. Her warm persona and sensitive handling of difficult subject matter earned her millions of fans and — eventually — billions of dollars.
Break trends, don't follow them — especially if the masses are clamoring for something that doesn't sit right with you. Like Oprah Winfrey, grads should steer their talents in a direction that gels with their sense of values. Long-term success isn't built by selling out early.
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