Many of the world’s most famous personalities come from humble beginnings. They were the first in their families to achieve great wealth and success. Before they were famous, they were just like us. They had to go through the same life experiences that we all do. But what made them famous was their actions, their mindset, and their work ethic.
If you are looking for inspiration and motivation, this is the article for you. These lists of famous personalities who became first millionaires in the family, have gone through all the hard work and persistent struggle to achieve something extraordinary.
1 Sheldon Adelson
Sheldon Adelson was born into a poor family in Boston, Massachusetts. His father was a cab driver and his mother worked as a stenographer. Despite their modest means, Sheldon’s parents instilled in him a strong work ethic and a desire to succeed. When he was just twelve years old, Sheldon started his first business, selling newspapers on the streets of Boston. From this humble beginning, Sheldon went on to build a massive casino and hotel empire that made him one of the richest men in the world.
Sheldon’s rags-to-riches story is an inspiration to anyone who has ever dreamed of achieving greatness. He is living proof that with hard work and determination, anything is possible.
2 Francois Pinault
Francois Pinault is a French businessman and art collector. Pinault is the chairman and CEO of Kering, a French luxury goods company that owns fashion brands such as Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Alexander McQueen, and Bottega Veneta.
Pinault was born into a family of sawmill and timber trade operators in Brittany, France. He started his own business in the 1960s, eventually becoming one of the leading timber traders in France. In the 1980s, Pinault diversified his business interests into the luxury goods industry by acquiring several high-end fashion brands.
Today, Pinault is one of the richest men in France with an estimated net worth of $28 billion. He has been married three times and has five children.
3 Leonardo Del Vecchio
Leonardo Del Vecchio is one of the most famous personalities who became the first millionaire in their family. He is the founder and chairman of Luxottica, the world’s largest eyewear company. Del Vecchio was born in a small town in Italy and was orphaned at a young age. He was raised in a foster home and then apprenticed at a factory that made molds for false teeth.
He later started his own business making molds for eyeglass frames. Del Vecchio’s company grew rapidly and he soon became a millionaire. Today, Luxottica is a global leader in the eyewear industry and employs over 80,000 people around the world. Del Vecchio is one of the richest men in Italy with a net worth of over $20 billion.
4 Roman Abramovich
Roman Abramovich is one of the most famous personalities known for his business acumen and for being the owner of the Chelsea Football Club. Abramovich was born in Russia and started his career as a businessman in the early 1990s.
He quickly made a name for himself and became one of the richest men in Russia. In 2003, he bought the Chelsea Football Club and has since transformed it into one of the most successful clubs in England. Abramovich’s story is an inspiring one, and he is an excellent example of what can be achieved through hard work and determination.
5 Lakshmi Mittal
Lakshmi Mittal is the chairman and CEO of ArcelorMittal, the world’s largest steelmaking company. Mittal was born in India in 1950 to a family of steel businessmen. He began his career working in his father’s steel business in India. In 1976, he moved to Indonesia to work for a steel company owned by the Indonesian government. In 1978, he returned to India and set up his own steel company, Ispat Industries.
In 1989, he bought a struggling steel mill in Trinidad and Tobago and turned it around into a successful business. In 1992, he bought a controlling stake in an American steel company, LNM Holdings. In 1995, he merged his company with another Indian steel company, making it the largest steel company in India. In 2004, he acquired a controlling stake in Arcelor, a European steel company. This made him the world’s largest steelmaker.
6 Steve Jobs
When it comes to famous personalities who became the first millionaire in family, Steve Jobs is certainly one of the most notable examples in recent history.
As the co-founder of Apple, Jobs helped revolutionize the world of technology and change the way we live our lives. While he may have come from a middle-class background, Jobs’ success with Apple made him one of the richest men in the world. Even after his untimely passing, Jobs’ legacy continues to inspire people all over the globe.
7 Halle Berry
The actress came from a modest background, raised by a single mother, Judith. She lived in a series of government-assisted housing, before moving in with an aunt. However, when the finance company came knocking on Berry’s family’s door in 1985, the future star was forced to move back into a homeless shelter in New York City – and had a mattress on the floor for her and her sister to sleep on.
with her son Maceo in 1997, to raise awareness and research funds for youth homelessness. This experience was the real-life source for her role as a homeless woman in the 2004 TV movie NO TIME FOR SERGEANTS.
Halle Berry’s other homes have included a multimillion-dollar ranch in the San Luis Valley of southern Colorado, with 14,000 acres of land for her horses, and homes in Los Angeles and Malibu.
to get into character for movie ‘Halle Berry slept in a New York homeless shelter in preparation for her latest movie role.The Oscar-winning actress was so determined to learn more about her character in ‘The Call’ she spent a night in the shelter and listened in on conversations of residents as they reflected on their lives.During a visit to AOL’s BUILD Series, Halle said: “I slept in a homeless shelter for about three nights for her role in Monster’s Ball.
Halle Berry had a “hard time” when she first moved to LA to do the Monster’s Ball movie. She moved from New York with her daughter and had to stay in a shelter for a few weeks. And she was desperate to get out of it.
when she was younger, and helped out as a volunteer at a soup kitchen in the past. Halle Berry is an active member of the Church of Scientology. (May 11, 2012) Married her third husband Olivier Martinez in a small, private ceremony at Chateau Miraval in Correns, France. It was the first marriage for both the actor and his bride.
8 Sarah Jessica Parker
In her early teens, SJP began her career as a model. She has been in different magazines and adverts such as: Seventeen, Harper’s Bazaar, YM, and Cosmopolitan. She also landed TV commercials for companies such as: Chanel N5, Vicodin and Vidal Sassoon. Nevertheless, SJP is best known for her role in TV sitcom “Sex and the City”.
Samantha has previously spoken about how she would read stories aloud in bed to her three children James, eight, daughter Tabitha, six, and four-year-old twins Marion and Frances. She explained to Popsugar: “My kids are on the bus; they’re like, ‘Mommy, can you come read us a story?’ I say, ‘Well, what kind of story do you want?
when she was growing up. The ‘Sex and the City’ star insists she used to sleep with a light on in her bedroom so she could use it as a reading light and her parents would never buy her presents during the festive season because they couldn’t afford it. She said: “My parents were very frugal, so I was raised in an environment where we didn’t have much money. I think kids should have some limitations because then you measure what you have.
9 ED Sheeran
After one of his songs dropped out of the Top 40, but he kept writing and performed in front of the whole school at his school’s open mic night. His album reached No. 1 in the US and in the UK and broke many records in the process. He is just one example that you can achieve your dream career as an artist if you work hard for it to be able to follow his dreams. I’m surprised he even went to school in the first place.
He sat on the cold floor of subway stations in London, with his guitar and a bag of clothes. He would return to his old school and change his clothes in the bathrooms to keep up appearances. At least he got his education in the bathroom.
The “Thinking Out Loud” hitmaker grew up in the countryside of England, but left home when he was just 16 so he could pursue his music career and later became homeless. He struggled to find a secure place to sleep and had to rely on the kindness of others and eating from food banks. When asked how he survived on the streets overnight, Ed replied: “I slept in a subway station.
while starting his music career, but now the singer’s life has dramatically changed. Sheeran is now one of the biggest stars in music with 2.6 billion streams under his belt. On his latest album, “Divide,” Sheeran talks about his time in London. When it comes to the city’s homeless, Sheeran particularly understands their struggle.
10 Leonardo DiCaprio
His father was an underground comic book artist who left his family when the actor was a young child.
The Revolutionary Road star’s mother was a legal secretary who decided to “divorce herself” from her famous son to ensure he had the best possible start in life.
He reveals, “My mom didn’t want me growing up with a silver spoon in my mouth. I grew up with a fork and a butter knife.
Leonardo DiCaprio grew up in a middle-class family outside of Los Angeles. He came from humble beginnings and had a very simple upbringing. His parents, George and Irmalin, met in Los Angeles and have been married for almost 54 years.
When he was only 3 years old, Leonardo’s parents separated. His mother moved to the Northridge district of Los Angeles, where she found work as a legal secretary.
After dropping out of high school, he traveled the world and took a series of odd jobs. He eventually landed his big break and became one of the biggest names in Hollywood.
11 Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold was born in Austria in 1947. His father was a police chief and his mother was a housewife. He has two older brothers. When Arnold was 10 years old, his family moved to America.
Arnold started bodybuilding when he was 15 years old. He won the Mr. Universe title when he was 20 years old and went on to win the Mr. Olympia title seven times. Arnold’s success as a bodybuilder led to a successful career in Hollywood. He starred in some of the most popular movies of all time, including The Terminator, Predator, and Total Recall.
In 2003, Arnold became the 38th Governor of California. He served two terms as governor and left office in 2011.
Today, Arnold Schwarzenegger is worth an estimated $400 million dollars. That makes him one of the richest people in the world!
12 Celine Dion
Celine Dion is one of the most popular and successful singers of all time. She has sold over 200 million records and has won five Grammy Awards. She is also one of the richest celebrities in the world, with a net worth of $800 million.
Dion was born in a small town in Canada and comes from a large family. Her parents were both musical, and she began singing and performing at a young age. She released her first album when she was just 12 years old, and it was an instant success. She quickly became a star in both Canada and France.
Dion’s career took off in the 1990s with the release of her album “The Colour of My Love”. The album was a massive success, selling over 20 million copies worldwide. It included the hit singles “My Heart Will Go On” and “Because You Loved Me”. Dion’s success continued with her next two albums, “Falling Into You” and “Let’s Talk About Love”, which were both commercial and critical successes.
13 J.K. Rowling
J.K. Rowling is one of the most famous personalities who became the first millionaire in their family. She is best known for her Harry Potter series, which has sold more than 500 million copies and made her one of the richest women in the world.
Rowling is the first person in her family to become a millionaire. She has used her wealth to support a number of charitable causes, including children’s literacy initiatives.
14 Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is one of the most famous personalities who became the first millionaire in her family. Oprah was born into a poor family in Mississippi. She was raised by her grandmother, who was a sharecropper.
Oprah went to live with her mother when she was six, but she later ran away from home and spent some time living on the streets. Oprah eventually moved to Nashville, where she attended high school and college.
After college, she started working in television. Oprah’s career took off when she began hosting “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” The show became one of the most popular daytime television programs in history. Oprah has used her wealth and fame to help others. She has established several charities, including the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls.
15 John Paul DeJoria
He is an American businessman and philanthropist. He is the co-founder of the Paul Mitchell hair care products company and the Patron Spirits Company. He also has a net worth of $4.0 billion. His father John was an Italian immigrant who fought in World War II and then worked as a barber. His mother Louise was a Greek immigrant. They had very little money and at times could not even afford food. When he was nine years old, his parents divorced and he had to move in with his father. He started selling newspapers and working odd jobs to help make ends meet. He never finished high school but he did get his GED.
He joined the US Navy at the age of 17 and served for four years. After his discharge, he moved to Los Angeles and started working as a janitor. He eventually became a successful hair stylist and then co-founded the Paul Mitchell line of hair care products. He also started the Patron Spirits Company which makes tequila.
DeJoria has been married three times and has five children. He is active in philanthropic work and has donated millions of dollars to various causes.
16 Howard Schultz
Schultz is the founder, chairman, and CEO of Starbucks. He was born in Brooklyn, New York to a Jewish family. His father was a truck driver and his mother was a homemaker. Schultz graduated from Northern Michigan University with a bachelor’s degree in communications. He then went on to work for Xerox Corporation and later for Hammarplast, a Swedish company that manufactured coffee makers. In 1982, he became the director of retail operations for Starbucks Coffee Company.
In 1987, Schultz purchased Starbucks with the help of local investors. He then expanded the company by opening more stores and introducing new products. Today, Starbucks has more than 28,000 stores in 77 countries and employs over 200,000 people. Under Schultz’s leadership, Starbucks has become one of the most successful companies in the world. In 2016, Forbes magazine ranked Schultz as the 352nd richest person in the world with a net worth of $3.4 billion.
17 Do Won Chang
Do Won Chang is the founder and CEO of Forever 21, one of the most successful fast fashion brands in the world. He is also the first member of his family to become a millionaire.
Born in South Korea, Chang moved to the United States in 1981 with just $700 to his name. He worked three jobs to support himself and eventually started his own clothing store with his wife. The business quickly took off, and by the early 2000s, Forever 21 had become a major player in the fashion industry.
While Chang’s rags-to-riches story is an inspiration to many, he has also been criticized for Forever 21’s unethical business practices, including its use of sweatshops and child labor. Nevertheless, there’s no denying that Change is a self-made man who overcame immense odds to achieve success.