In many parts of the world, the regular advice is: go to school, get good grades so that can graduate with a good result and get a good job. That’s the normal advice for almost every kid while growing up. Not that schooling is bad, but it isn’t the prerequisite for being a millionaire or billionaire.
Many people come from poor homes and are quite unfortunate not to get good education, and many can’t even complete theirs; but many with that same background have gone on to be world shakers and even go on to employ those with sound educational background.
These 5 billionaires are without high school education.
1. FRANCOIS PINAULT
He’s the third richest man in France with a net worth of $15 billion. The 79-year-old is a majority shareholder of fashion conglomerate PPR. He owns top fashion houses such as Gucci, Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney and Yves Saint Lauren, while he also owns Christie’s Auction House.
According to Forbes, he’s valued at $12.9 billion, and Forbes report that things weren’t always rosy for him, as he was mocked by his school mates because of his poor background. He dropped out of high school in 1947 to work at his father’s lumber mill and today he’s a renowned entrepreneur and billionaire.
2. JAMES H. CLARK
According to Forbes, the 71-year-old dropped out of high school at the age of 16; he got into trouble and then decided to join the U.S Navy. He earned his high school equivalent degree in the Navy, learnt about electronics and made some extra money by loan-sharking cash to other recruits at an interest rate of 40%.
According to Forbes, he’s considered the first internet billionaire with investments in Apple, Twitter and Facebook.
3. AHMED NATIF ZORLU
Ahmed ditched school at the age of 15 because of his brother who had proposed they start their own business. That’s how Zorlu Holdings was formed in Turkey. Today it’s one of the biggest corporate groups in Instabul Turkey, and they specialise in textile, electronics, energy, manufacturing and even financial services.
4. CARL LINDNER JR.
The 92-year-old billionaire dropped out of high school to deliver milk for his father’s dairy. In 1940, he along with his sister and two brothers started an ice cream shop with a $1,200 loan. In 1984, he bought Chiquita Brands International and ran it until 2001. The family dairy called United Diary Farmers has over 200 ice cream parlours and convenience stores and he’s worth $1.7 billion.
5. DAVID MURDOCK
The 92-year-old man wants to live forever and eats as much as 20 fruits and vegetables daily. When you have that much money, you probably wouldn’t want to die.
Murdock dropped out of high school while in the ninth grade; he worked in a gas station before joining the army in 1943. Forbes report that after the Second World War, he bought a diner and sold it months later, making a $700 profit. Now, after a lifetime of buying, building and selling, he’s worth an estimated $2.9 billion.
A popular Mark Twain quote reads: “I’ve never let my school interfere with my education.”
PhilÂ