Ideate

Dream Big

by Fred Roed on 21/02/07 at 11:09 pm
3 comments

What industry is your small business involved in? I imagine Ideate readers being in some of the following professions: software, textiles, oil (yes, Jon – looking at you, bud!), finance, infrastructure, property, trading, building, retailing, manufacturing, farming, speculating or agriculture.

Well, if you’re involved in any of the above and you’re still wondering how to pay the next car instalment, take some encouragement from this list. It’s the 10 richest Americans that ever lived. These are people just like you and me; not text tube babies or scientific aberrations. Normal folk who wore nappies and drooled on their pillows, and they made the choice to start their own businesses.

The big difference is that their wealth is now measured as a fraction of the Gross Domestic Product of their entire country.

Look, it’s always nice to dream. I love stuff like this, and if you’re interested, point your reader at CNNMoney.com – they often have cool trivia about these topics.

• John D. Rockefeller, 1839-1937. Industrialist and philanthropist who played an important role in the establishment of the oil industry. Industry: Oil, Wealth at death: $1,400,000,000, Wealth/GDP: 1/65
• Cornelius Vanderbilt, 1794-1877, American capitalist whose occupations ranged from railroad builder and executive to financier and promoter. Industry: Shipping, Wealth at death: $105,000,000. Wealth/GDP: 1/87
• John Jacob Astor, 1763-1848, Wealthy fur trader who established the American Fur Company. Industry: Fur/Land, Wealth at death: $20,000,000, Wealth/GDP: 1/107
• Stephen Girard, 1750-1831, Merchant, banker and philanthropist who opened his own bank. Industry: Banking, Wealth at death: $7,500,000, Wealth/GDP: 1/150
• Bill Gates, 1955-present, Chairman of leading software maker Microsoft. Industry: Software, Wealth in 2006: $82,000,000,000, Wealth/GDP: 1/152
• Andrew Carnegie, 1835-1919, Businessman who helped build the American steel industry. Industry: Steel, Wealth at death: $475,000,000, Wealth/GDP: 1/166
• Alexander T. Stewart, 1803-76, Know as “The Merchant Prince” for his success in retail, wholesale and manufacturing in New York City. Industry: Retailing, Wealth at death: $50,000,000, Wealth/GDP: 1/178
• Frederick Weyerhaeuser, 1834-1914, Established one of the leading timber companies. Industry: Lumber, Wealth at death: $200,000,000, Wealth/GDP: 1/182
• Jay Gould 1836-92, American financier who became a leading road builder and speculator. Industry: Finance, Wealth at death: $77,000,000, Wealth/GDP: 1/185
• Stephen Van Rensselaer, Industry: Land, Wealth at death: $10,000,000, Wealth/GDP: 1/194

Take a gander at Bill Gates’ personal wealth in 2006…! Unfreakingbelievable.

Fred Roed is the marketing guy in the Ideate crew. Fred is the CEO of web marketing company World Wide Creative and the co-founder of online learning portal Heavy Chef. Fred loves writing about people out there doing marketing right. Follow Fred on Twitter here. View more articles by Fred Roed.

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