Rupert Murdoch inherited a small Adelaide newspaper in 1952 and built News Corp into a global media group spanning The Sun, The Times, The Wall Street Journal, HarperCollins and Fox News.
Stephen Schwarzman started with a lawn-mowing business at 14 and, in 1985, co-founded Blackstone with Peter Peterson, growing it into one of the world's largest private equity firms.
Jay-Z co-founded Roc-A-Fella Records and Rocawear, launched Roc Nation in 2008 and became hip-hop's first billionaire in 2019.
Ronald Perelman built MacAndrews & Forbes through leveraged buyouts spanning Revlon, cigars, licorice and comic books. His net worth fell from $19.8 billion in 2018 to $1.9 billion in 2022.
Michael Bloomberg founded Bloomberg L.P. in 1981 around the Bloomberg Terminal, served three terms as mayor of New York City from 2002 to 2013 and has given away $24.5 billion.
Danny Meyer opened Union Square Cafe at 27 in 1985 and built USHG, whose restaurants include Gramercy Tavern and Shake Shack.
Bobbi Brown launched ten natural lipstick shades at Bergdorf Goodman in 1991 and sold 100 in a day. After leaving her namesake brand in 2016 she started the Jones Road line in 2020.
Vera Wang went from competitive figure skating to Vogue and Ralph Lauren before opening her own bridal boutique in 1990, and sold her brand to WHP Global in 2024.
Barbara Corcoran, once labeled the 'dumb kid' because of undiagnosed dyslexia, built The Corcoran Group into a New York real estate powerhouse and sold it for $66 million in 2001. She is an original Shark Tank investor.
Ralph Lauren grew up in the Bronx, sold neckties and launched The Ralph Lauren Corporation in 1967 with a line of men's ties. He remains executive chairman and chief creative officer.
Jamie Dimon has led JPMorgan Chase as CEO since 2005 and chairman since 2006, after rising through American Express, Travelers, Citigroup and Bank One.
Daymond John started FUBU in his mother's house in Queens after selling $800 of homemade hats in a single day in 1992, and later became a Shark on Shark Tank.
