Everyone has heard of Mark Zuckerberg.
At age 19, Mark Zuckerberg started Facebook. Within 4 years, he was the youngest self made billionaire in the world. As of this moment, his net worth is estimated at a low of $120 billion.
How did he do it? You could say he is a genius, and undeniably so. A self-taught computer programmer, he started Facebook from his Harvard dorm with just the equipment he had on hand and a few friends. He then dropped out of Harvard to pursue his business, and this was obviously the right decision. It’s clear Harvard had little to teach the man.
Maybe you could say he was the right man in the right place at the right time, and this is also true. He was well positioned as a tech savvy teenager to take advantage of the technological revolution, which started with the computer and soon reached a new peak with the smartphone. Facebook was the perfect app to take advantage of the rapid spread of computerization.
Maybe it doesn’t matter. Mark Zuckerberg might be the poster boy of the 21st century version of the American dream. A young, brilliant, tech-entrepreneur starts a killer app and makes billions in a few years. It’s what everyone should aspire to be, right?
Certainly, Zuckerberg succeeded by the world’s definition of success. And there is no reason not to take inspiration from his self-taught genius, hard work, and striving for excellence. But I would question whether his product, Facebook, was of ultimate good to the world. Social media claims to bring greater connection to the world, but I see a world of great disconnection around me. Maybe this has nothing to do with Facebook, but it’s hard to claim that even if Facebook hasn’t caused greater disconnection that it has caused greater connection.
Of course I could be wrong. If there is one lesson to be learned from Zuckerberg’s youthful success story, it’s that what some people call success might just be failure, or at least mediocrity. Zuckerberg has more money than he could ever use, but I don’t really see how this is an amazingly valuable thing. Money is just money.
A more successful young entrepreneur you could not find, but is Zuckerberg ultimately worth imitating? You decide.
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/197850
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Zuckerberg#College_years
https://www.marketing91.com/top-young-entrepreneurs/
Wow! I did not realize Zuckerburg was so young when he created Facebook! That is a very big achievement for someone that young! Facebook is undoubtedly one of the most influential American companies ever. This is a great example of someone innovating and finding the perfect niche for their product.
Zuckerberg certainly has an interesting entrepreneurial journey. As an aspiring Software developer, I have always known of Zuckerberg and his story. Although there are a variety of opinions surrounding Facebook, it has shown the capability of the internet and its power as a platform for entrepreneurship. Since Facebook’s founding, digital-based companies like Amazon have emerged. I suspect other companies will follow suit and find success like Facebook.