The Careers of Famous Entrepreneurs

When it comes to overcoming failures, some of the world's most successful entrepreneurs are the masters. Behind the glamorous product launches and glossy magazine stories are years (and years) of hard graft – and hard lessons.

Even the best fail

Did you know the founder of fast-food chain, KFC, started out as a gas station owner? Colonel Harland Sanders tried (oh how he tried) to establish himself as a gas station magnate, but circumstances acted against him. Events like the Great Depression and WWII put the kaibosh on his attempts, and he even got involved in a shootout with a rival. Success finally arrived in his 60s, when his 'secret' chicken recipe caught on...

Surely you've heard that Richard Branson has a few failed brands on his CV: Virgin Clothing, Virgin Brides and Virgin Cars, among others, just didn't work as well as his other ventures.

And Bill Gates? Well, his first version of Windows was a flop. Also, automobile tycoon, Henry Ford, launched a vehicle that was too poor quality to succeed. But this didn't stop him from finding a way to conquer his competition:

One who fears failure limits his activities. Failure is only the opportunity to more intelligently begin again.

Henry Ford

Powerful message

The entrepreneur's journey is rarely free of serious challenges. What all of these famous founders have in common, though, is an unshakable belief that they can overcome misjudgments and misfortunes, and they can still succeed. Regardless of age.

It's a powerful message for all business owners.

That's why Fleximize has teamed up with online creative agency, Distilled to produce some amazing interactive content that lets you discover the stories behind some of the most famous company founders. As you trail your mouse along each entrepreneur's career timeline, pop-ups open to reveal key moments in the lives of the 33 top dogs: when they founded companies, what failed and why, and each hard-earned achievement.

Visit The Careers of the Founders to delve into the hidden stories that made the likes of Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs, RH Macy, Oprah Winfrey and Sandy Lerner some of the world's biggest VIPs.