Bill Gates - 2

In 1975, Gates and Allen co-founded Microsoft. And the two poured everything they had into it. Gates’ incredible vision, aggressive business strategy and unrivaled work ethic made Microsoft the world’s biggest technology company. In the process, he became incredibly wealthy.

By the time Gates and Allen decided to incorporate Microsoft in 1981, the company already had 128 employees and generated $16 million in revenue. Just two years later, the company went global.

However, it wasn’t until 1985 that Gates would truly leave his mark on the world. That was the year Microsoft launched Windows, its flagship software.

For more than two decades, Gates has routinely ranked among the richest people in the world, and in 2016, Forbes trumped this by ranking him as the richest man in the world. But those riches didn’t come without sacrifice.

Gates worked tirelessly to build Microsoft and ensure its leadership pace in an increasingly competitive market. It wasn’t until 2014 that Gates stepped down as Chairman only to remain active as a technology advisor.