3 Super-Successful American Entrepreneurs You Probably Haven’t Heard Of
Written by
Andrew Lisa
Edited by
Jenna Klaverweiden
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Everyone knows Bezos, Bloomberg, Branson and Brin, but the celebrity success stories that dominate the headlines of America’s entrepreneurial news are far from the only tales of inspiration. Founders you’ve probably never heard of have written some of the greatest business- and wealth-building stories ever told, even if they’re told less frequently.
The following entrepreneurs built empires, steered American culture, amassed great fortunes and donated much of their wealth. All are giants in their own right despite not being household names.
Also see six key signs you could be destined to be an entrepreneur.
Roxanne Quimby
The legions of loyalists to the natural personal care brand Burt’s Bees might know Burt Shavitz — whose name and face are on the product labels — but according to Forbes, co-founder Roxanne Quimby was the driving force behind the company’s success.
Quimby, an art school graduate, and Shavitz, a beekeeper, lived as off-grid homesteaders in rural Maine when they began making and selling products at craft fairs in the 1980s, long before natural care products free of harmful chemicals became trendy. When society caught up with Quimby’s vision, she took control of the company, sold it to Clorox and steered her massive fortune into land conservation.
According to CelebrityNetWorth, she’s worth an estimated $200 million.
John Paul DeJoria
You might not have heard of John Paul DeJoria, but if you’ve ever used John Paul Mitchell Systems hair products or drank Patrón tequila, then you’ve contributed to what Forbes estimates is his $2.9 billion fortune.Â
He and the late Paul Mitchell co-founded the celebrated salon brand before DeJoria built the trendy spirits label on his own. A self-made man, DeJoria sold shampoo door-to-door while homeless and is now a leading philanthropist who signed the Giving Pledge.
Judy Faulkner
Computer programmer Judy Faulkner was at the cutting edge of the digital revolution, founding medical record software company Epic Systems in a Wisconsin basement in 1979, per Forbes. And she’s still the CEO today. She owns 47% of the company, which top medical centers like the Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins use to support the records of more than 250 million patients.Â
According to Forbes, Epic Systems has never made an acquisition, has never raised venture capital and develops all its software in-house. Faulkner, worth $7.7 billion, signed the Giving Pledge and vowed to donate 99% of her fortune to charity.
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