Success Story #4: From a Janitor to One of the Richest People in the World...
Greetings, dear Steemians!
In our series of success stories, as you may know, we take a look at the inspiring life tales of the most accomplished people from across the world, often with awe and astonishment as to how they could tolerate the challenges of life to arrive at their current place.
A few years ago, Jan Koum sold WhatsApp to Facebook in a staggering $19 billion contract, making him one of the richest people in the world of computers and IT.
As impressive as that might sound, Koum’s origin story is one of grief and hardship.
Koum was born in a small village in Ukraine to a construction manager and a caring mother. His early life was not particularly easy, and at the age of 16, Koum and her mother immigrated to the United States because of the troubling environment that they had to tolerate in their original home.
They were given a two-bedroom apartment by the government.
To pay the costs of living, Koum’s mother became a babysitter and Jan himself worked as a janitor in a grocery store, sweeping floors and thinking about his dreams for life.
One of the most difficult moments of Koum’s life is when his mother was diagnosed with cancer. His father could not make it to America, so when his mother died, Koum was all alone.
There was a point in Koum’s life when he had to stay in line in front of a North County Social Services building to collect food stamps and enjoy free meals as he couldn’t afford anything else.
Koum was interested in computer sciences and didn’t lose a chance at learning something new everyday about computers and programming. He eventually found himself working in Yahoo in their advertising branch. He didn’t care much about advertisements, but he did find a good friend there by the name of Brian Acton.
Jan Koum couldn’t easily connect with people, but he found a certain comfort in his friendship with Brian Acton. Together, and after his mother’s death and the troubles at Yahoo, they travelled the Southern parts of America in the hope of finding something new for themselves.
In January 2009, Koum bought an iPhone and realized the potential of App Store. In the coming months, he envisioned and took steps towards making his idea of a messaging app a reality.
WhatsApp was eventually born, and despite the enormous technical setbacks, found his way around in the heart of the public opinion.
In the year 2014, Jan Koum sold WhatsApp for $19 billion to Facebook.
He most fascinating thing about that contract was the spot on which it was signed. Jan Koum, Brian Acton and a few other representatives drove a few blocks from WhatsApp headquarters to an abandoned Social Services building, the same building that fed a struggling Koum in his early years.
It was indeed a significant and meaningful spot for Koum, as it reminded him of his bravery and courage in the face of life’s difficulties. Difficulties that could drive any man insane or fill them with hopelessness.
WhatsApp is now one of the most popular messaging apps throughout the globe.
A BIG HUG!
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Important Note!
I have been working very hard on this blog since the beginning. I have a very busy life but I am giving my best and believe me I have shared experiences that I have been coaching thousands of people and I know that the change of the Mindset should be daily. I am already grateful to see you giving upvotes to each other and you can see this with the fact that many already have 8, 9, 10 upvotes. But I'm sure that with the effort of all of us we will see a community with, 40, 50, 80 upvotes and for that everyone should get engaged so we can make it come true. I believe and we can! Resteem...
***Remember Community: Please, if you commented and upvote on a new post I did, please always go back to the previous one because if someone in the community commented lastly because of time zone differences it will be without your upvote and that would not be fair.
You all know the goal! We can reach: 50+ Upvotes each others!
Attention!!!
I'm reading all the meaningful comments from the posts.
I am here making a list of all of you who have helped build this community by voting for each other who write meaningful comments and soon I will respond to everyone with comment and thank you all because I can already see this spirit being built in this Positive Mindset community and help between all of you.
You will receive my upvote in all material and brief comments I will do this in all the posts I am following very closely and I can see what the people who are generous and contribute to this legacy that I am trying to build with all of you can become reality in a short time.
AND
First of all, I would like to thank all of you, who are the most active and proactive in this community, showing your generosity and always with meaningful comments. From now on I will always make a list of these incredible people who have helped to expand our goal of growing ever more.
But I ask that if you are new around here you read many of the previous posts because they make it clear that we are building a community with respect among all, generosity and this blog is for those who really want to start moving their Mindset to positive and moreover be part of the growth of all of us who contribute to this blog. Please do not ask to include you in the list if you are just wanting upvotes because we want here people genuinely attuned to growth and good attitudes and as I have always said with Respect as the basis of all, generosity and positivity!
ABOUT OUR LIST!!! WE NEED GROW THIS LIST! LET'S GO TOGETHER IN THIS COMMUNITY - RESTEEM!
Feel free if you want to be included in the list of contributors to this community. Just ask at the end of your comment.
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Thanks All of You!!!!
Motivation is definitely not a pulling force, it’s a driving force from within. Motivation doesn’t pull me out of bed in the morning, it pushes me out of bed. Motivation comes from within us when we want to achieve something and need to push ourselves to achieve those goals.
The Inspiration is really good. the motivation is a pushing force not a pulling force. I would say, the inspiration is kind of pulling force which lays a foundation for motivation and motivation gives the push to achieve the goal....
Or may be .....
Inspiration is a driving force, while motivation which is a pulling force.
Magnificent @chbartist ....
Dear @chbartist sir!
Yes indeed if there is a desire to learn inside us, many inspirational people will be present in history, who have fought themselves in the category of successful people while facing the odd circumstances. As Jan Koum did not give up even patience in extreme circumstances and brought himself to the line of successful people through little resources., Jan Koum people remember because of WhatsApp,Facebook. But there are many people who succeeded but were not the subject of discussion. Talking on a small scale, we can find examples of many people around us who have touched the heights of hard work and perseverance in adverse circumstances.
Really a great story of success. How a poor boy became a billionaire. Success depends on your efforts. Stronger the effort bigger the success. Stay calm and focus on your work so you can achieve everything in your life.
Work in silence let the success make noise.
I have been using WhatsApp since 2010 and yes it's the highest popular messaging app in the World. Jan and Brian did a tremendous work to think about it and making it a reallity. Now people rarely use SMS and switched to WhatsApp. Story of Jan is full of motivation and it teaches us not to give up in any situation instead keep thinking creative and unique.
Now the current situation is that all smartphone users use WhatsApp and even businesses have also moved to this platform. Undoubtedly this is great communication app with low cost which is only for internet use and not costly or limited like traditional SMS. Thanks much for such a great and motivational post @chbartist
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Good evening, according to the case you mentioned and keeping the distance, of course, I have seen in my life many similar cases, people who during a part of their lives had many needs and then their intelligence and skills allowed them to be successful people. With many possibilities in life.
There is a particular case that I want to share with you and with all the Steemianos, who want to read this writing, it is from a friend who, for most of his life, was a very poor person, his parents had very few resources, they worked, one as secretary and the other as a fireman, in a service station., They tried to survive and move forward with a family with 4 children, being my friend, and, of which I am speaking the eldest of them.
Being very young he had to go to work to help his parents, he worked long time in the field, as a caller, calf breeder, manager ... With luck, and with the help of a man, he managed to start planting 5 hectares of corn and, little by little, the amount of planted hectares increased, could begin to acquire a house, a car and other properties, until he managed to buy a farm that has worked with his closest relatives.
Once I manage to have a productive farm, I buy another farm that, with the help of the bank, through bank loans, has allowed them to have conucos of corn and sorghum, which have allowed them to turn it into a Non Millionaire person, but Yes, a very economically stable person, with comforts and possibilities.
This case happens a lot in life, but it is only achieved with work, perseverance and dedication.
Regards..
One thing i have come to realize in life, in which i am going to faithfully apply in 2019 is that " we are our greatest limitation" not circumstance or situation.
We erroneously see our present reality/ condition as been constant, forgetting that every thing in life is in a state of flux.
The young man above saw a need in his family, and he had the right mindset which gave him the courage to assist in filling the gap. Then life took care of the rest.
Its a great story.
Regards friend
Any work in which hard work is done with confidence and desire, then we will be successful in it.The stories of successes of some are common, due to their convenience, but there are some stories that are absolutely amazing to hear
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Hola chbartist! estas haciendo mucha tarea de investigación, ademas un
Es importante recordar el camino, no olvidar lo difícil que fue, de esta manera mantendremos la humildad y la empatia hacia los demás. Muchas gracias por el trabajo que vienes desarrollando!trabajo inspirador! En el camino de la vida se encuentra muchos obstáculos, que dificultan el viaje, pero son esta dificultades las que nos prepara para el éxito.
I wish the story could go into more details on how Jan Koum build WhatsApp after he bought his first iPhone. Anyway, keep up with writing. I wish to have your super power of writing long post frequently.
Koum is seriously an inspiration for all of us, the hope of not loosing and trying hard to achieve the dreams. when we try harder and in smarter approach eventually everything falls in place.
Keep on sharing such inspiring stories.
History continues to demonstrate that it does not matter where you are from as long as consistency and dedication are provided, many things can be achieved!
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