Tayi Sanusi

Dwayne Johnson In an interview with <a href="https://people.com/movies/dwayne-the-rock-johnson-sexiest-man-alive-presidential-run/" id="daf706ad-75b9-3bf6-a789-f89500029a93"> PEOPLE </a> , Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson toyed with the possibility of running for president in 2020. "If I were a betting man, which I'm not...I would say yes." Ultimately, he did file with the Federal Election Commission to set up a campaign committee, which means he would technically be able to take part in the 2020 election. But he's made no further indication that his 2020 candidacy is still on. Jon Kopaloff - Getty Images

Cynthia Nixon Sex and the City actress Cynthia Nixon announced she would be running for Governor of New York in 2018. "New York is my home. I've never lived anywhere else," <a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/michaelblackmon/cynthia-nixon-is-running-for-governor-of-new-york" id="5ecfbf99-411c-3771-aec3-9d9ab58ff746"> Nixon said a campaign video </a> . "I was given chances I just don't see for most of New York's kids today. Our leaders are letting us down." Despite her noble political aspirations, Nixon lost to Andrew Cuomo. Eduardo Munoz Alvarez - Getty Images

Howard Stern Radio show host Howard Stern tried his luck in politics back in 1994, when he announced that he'd be running against Mario Cuomo and George Pataki for Governor of New York. In the end, Stern withdrew from the race after declining to submit the customary personal finance disclosure, and that was that. Michael Loccisano - Getty Images

Roseanne Barr In 2012, comedian Roseanne Barr aimed to reach the highest political office in the country, that's right, the presidency. Her campaign promises were centered around "...marijuana legalization, environmental preservation, ending the wars overseas and equal rights," <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/roseanne-barr-president-fifth-place-presidential-election-2012_n_2088588" id="a1a28dc7-5904-31fc-afec-f068a2b02fc8"> reported </a> <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/roseanne-barr-president-fifth-place-presidential-election-2012_n_2088588" id="b9173205-a31e-38a3-adae-53a18aecc875"> The Huffington Post </a> . Barr ended up placing sixth in the election. Vera Anderson - Getty Images

Kanye West Rapper Kanye West has spoken on several occasions about his presidential plans. Although he originally said he'd be on the 2020 ballot, a tweet from last year suggested he could be pushing back his candidacy until 2024. "I sit in clubs and I'm like, wow, I've got five years before I go and run for office and I've got a lot of research to do, I've got a lot of growing up to do," the rapper told <a href="http://www.vanityfair.com/style/2015/09/kanye-west-yeezy-season-2-interview" id="76771e32-773d-3987-a1d6-4ec4c06377a0"> Vanity Fair </a> in 2015. Roy Rochlin - Getty Images

Manny Pacquiao Since May 2016, Pacquiao has served as a <a href="https://www.scmp.com/sport/boxing/article/2181543/manny-pacquiao-philippines-president-boxing-icon-plays-down-succeeding" id="ef3a79c3-e267-3a19-a2c0-219464efc023"> senator in the Philippines </a> and the world champion boxer may have his sights set on president of the Philippines in 2022in fact, he already has the support of current president, Rodrigo Duterte. "I told him when we were alone, I want him to become president," <a href="https://www.scmp.com/sport/boxing/article/2181543/manny-pacquiao-philippines-president-boxing-icon-plays-down-succeeding" id="432cbda2-ed5f-3668-ab18-3821e5e2a14b"> Duterte reportedly said </a> at the boxer's 39th birthday party in 2017. Ethan Miller - Getty Images

Oscar De La Hoya In September 2018, the legendary boxer said he was serious about running for president in 2020. "It's real," he told the <a href="https://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-canelo-alvarez-gennady-golovkin-oscar-de-la-hoya-wants-to-run-for-1536706386-htmlstory.html" id="2d5d9141-4431-3592-ad2e-c139f2e2bdd1"> Los Angeles Times </a> . "That's the beauty of our nation. If Arnold (Schwarzenegger) can be governor, if Trump can be president, then why can't a Mexican American who won an Olympic gold medal, who's over 35 and a U.S. citizen, run for presidency?" Since De La Hoya hasn't made it to any of the debates, it's safe to assume his political aspirations have changed. Jason Merritt/TERM - Getty Images

Ben Higgins The Bachelor <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/bachelor-ben-higgins-short-lived-political-career-a-timeline_n_579264b4e4b01180b52ee0fb" id="d0c12bb9-8e1c-3aab-a089-5c6b03695bac"> reality TV star </a> planned to run for a seat in Colorado's House of Representatives back in 2016. However, the day after he filed his campaign paperwork, he backed out. "Due to unforeseen circumstances, I will not be able to move forward as a candidate," <a href="http://ew.com/article/2016/06/02/bachelor-ben-higgins-colorado-political-run/" id="cef9ca82-09d3-3caf-af54-02788919b874"> Higgins said in an official statement </a> . "I find solace in knowing that our intentions and actions have been fair and sincere. I entered into this endeavor wanting to bring positive change to my community, and it is with that same spirit that I will move forward, albeit on a different path." Alberto E. Rodriguez - Getty Images

Shirley Temple Despite her child star roots, Shirley Temple devoted a significant part of her life to political activism and public service. In 1967, she ran for a seat in Congress during the Republican primary, but lost to Pete McCloskey. Temple later became the US ambassador for Ghana and Czechoslovakia. Jon Kopaloff - Getty Images

Will Smith During an interview on <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/will-smith-talks-going-politics-843527" id="5efe51ed-c502-3d36-acc6-c38b24561dff"> The Hollywood Reporter's </a> <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/will-smith-talks-going-politics-843527" id="868e1b5a-d06b-3320-a4dc-a3b58fb0448b"> Awards Chatter Podcast </a> in 2015, actor Will Smith discussed the possibility of running for office. "As I look at the political landscape, I think that there might be a future out there for me," Smith said. "They might need me out there. This is the first year that I've been incensed to a level that I can't sleep, you know? So I'm feeling that at some point, in the near future, I will have to lend my voice to the conversation in a somewhat different way." Since then, <a href="https://people.com/politics/will-smith-says-he-was-joking-about-running-for-president/" id="cf7d560b-37db-3513-aab5-6509f24aed5f"> Smith has downplayed his political intentions </a> and it's unclear if he still plans to forge a political path later down the line. Axelle/Bauer-Griffin - Getty Images

Clay Aiken Clay Aiken first rose to fame on season 2 of American Idol. In 2014, the singer ran for Congress as a Democratic representative in the 2nd Congressional District of North Carolina. Although he did not win the election, he's continued his political activism since. John Lamparski - Getty Images

Sonny Bono Sonny Bono, a.k.a. Cher's former husband and performing partner, was inspired to get into politics after encountering some "governmental red-tape" involving his home and Italian restaurant, <a href="http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1854887_1854886_1854879,00.html" id="8fe3fd94-11da-3a5a-adfa-8d8bb6d0a080"> reported </a> <a href="http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1854887_1854886_1854879,00.html" id="e1d9a668-a5c1-3234-a6e1-b940558e0084"> TIME </a> . In 1988, Bono became the mayor of Palm Springs and in 1994 he went on to serve in Congress. Harry Langdon - Getty Images

Stacey Dash Clueless star <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/mar/31/stacey-dash-congress-campaign-clueless" id="3e45916c-38ec-379c-aeb1-c3521d62c1b4"> Stacey Dash stirred up controversy </a> when she announced her candidacy to represent California's 44th Congressional District. However, she withdrew a month later. "At this point, I believe that the overall bitterness surrounding our political process, participating in the rigors of campaigning, and holding elected office would be detrimental to the health and wellbeing of my family," Dash said in a <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2018/03/30/politics/stacey-dash-withdraws-congressional-race/index.html" id="3ba509c1-ed9b-3f80-a2e5-0ec6ae29335e"> statement to CNN </a> . "I would never want to betray the personal and spiritual principles I believe in most: that my God and my family come first." Astrid Stawiarz - Getty Images

John Davis Lodge John Davis Lodge reached the peak of his acting career in the '30s after starring in blockbusters like Little Women and The Scarlet Empress. In 1947, Lodge was elected to serve in the House of Representatives. The actor went on to become the Governor of Connecticut in 1951. Bachrach - Getty Images

Sean Duffy Sean Duffy first entered the public eye as a reality TV contestant on The Real World on MTV. He became the district attorney of Ashland County, Wisconsin in 2002 and is currently a representative for Wisconsin's 7th Congressional District. Mark Wilson - Getty Images

Bill Bradley After wrapping up his career as a professional basketball player for the New York Knicks in 1977, Bill Bradley became a New Jersey Senator in 1978. He held the position for a total of 18 years before announcing that he would run for president in 1999. Al Gore ultimately won the democratic nomination over him. Jamie McCarthy - Getty Images

Sheila Kuehl Sheila Kuehl made a name for herself as a child star on The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis in the early '60s. Almost 30 years later, Kuehl made history in 1994 as the first openly gay politician elected to serve in the California State Legislature. She served 14 years in both the California State Senate and Assembly. Michael Tullberg - Getty Images

Al Franken Actor and writer Al Franken started his career in the entertainment industry on Saturday Night Live in 1975. Almost 20 years and five Emmy's later, he decided to transition into politics. The staunch Democrat was elected as a Senator of Minnesota in 2009 and served until 2018. Brooks Kraft - Getty Images

Wyclef Jean Entertainer Wyclef Jean announced that he would be running for the Haitian presidency shortly after the 2010 earthquake devastated the country. However, his lofty aspirations were cut short after Haiti's electoral council denied his bid. No official reason was given, but Jean believes it was because he didn't meet the five-year residency requirement. While the singer wasn't happy about his disqualification, he urged his supporters to accept the situation. "We must all honor the memories of those we've lostwhether in the earthquake, or at any timeby responding peacefully and responsibly to this disappointment," said Jean in a <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/americas/2010/08/20108211031447758.html" id="6bba5367-60c2-3939-ae32-5afb37eb79cb"> public statement </a> . Mike Coppola - Getty Images

Helen Gahagan Douglas Helen Gahagan Douglas was known for her work in countless successful Broadway musicals and operas. As a close friend to Theodore and Eleanor Roosevelt, she first became an active member of the Democratic Party in 1933. By 1944, Douglas had risen in the ranks to become the first Democratic woman in history to serve in Congress for California. She held her position for three full terms. Bettmann - Getty Images

Jesse 'The Body' Ventura Jesse Ventura made quite the career shift when he went from WWE professional wrestler to politician. His first stint in politics started in 1991, when became the mayor of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. But, Ventura didn't stop therein 1999, he was elected Governor of Minnesota as a member of the Reform Party and served until 2003. CRAIG LASSIG - Getty Images

Fred Grandy Unlike most famous-actors-turned-politicians, Fred Grandy's career began in politics as a member of Congressman Wiley Mayne's team. Then Grandy landed a part on The Love Boat as Gopher and acting became his focus for all nine seasons of the show. In 1987, the actor decided to make a political comeback by running for Congress as an Iowa representative. Grandy came out on top and served in the House until 1995. David Livingston - Getty Images

Diane Neal Law &amp; Order: SVU actress Diane Neal made a bid to become a representative for New York's 19th Congressional District. Neal ran in 2018 as an Independent, but lost to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/elections/results/new-york-house-district-19" id="27e1f2bc-092e-319f-a48a-99477667b90b"> Democratic candidate Antonio Delgado </a> . Krista Kennell - Getty Images

Steven Seagal In August 2018, movie star Steven Seagal was appointed to serve as a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/05/world/asia/steven-seagal-putin-russia.html" id="6b814c7b-a3e7-3e45-a3fa-3b0028b40b0a"> "special representative" </a> for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/487645188112543/posts/850408968502828/" id="2757edb4-bc9a-3f23-a85c-d8fc9ba41c41"> "Russian-US humanitarian ties" </a> by the Russian Foreign Ministry. The dual citizenship holder told RT (according to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-usa-seagal/russia-tasks-hollywood-actor-seagal-with-improving-u-s-ties-idUSKBN1KP0NP?utm_source=reddit.com" id="e36f3b63-80e1-36dd-a47c-0f9d53c82fb2"> Reuters </a> ), "I've always had a very strong desire to do all I can to help improve Russian-American relations." SGranitz - Getty Images

Jon Runyan NFL offensive lineman, Jon Runyan, played for the Houston Oilers, the Philadelphia Eagles, and the San Diego Chargers before his political ambitions. But 2010 marked Runyan's bid to serve in Congress as a representative of New Jersey's 3rd district, and he went on to successfully claim the title. He served from 2011 to 2015. Gilbert Carrasquillo - Getty Images

Fred Thompson Fred Thompson made his mark by appearing in films like The Hunt for Red October, Die Hard II, and Cape Fear. However, Thompson was best known for his recurring role as district attorney on Law &amp; Order. In 1994, Thompson ran for a place in the US Senate as a Tennessee representative. After a successful campaign, Thompson was elected and held the position from 1994 to 2003. Bill Pugliano - Getty Images

Melissa Gilbert Little House on the Prairie star Melissa Gilbert aspired to become a representative of the 8th Congressional District in Michigan in 2015. The Democrat eventually dropped out of the race due to injuries sustained during an accident in 2012. "While I have received the best treatment and therapy I could have asked for, those injuries have only gotten worse," Gilbert said in <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/melissa-gilbert-ended-bid-congress/story?id=39366979" id="e2b0c0cb-3eaf-3b30-a48e-54acf6e2e740"> a statement issued by her campaign </a> . "As much as it breaks my heart to say this, my doctors have told me I am physically unable to continue my run for Congress." Vincent Sandoval - Getty Images

Jerry Springer It may come as a surprise that controversial daytime talk show host, Jerry Springer, had a background in politics long before he started mediating domestic disputes. In 1970, Springer ran for Congress, and although things didn't go his way the first time around, he was the mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio from 1971 to 1981. Ray Tamarra - Getty Images

Arnold Schwarzenegger For the majority of his career, Arnold Schwarzenegger was known for starring in actions movies and showing off his award-winning physique. It wasn't until 2003 that the public learned of his political ambitions. He beat out former Governor of California, Gray Davis, in 2003 and served until 2011. David McNew - Getty Images

Shaquille ONeal Former NBA star Shaquille O'Neal has said that in 2020 he will be running for Sheriffbut has yet to reveal where. "This is not about politics," O'Neal told WXIA (according to <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/shaquille-oneal-intends-run-sheriff-2020-202144072.html" id="7da6e03d-52e1-3243-a885-8c0e03de2891"> Yahoo! </a> ), a local news station in Atlanta. "This is about bringing people closer together. You know, when I was coming up, people loved and respected the police, the deputies. And, I want to be the one to bring that back, especially in the community I serve." We'll have to wait and see how things turn out for ONeal. NBC NewsWire - Getty Images

Antonio Sabato Jr. In 2018, outspoken Republican and former soap opera actor, Antonio Sabato Jr., challenged Democratic incumbent Julia Brownley for the spot of representative of California's 26th district in Congress. Brownley ended up beating Sabato after claiming 59% of votes to Sabato's 41%. David Livingston - Getty Images

Nancy Kulp Nancy Kulp made her mark on Hollywood long before she decided to run for political office in 1984. The Beverly Hillbillies actress ran as the Democratic nominee to represent Pennsylvania's 9th Congressional District. Kulp told <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1991/02/05/obituaries/nancy-kulp-69-dies-film-and-tv-actress.html" id="0c175c37-5bb0-3f34-abc9-9bbafdd8b84f"> The New York Times </a> that she was inspired by Ronald Reagan's transition from actor to politician. Ultimately, Kulp lost the election. Michael Ochs Archives - Getty Images

Kid Rock When a convincing website "Kid Rock for Senate" started selling campaign merch in 2017, the public thought the entertainer would run for a Senate bid in Michigan. However, once Rock came clean about his true intentions, the publicity stunt made a bit more sense. "F no, I'm not running for Senate. Are you kidding me?" Rock said while on Howard Stern's SiriusXM show (according to <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2017/10/24/kid-rock-no-im-not-running-for-u-s-senate/793708001/" id="734152c6-9124-32a7-a78c-483e8cd3a712"> USA Today </a> ). "Who couldn't figure that out? I'm releasing a new album. I'm going on tour, too." Theo Wargo - Getty Images

Ronald Reagan It's often forgotten that before Ronald Reagan became the 40th President in 1981, he was an actor. Reagan's transition from the silver screen to politics first began when he won the 1967 election and became California's Governor. UniversalImagesGroup - Getty Images

Glenn Jacobs Former WWE wrestler Glenn Jacobs announced he would be making a bid to become the mayor of Knox County, Tennessee in 2017. In August 2018, he won over Democratic nominee Linda Haney. Mike Coppola - Getty Images

Steven Michael Quezada Breaking Bad actor Steven Michael Quezada ran for county commissioner in Albuquerque in July 2015, with the hopes of improving his community. "I was born and raised here in the district," Quezada told <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/07/21/breaking-bad-actor-runs-for-albuquerque-county-commissioner/" id="1334361e-d8a5-3763-a890-9521814f7989"> The Washington Post </a> . "I'm trying to help the kids in the neighborhood where I grew up, to give them a better life." Quezada's dream became a reality in 2016 when he won the election against Adrin Pedroza and Robert Chavez. Ethan Miller - Getty Images

Mark Cuban Businessman and Shark Tank investor, Mark Cuban, has spoken on several occasions about possibly running for president. "We will see," he told <a href="https://www.businessinsider.de/mark-cuban-for-president-maybe-2017-2?r=US&amp;IR=T" id="2273dacf-d708-3fd3-a2f6-625d29b3ff89"> Business Insider </a> . He also dropped hints to CNBC: " <a href="http://www.cnbc.com/2017/03/12/mark-cuban-on-running-for-president-i-wouldnt-say-never.html" id="b8285178-8e72-3917-adfb-330e382f72c9"> I wouldn't say never </a> , but it's not my lifelong dream. It depends on how things turn out." Cuban is an outspoken Democrat and <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/video/2019/07/12/billionaire-mark-cuban-on-trump-and-solving-problems.html" id="3dcb0213-8f16-373e-a73d-9398c68db931"> consistent Trump opposer </a> . Eric McCandless - Getty Images

Tim McGraw Country singer Tim McGraw also has political aspirations for the future. "I want to run for the Senate from Tennessee," McGraw told <a href="http://content.time.com/time/press_releases/article/0,8599,695833,00.html" id="571dcbbc-821c-3809-ae1d-c8f8176783be"> TIME </a> . "Not now, but when I'm 50." Only time will tell if McGraw intends to follow through with his plans. Eric McCandless - Getty Images

George Takei Best known for his role on Star Trek, actor and activist George Takei had a brief stint in politics. Takei ran for Los Angeles City Council in 1973, but wasn't victorious. However, he later joined the Southern California Rapid Transit District, where he's aided in the improvement of public transportation in the region. Jeff Vespa - Getty Images

40 Famous People You Forgot Ran for Office

After: Jeff Bezos By 1997, Bezos had made his first million, and two years later he had ascended to billionaire status, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/angelauyeung/2018/10/03/how-jeff-bezos-became-the-richest-person-in-the-world-2018-forbes-400/#500542191bee" id="998cec8f-75ac-3d30-a521-85f6cde591bd"> according to Forbes </a> . He says a surprising statistic led him to start Amazon. "I came across the fact that web usage was growing at 2,300 percent per year," he said in a 2010 <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBmavNoChZc" id="b6cbdc71-1824-3ff1-a99d-7070aef8741b"> speech at Princeton </a> . "I'd never seen or heard of anything that grew that fast, and the idea of building an online bookstore with millions of titles...was very exciting to me." <a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/jeff-bezos/#205705981b23" id="6cea8cde-e7f1-3773-a6cb-214bfa5c8edd"> Forbes estimates </a> Bezos net worth is a staggering 161.9 billion. MARK RALSTON - Getty Images

Before: Bill Gates Few names are as ubiquitous with success in the tech industry as Bill Gates. The software mogul started at Harvard in 1973, but left during his junior year to found Microsoft with his high school friend, Paul Allen, in the spring of 1975. Doug Wilson - Getty Images

After: Bill Gates In 1985, Microsoft Windows 1.0 was released and the company's stock went public the following year. <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/19/how-much-a-1000-dollar-investment-in-microsoft-at-its-ipo-is-worth-now.html" id="b6ede3fd-d70a-3428-a06f-465aededb8ef"> According to CNBC </a> , almost three million shares were sold making Gates a millionaire overnight. Today, Forbes reports that Gates is worth 104 billion and is currently the <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/kristinstoller/2019/07/25/bill-gates-reclaims-spot-as-worlds-second-richest-person/#754ed2336c25" id="7a1b99db-d0df-3ec5-a990-c4fefc0f3739"> second richest person in the world </a> . Anadolu Agency - Getty Images

Before: Mark Zuckerberg To date, Mark Zuckerberg is regarded as one of the youngest self-made tech moguls in history. In 2004, while still a student at Harvard, <a href="https://time.com/11740/facebook-10-year-anniversary-interfaces/" id="de891c51-a13f-30c2-afed-91c4f344f1b7"> Zuckerberg founded Facebook </a> . Rick Friedman - Getty Images

After: Mark Zuckerberg Fast forward 15 years and Facebook has become one of the most influential social media sites in history. During an interview with <a href="http://freakonomics.com/" id="acebe7ca-6b74-3fdc-a665-4932e19b409f"> Freakonomics Radio </a> for their six-week series <a href="http://freakonomics.com/ceos/" id="6aaf4639-e1f7-3e6f-ad47-81beabc9a721"> "The Secret Life of CEOs," </a> Zuckerberg revealed that he hadn't intended to start a business when he launched the first iteration of the site: "Yeah, well, I never started this to build a company. I was just trying to help connect people at colleges and a few schools." Forbes places <a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/mark-zuckerberg/#11be41223e06" id="b1675fc7-ef32-39b0-a8d4-cdcf3f8b3a2f"> Zuckerberg's net worth </a> at 73.6 billion. Marc Piasecki - Getty Images

Before: Elon Musk Long before <a href="https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/books/a35508/elon-musk-college-years-canada-u-penn/" id="f6ff4ca5-af5d-3e53-ab1e-1f4a311d4a70"> serial entrepreneur Elon Musk </a> become financially successful, he was coming up with creative ways to earn a buck. During his undergraduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania, he paid his rent by turning his house into a nightclub on the weekends, according to his roommate and longtime friend, Adeo Ressi. Paul Harris - Getty Images

After: Elon Musk Shortly after dropping out of grad school at Stanford, Musk and his brother Kimbal became millionaires after selling their first internet startup, Zip2. According to <a href="http://money.com/money/4883868/8-innovative-ways-elon-musk-made-money-before-he-was-a-billionaire/" id="eac0de7c-ab36-3897-aad1-930e67a9efd2"> Money </a> , he then invested 12 million into online banking company X.com, which was later renamed Paypal. In the years to follow, Musk went on to start SpaceX and Tesla Motors, both of which are pioneers in their respective fields. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-elon-musk-net-worth-2017-10" id="03f60737-7ffc-3b3b-ad2a-ca95a19860f0"> Business Insider </a> estimates Musk's net worth is close to 20 billion. Justin Sullivan - Getty Images

Before: Virginia Rometty Virginia Rometty graduated from Northwestern in 1979, where she studied computer science and electrical engineering. After her graduation, she joined a work-study program run by the General Motors Institute. The India Today Group - Getty Images

After: Virginia Rometty In 1981, she joined the <a href="https://www.wired.com/2011/10/virginia-rometty/" id="d61dfae1-efe5-345b-af84-f1879d310f2a"> IBM team as a systems engineer </a> and was later promoted to the strategic leader of IBM Global Services. Rometty has long been credited with initiating the transition of IBM from a tech company to a data company. In 2010, she became the first female CEO in the company's history and is continually recognized for her unparalleled commitment and leadership achievements. Chesnot - Getty Images

Before: Steve Jobs Before Steve Jobs become the co-founder and leading visionary of Apple, he scored a job with the video game company Atari a couple of years after dropping out of Reed College. In 1976, Jobs teamed up with Steve Wozniak and Ron Wayne to officially start Apple Computer, <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/steve-jobs/8810045/Steve-Jobs-timeline.html" id="fb78270d-b145-397b-a048-6a483b7746b2"> reported </a> <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/steve-jobs/8810045/Steve-Jobs-timeline.html" id="acfba13a-5ced-3493-ae0f-78381e7d8121"> The Telegraph </a> . Kim Kulish - Getty Images

After: Steve Jobs During 1977, the Apple II was released and became a huge success. Three years later, Apple went public and raised 110 million. Jobs became the official CEO of the company in 1997 and for the next 14 years, he was the driving force behind the brand's domination of the music and computer tech industries. Sadly, on October 5, 2011, Jobs lost his battle with a rare form of pancreatic cancer. Justin Sullivan - Getty Images

Before: Pierre Omidyar Pierre Omidyar started his career as a freelance web designer and developer relations engineer. According to <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/did-you-know-ebay-founder-pierre-omidyar-earned-6-an-hour-in-high-school-for-coding/articleshow/65334930.cms" id="4e559cb9-107d-3a98-afa8-bfdb9cb47238"> The Economic Times </a> , Omidyar was inspired to start the auction site eBay in 1995 to help his now-wife connect with other like-minded PEZ candy dispenser collectors. James D. Wilson - Getty Images

After: Pierre Omidyar Three years after Omidyar launched eBay, the company went public. Today, eBay is worth an estimated 34 billion, while <a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/pierre-omidyar/#43a2993166da" id="e0c252ef-c63b-3bf0-a5c4-3a26ac105a25"> Omidyar's net worth </a> is 13.2 billion. Ramin Talaie - Getty Images

Before: Jack Dorsey Jack Dorsey had just been passed over for a job at Camper, a shoe store, when he had a serendipitous meeting with a startup executive at a San Francisco coffee shop (at least, according to an excerpt from <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/13/magazine/all-is-fair-in-love-and-twitter.html?pagewanted=all" id="c6386546-34eb-3b48-a31b-05cefb679f5a"> Nick Bilton's book about Twitter </a> ). Patrick McMullan - Getty Images

After: Jack Dorsey Soon after, Dorsey was hired by the executive and he became one of the co-founders of what would later become Twitter. In 2009, he went on to co-found the payment management company, Square. Now Dorsey's net worth is estimated to be 5.7 billion. Chesnot - Getty Images

Before: Larry Ellison Ellison was born in 1944 and grew up in a tough neighborhood on Chicago's south side. After dropping out of college twice, Ellison decided to become a programmer. "I never took a computer science class in my life," he said in an <a href="https://americanhistory.si.edu/comphist/le1.html" id="392e98ab-3ff7-3f7e-a4e9-a555898ba9d5"> oral history interview for the Smithsonian Institution </a> . "I got a job working as a programmer; I was largely self-taught. I just picked up a book and started programming." Jonathan Elderfield - Getty Images

After: Larry Ellison Ampex Corporation eventually hired Ellison to program a database for the CIA. Then in 1977, he parted ways with Ampex to start his own business. The database management company he started was later named Oracle and has grown into a multinational computer tech company of which Ellison is the CTO. <a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/larry-ellison/#5a7631fe24c2" id="ad7060d2-4fe9-3899-a043-e403ee58ba83"> Forbes </a> estimates his net worth to be just over 70 billion. Gregg DeGuire - Getty Images

Before: Reed Hastings Engineer Reed Hasting's first major business venture was a software company. The company grew quickly and, after going public, was acquired by Rational Software in 1997 for 750 million, <a href="https://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/netflix-founder-reed-hastings-says-1-decision-separates-people-who-achieve-success-from-those-who-only-dream.html" id="eb641aad-1482-3eef-a908-1932f91334ba"> reported </a> <a href="https://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/netflix-founder-reed-hastings-says-1-decision-separates-people-who-achieve-success-from-those-who-only-dream.html" id="c469abeb-5a67-3c19-a303-b754bb577d81"> Inc </a> . From there Hastings went on to start Netflix. Justin Sullivan - Getty Images

After: Reed Hastings Netflix's initial business model was designed to be a subscription-only DVD rental service, but it soon expanded to offer streaming services and original content. "Binge viewing is a very novel thing that we pioneered, and there's no movie equivalent," Hastings said at the <a href="https://www.vox.com/2017/5/31/15720434/netflix-original-movies-reed-hastings-tv-binge" id="242d0a14-8b0f-3d63-a122-6583e657e2fe"> Code Conference in Southern California </a> . As of late January 2019, Netflix had roughly 139 million subscribers, <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2019/01/17/media/netflix-earnings-q4/index.html" id="01d76561-7ebf-3f78-ad89-0a8fb726eb67"> reported CNN </a> . <a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/larry-ellison/#75c670af24c2" id="6a55ce5b-5809-3c3a-a8f9-48945c50e017"> Hastings net worth </a> is estimated to be just under 4 billion. Carlos Alvarez - Getty Images

Before: Susan Wojcicki Since Susan Wojcicki was born and raised in Silicon Valley, it seems rather fitting that she was employee number 16 <a href="https://www.inc.com/marla-tabaka/12-surprising-facts-about-youtube-ceo-susan-wojcicki.html" id="17776a59-9c99-3b53-a557-b88a392e52c5"> hired by Google </a> back when it was just another internet startup in 1998. Larry Busacca - Getty Images

After: Susan Wojcicki As Google charged ahead to become the world's leading info-tech company, Wojcicki pushed for Alphabet Inc (Google's mother company) to acquire YouTube in 2006. Since this acquisition, Wojcicki has served as YouTube's CEO, where she's known as the innovative mind behind the brand's continued success. Her superstar leadership of one of the most beloved internet platforms has helped her rack up an estimated net worth of 490 million, according to <a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/susan-wojcicki/#2b6f437a3ae3" id="f3db3516-193c-36bb-abd6-fd8b5003bf7e"> Forbes </a> . Phillip Faraone - Getty Images

Before: Evan Spiegel Evan Spiegel was studying product design at Stanford when he met Reggie Brown and Bobby Murphy. In 2012, the trio joined forces to develop Picaboo, which later became known as Snapchat. From day one, Spiegel operated as the company's CEO. J.Emilio Flores - Getty Images

After: Evan Spiegel In 2017, after rejecting a 3 billion dollar <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jjcolao/2014/01/06/the-inside-story-of-snapchat-the-worlds-hottest-app-or-a-3-billion-disappearing-act/#c38d42667d27" id="40ef8ae9-1a0c-3ad1-a784-275817ef9fbd"> offer from Mark Zuckerberg </a> to buy Snap Inc., the company went public. According to <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/16/snap-has-lost-more-than-20-billion-in-value-since-its-ipo.html" id="2ef6ba28-27db-3160-a250-afa01991c346"> CNBC </a> , the social network known for it's disappearing messages is currently worth an estimated 8 billion and the 29 year old's net worth is <a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/evan-spiegel/#74a79ada529c" id="2477bf59-539a-3d20-ad06-383631959f04"> close to $3.8 billion </a> . Michael Cohen - Getty Images

Before: Sundar Pichai After completing his undergraduate degree in his home country of India, Sundar Pichai attended grad school at Stanford for material sciences and engineering. In 2004, <a href="https://www.productplan.com/sundar-pichai-product-manager-to-ceo/" id="1c811b21-14b8-36ae-ae2c-a72c27379665"> he joined Google </a> as the vice president of product management. AFP - Getty Images

After: Sundar Pichai In 2008, Pichai's team successfully released the Google Chrome web browser. Pichai's proven leadership skills eventually led to his promotion to CEO in 2014. Although his exact net worth isn't known, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/feb/08/google-sundar-pichai-shares-highest-paid-ceo" id="9d24b4b5-8e83-3c8b-af59-d8fba7f8d19a"> The Guardian reported </a> that his Alphabet (Google's mother company) holdings were valued at 650 million in 2016. JOSH EDELSON - Getty Images

Before: Michael Dell Michael Dell founded what would become one of the largest computer manufactures in the world from his dorm room. "[I] started the company with $1,000 a week before I was taking my final exams as a freshman," Dell said on the <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fortt-knox/id1175932584" id="5f7ee57f-3684-3995-ae03-ce2aab075b59"> Fortt Knox </a> podcast. In 1984, he convinced his parents it was time for him to leave the University of Texas to focus on his computer business. At the time, Dell had already <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/international-business/how-dell-founder-convinced-parents-to-drop-out-of-college/articleshow/63363208.cms" id="f52c2454-9541-3055-aaa7-7d206e34642a"> reportedly grossed </a> $200,000. Jonathan Elderfield - Getty Images

After: Michael Dell Now, 35 years later, Dell still serves as the CEO of Dell Technologies and the company is <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2018/8/13/17644234/michael-dell-enterprise-technology-consumer-laptop-private-public-emc" id="52054dd1-e4ec-3411-a824-f889856cbcb6"> estimated to be worth 70 billion </a> . Dell's personal net worth is said to be 32.7 billion, according to <a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/michael-dell/#3a4234886ce0" id="bea14bd1-400a-3c5a-abbf-1048741f3d93"> Forbes </a> . Drew Angerer - Getty Images

Before: Jack Ma "Jack" Ma, born Ma Yun, grew up in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. Ma has been very open about his early struggles to make it to the top. In an interview filmed at the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jack-ma-harvard-rejected-me-10-times-2015-9?IR=T" id="2819592f-bbd7-3fce-aa51-41eb7389eac5"> World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting </a> in 2015, he admitted that he was rejected from Harvard 10 times. AFP - Getty Images

After: Jack Ma Ma's early setbacks proved to be a springboard for his ultimate success. In 1999, he co-founded the Alibaba Group, known for their various e-commerce, retail, and technology brands. Ma currently holds the title of the company's executive chair and <a href="http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201902/26/WS5c75036aa3106c65c34eb86a.html" id="f3fd9fb6-a844-33eb-a86e-6a1a98ed4c81"> China's richest man </a> . <a href="https://fortune.com/2018/09/07/jack-ma-net-worth-alibaba-retire/" id="4467e2dd-b626-3a40-a454-10a6e8186184"> Fortune reported </a> his net worth to be 40 billion. Chesnot - Getty Images

Before: Alexis Ohanian After abandoning his studies to become an immigration lawyer in 2005, Ohanian decided that he wanted to build his own business. "I convinced my college roommate to start a business that would help people skip lines," he told <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/04/business/alexis-ohanian-talks-reddit-serena-williams-and-metallica.html" id="f6338099-99ff-31db-a08f-6b1f3b32d29a"> The New York Times </a> . "That didn't work out. But then Y Combinator [a Silicon Valley incubator] said, 'O.K., take our money and do something else.' And that was Reddit." Bennett Raglin - Getty Images

After: Alexis Ohanian Ohanian sold Reddit to Cond Nast in 2006, and while the exact price it sold for wasn't publicized, the figure was <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/07/25/the-1st-thing-alexis-ohanian-bought-after-he-sold-reddit-for-millions.html" id="dccab0aa-3c81-33a0-a7ec-e59f5cd97f86"> estimated by </a> <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/07/25/the-1st-thing-alexis-ohanian-bought-after-he-sold-reddit-for-millions.html" id="e3fee28c-29c1-3a09-a15a-da5f876cb1ed"> CNBC </a> to be between 10 and 20 million. Ohanian is currently serving as Reddit's executive chair, and his net worth is <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/serena-williams-alexis-ohanian-net-worth-make-spend-millions-2019-5" id="bfc6ab1a-1488-3d4a-a729-9ea0dc54bf24"> around 9 million </a> . In a 2017 <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2017/07/31/reddit-worth-1-point-8-billion.html" id="8bec9e74-020b-30e9-a05e-221747f85f54"> CNBC report </a> , Reddit was valued at 1.8 billion. NBC - Getty Images

Before: Travis Kalanick Travis Kalanick originally set out to study computer engineering at UCLA, but like so many entrepreneurs of his ilk, he eventually left school to focus on an early business venturea peer-to-peer file-sharing app called Scour. After hitting a few stumbling blocks along the way, Kalanick sold his second notable business endeavor, Red Swoosh, to Akamai for 23 million in 2007. Charles Eshelman - Getty Images

After: Travis Kalanick In 2008, while attending a technology conference, Kalanick met Garrett Camp and soon became the self-titled "chief incubator" for the revolutionary ridesharing app, Uber. Although Kalanick did not come up with the initial idea for the company, he is credited with designing the business model of hiring freelance drivers to avoid investing in vehicles and was later named CEO. Amid ongoing controversy, however, Kalanick left the company in 2017 and is now the CEO of food delivery startup CloudKitchens. His current net worth is estimated to be between 5 and 6 billion, according to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/travis-kalanick-net-worth-ex-uber-ceo-2018-11" id="e2121872-1b17-3a5c-a12c-f850e6eb1a6f"> Business Insider </a> . David Crotty - Getty Images

Before: Ursula Burns Ursula Burns earned her master's in mechanical engineering from Columbia University. She then started her first summer internship at Xerox in 1980. Over the years she steadily climbed the career ladder within the company. Jemal Countess - Getty Images

After: Ursula Burns Burns was promoted to the CEO of Xerox in 2009 and became the first African American women in history to lead a fortune 500 company. "As I've progressed in my career, I've come to appreciateand really valuethe other attributes that define a company's success beyond the P&amp;L: great leadership, long-term financial strength, ethical business practices, evolving business strategies, sound governance, powerful brands, values-based decision-making," Burns told <a href="https://fortune.com/2012/03/01/what-ceos-admire-ursula-burns-of-xerox/" id="a63e6863-ec61-36fa-a310-86907edf45ea"> Fortune </a> . Since 2017, Burns has served as the CEO of the multinational telecommunication company Veon and while her exact net worth is not known, it's estimated to be about 28.7 million. John Medina - Getty Images

Before: Jeff Weiner After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business, Jeff Weiner joined the Warner Brothers team. His success at the company was spearheaded by his drive to cultivate an online presence. Jemal Countess - Getty Images

After: Jeff Weiner Weiner eventually became a vice president at Warner Brothers, but parted ways with the company after they merged with AOL. In 2009, he became the CEO of LinkedIn. Recently, he joined forces with an educational technology company to start a nonprofit called <a href="https://thecompassionproject.com/" id="4cc33e41-1b96-3d9d-a265-d792deaf7145"> The Compassion Project </a> , which helps spread the importance of compassion in the workplace, specifically in leadership positions. His <a href="https://www.careeraddict.com/top-ceos" id="25a75794-f23c-3668-a64f-b87c3b9d88e5"> net worth </a> is reportedly 800 million. Phillip Faraone - Getty Images

Before: Linus Torvalds Linus Torvalds was born and raised in Finland, and his interest in computer programing started at age 10. He went on to attended the University of Helsinki, where he graduated with a master's degree in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_science" id="7f956ec5-0ea3-35ac-a098-deda938193d8"> computer science </a> . Kim Kulish - Getty Images

After: Linus Torvalds In 1991, while still attending college, Torvalds invented a free operating system called Linux. According to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com.au/linus-torvalds-qa-2014-6" id="5ba96311-d64e-3fac-aa95-13468a2bb19b"> Business Insider </a> , Linux is responsible for powering the majority of computer servers globallyit's also the backbone of the entire Android operating system. Torvalds net worth is estimated to be around 150 million. AFP - Getty Images

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Pulse Kenya is the most followed news and entertainment platform in Kenya. It informs and engages young Kenyans around the clock and provides updates by the hour.

Tayi Sanusi

Articles written by the author

40 Famous People You Forgot Ran for Office

20 Tech Giants Before and After They Made It Big