Overall, Jeff showed an early interest in technology and entrepreneurship. Having timely noticed his talents, the boy’s parents motivated him to convert their garage into a laboratory for his science projects. Bezos was all about science and technology, but he also loved literature and was an avid reader. It may come as a surprise to you, but he started his first business, the Dream Institute, when he was still a teenager. It was an educational summer camp for kids (especially for fourth, fifth, and sixth graders). There were some books that Bezos required them to read. His main goal was to promote creative thinking in kids. As I see it, Bezos has always worked towards making the world a better place. Curiously, when Jeff was still in high school, he worked at McDonald’s during the breakfast shift. In my opinion, it was a useful experience. He learned a lot about effective teamwork and collaborating with other people. After high school, he began his undergraduate education at Princeton University, where he studied computer science and electrical engineering. There, he was known for his ability to think outside the box and exceptional problem-solving skills. Bezos graduated from Princeton University with honors in 1986.
After completing his education, Jeff Bezos started his career on Wall Street, working at various reputed companies, such as the multinational investment company D. E. Shaw & Co. In 1993, Jeff Bezos married MacKenzie Scott, and they had four children together: three sons and one adoptive daughter. After 25 years of marriage, the couple divorced. In 1994, Bezos made a life-changing decision. He quit his promising job to set up an online bookstore, which would eventually become the greatest e-commerce empire known as Amazon. He moved to Seattle and started his new company in his garage. He was passionate about his new idea and felt it in his bones that he would succeed. First, he recognized the potential of the internet as a platform for commerce. Second, he dreamed of creating a new, more efficient way for people to shop. Besides, Bezos was a real risk taker. His only problem was a lack of money. Fortunately, his parents, Jackie and Mike, believed in him and invested in his startup. They lent him about 245 thousand dollars, which was a considerable sum. That was a life-changing decision, indeed.
Bezos managed to revolutionize the way people shopped for goods. In 1994, Bezos founded Amazon. The name was chosen after the Amazon River, the biggest river on the planet. They say, as you name the boat, so shall it float. Amazon has become the world’s largest online marketplace. Today, it sells not only books but everything you need: toys, games, appliances, electronic devices, etc. This is a customer-focused company with a wide choice of goods, low prices, and convenient delivery options. In 1998, Jeff Bezos became one of Google’s first investors, becoming a billionaire just one year later. His parents were also rewarded for their faith in him: they now have an impressive net worth.
In 2000, Jeff Bezos founded a private aerospace company called Blue Origin. In simple terms, it’s a commercial space tourism company. Overall, its main goal is to create a future where millions of people live and work in space. But that’s not everything. In 2013, Jeff Bezos also purchased The Washington Post.
In my opinion, Bezos’ unwavering self-confidence, farsightedness, the courage to take risks, and outstanding intellectual abilities helped him reach great heights in business.
Vocabulary
risk taker [rɪsk ˈteɪkər] – любитель риска, рисковый человек
visionary [ˈvɪʒəneri] – дальновидный, не боящийся идти за мечтой, прогрессивно мыслящий
steady job [ˈstedi dʒɑːb] – постоянная работа
courageous [kəˈreɪdʒəs] – смелый, храбрый, отважный
adopt [əˈdɑːpt] – усыновлять, удочерять
resilience [rɪˈzɪliəns] – выносливость, стойкость
persistence [pərˈsɪstəns] – настойчивость, упорство
self-reliance [ˌself rɪˈlaɪəns] – уверенность в своих силах
teamwork [ˈtiːmwɜːrk] – командная работа
collaborate [kəˈlæbəreɪt] – сотрудничать
think outside the box [θɪŋkˌaʊtˈsaɪd ði bɑːks] – мыслить нестандартно
feel it in one’s bones [fiːl ɪt ɪn wʌnz bəʊnz] – чувствовать всем сердцем, быть совершенно уверенным в чем-либо, не испытывать никаких сомнений
customer-focused [ˈkʌstəmər ˈfəʊkəst] – ориентированный на нужды клиента
farsightedness [ˌfɑːr ˈsaɪtɪdnəs] – дальновидность
Exercises
1) Who is Jeff Bezos?
2) Who helped little Jeff grow as a person?
3) What were Jeff’s interests as a kid?
4) At what age did Bezos start his first business?
5) What is his educational background?
6) Where did Jeff Bezos start his career?
7) Why did Bezos decide to quit his stable job?
8) Who helped Jeff Bezos at the very beginning?
9) What is Amazon named after?
10) How would you characterize Amazon’s market power?
успех приходит к тем, кто не боится рисковать; их любовь была скоротечной; его матери еще не было восемнадцати, когда на свет появился Джефф; он воспитал его как родного сына; он не понаслышке, а на собственном опыте знал, как преуспеть в жизни; если есть проблема – есть решение; он начал рано проявлять интерес к технологиям и предпринимательству; его знали как человека с нестандартным мышлением и исключительными способностями решать проблемы
he was the one who instilled in Jeff the value of hard work, persistence, and resilience; he was a real problem-solver; he was an avid reader; he has always worked for making this world a better place; he graduated from Princeton University with honors; made a life-changing decision; he was passionate about his new idea; as you name a boat, so shall it float
Creative task No. 5
“Never spend your money before you have it.” Discuss what this proverb means. State your opinion on the topic.
Henry Ford
Henry Ford, the greatest businessman of all time and founder of Ford Motor Company once said: “When it seems like the whole world is against you, remember that the plane takes off against the wind.” What do you think he meant? In my opinion, this quote has a deep meaning and emphasizes the importance of persistence and self-confidence. Even when things seem impossible and you feel like quitting, never give up. Keep going. If everything goes wrong, it is easy to feel defeated or devastated. Keep in mind that reaching heights comes with obstacles and challenges. Henry Ford’s life is an inspiring success story proving that nothing is impossible for those who have clear-cut goals and boundless confidence in their abilities.
Henry Ford was born on July 30, 1863, on a farm in Springwells Township, Michigan. His father, William Ford, was a farmer, and his mother, Mary Ford, was a housewife who had a strong love for her children. Henry was the oldest of his five siblings: John, Margaret, Jane, William, and Robert. The boy had a complicated relationship with his father, who hoped that his son would follow in his footsteps and take over the family farm business. However, the boy was not interested in farming and had different life plans. Instead, he developed an early interest in machinery. Henry was very attached to his mother. Sadly, she passed away early when he was just a little kid. Henry was greatly affected by the loss and promised himself to live his life the way his mother would have wanted. Later, in one of his letters, he mentioned: “I never had any particular love for the farm – it was the mother on the farm I loved.”
Curiously, Henry Ford, one of the most influential entrepreneurs in history, had only an eighth-grade education. He didn’t like school and even found it tiresome. His passion for engineering stemmed from the two major childhood events: seeing a locomobile and receiving a watch as a gift. Those were life-changing events. The boy was dumbfounded when he saw a self-propelled vehicle, not pulled by a horse. He couldn’t believe his eyes, and his mind was deeply occupied with the wonder machine. The second event occurred during his early teens: his father gave him a watch. And guess what? Instead of wearing it as an accessory, he would dismantle and reassemble it again and again. He soon taught himself the craft of repairing watches and started making some money.
Henry dropped out of school when he was 15. Notably, he was basically self-taught, but it did not bother him at all. Obviously, Henry had already had a clear goal by then: to become an engineer. One thing is for sure, it was his drive for knowledge and innovation that helped him reach his cherished goal in the future. His lack of a college degree did not stop him from becoming one of the most successful business tycoons in the world.
At the age of 16, Ford left his home and moved to Detroit to look for work. Over the next few years, he had a variety of jobs, including a pocket watch repairman, an apprentice machinist, and a steam engine serviceman. However, in 1882, he returned to his hometown to work on the family farm. He also took on occasional jobs servicing and repairing steam engines. The year of 1885 was eventful for Henry Ford: he met his future wife, Clara Bryant, at a dance on New Year’s Eve. As it turned out, that beautiful young girl had grown up on a nearby farm. It was love at first sight, indeed. Henry told his sister that he knew in thirty seconds that Clara was the girl of his dreams. They married in 1888, and a few years later they had a son named Edsel. As a gift, Henry’s father gave the newlyweds 40 acres of land. So, Henry built a small cottage, and his wife created a cozy nest for their family. Clara always supported her husband in any of his endeavors. As they say, there is a woman behind every successful man. She was the one who was always there for him and believed in him unconditionally. He once said: “The greatest day of my life was the day I married Mrs. Ford.”