To Be Born Poor Doesn’t Mean You’ll Always Be Poor

Andrew Carnegie was born in Scotland to a poor family, and his education ended after just a few years when his family came to the United States. He was poor, but very ambitious.

How He Got Started

The very short version of his success is that he looked for opportunity and took it at every level of his life. He moved up quickly in the railroadstarting as a telegraph operator and when he was 24 he became the Superintendent of the Pittsburg Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad. He made his first significant money through investment while he was in this position. But there is only the begginning.

How he got Rich

His fame comes his steel business. How he got into it and he made it grow. He became the riches man in the world for his time. He then became equally famous for his charitable donations and philanthropy.

The Book

I suggest you might read Andrew Carnegie by David Nasaw, to see to be born poor doesn’t mean you’ll always be poor. This book is very inspirational.  There are no “how to” stuff, it is a good biography of a real entrepreneur.  I plan to make some other recommendations of other books. Books that might help you right now, but his biography is a lesson in starting from nothing to be the Bill gates of his time (net worth wise). Please add your own book recommendations if you want and tell why you recommend it.