Generation Y finally decided to take matters into their own hands after the 2008 Economic Crash and that’s how the new startup era begun. A positive point about the new generation’s approach to business is that they took into consideration the mistakes their parents made which led to the big recession. They took the harsh experiences from the past, added their enthusiasm and energy, and converted all that into hundreds of successful startup companies. Listening to more experienced businessmen and constantly searching for positive influences made the Millennials one of the most successful generations in American history when it comes to business. Here are some of the most influential business people from last few decades. Business success stories can serve as inspiration for those looking to follow in these guys footsteps.

Steve Jobs

Although Steve Jobs usually advised his followers to “…find what you love…” and that “…great work is to love what you do…” he didn’t actually follow his own advice and spent his entire life trapped in a business he hated, and of course, we all would like to know what it’s like to be in that “golden cage”. New age hipsters who live in self-sufficient agricultural communes, walk barefoot and preach Eastern Mysticism are definitely not the right material for a geeky business person with a briefcase in one hand and an iPod in the other… Or are they? It is important to focus all your skills and talent on a project you feel right about and after the first million you are definitely going to love what you do.

Marissa Mayer

Marissa Mayer was one of the first Google engineers and isconsidered by many to be the most influential woman in the tech world. Marissa later became the CEO of Yahoo and during this time, this 37-year-old businesswoman learned that when there is no bad feeling telling you that you are not ready for something it means you have chosen the wrong path. It’s there to make you work harder and push through, because for every opportunity there’s a happy ending, and if you work hard enough, something great is just around the corner.

Sergey Brin

Sergey is one of the founders of Google, and currently one of the richest entrepreneurs on the planet. But a few decades ago he was just an average Joe…or was he? He was sending a gif photo together with his CV back in the mid 90’s when there were no online .gif makers. When he takes a break from building conscious machines he likes to share his experiences with younger entrepreneurs. This renaissance man believes that knowledge has been the key to his success, and that it is always good to know more, which is why Google’s mission statement is: “Organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.”

Mo Ibrahim

Mo Ibrahim is one of the most successful businessmen in Africa and a subscriber to The Giving Pledge, which means he has pledged to give at least half of his wealth to charity after his death. He also has a foundation that awards The Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership to leaders who have provided healthcare, education and economic development to their people. But how did Mo Ibrahim become so financially successful? After completing his education, he worked for British Telecom, and served as the technical director for Cellnet, BT’s subsidiary. He then founded MSI, a successful company that dealt in consulting and software and was which was later bought by Marconi. MSI’s spin-off, Celtel, later became the biggest mobile operator in Africa. For Ibrahim, the most important characteristic of a successful entrepreneur is a belief in oneself and a can-do-spirit, which drives one to try something nobody has tried before. With this perspective, thousands of people all around the world have made millions and achieved the best results in their industries.

Arianna Huffington

Huffington Post is one of the most popular blog and news aggregators. It was purchased by AOL for $315 million and Huffington is still its President and Editor-In-Chief. Before founding this successful media channel with Kenneth Lerer, Andrew Breitbat and Jonah Peretti, she was a prize-winning writer, columnist and political commentator. Huffington thinks that failure is just another step towards success, and that only those willing to fail, learn and adapt are the ones who will succeed.

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