#FACT: Jeff Bezos planned to name Amazon "Cadabra" but changed his mind as people kept mispronouncing it as "cadaver."
When it comes to entrepreneurship, Jeff Bezos is undoubtedly the first person that comes to mind.
After all, Bezos started Amazon, one of the world's largest online merchants, when most people were unaware of the Internet's existence.
He is also well-known as one of the world's wealthiest individuals.
Aside from these well-known facts, there are other fascinating aspects of his life that few people are aware of.
So, here are 34 facts about Jeff Bezos to share with your business buddies.
After all, Bezos started Amazon, one of the world's largest online merchants, when most people were unaware of the Internet's existence.
He is also well-known as one of the world's wealthiest individuals.
Aside from these well-known facts, there are other fascinating aspects of his life that few people are aware of.
So, here are 34 facts about Jeff Bezos to share with your business buddies.
2. He has a characteristic chuckle. Some argue that his chuckle has become more wicked as he has gotten affluent.
3. Amazon spends $1.6 million annually on Jeff Bezos' security. Additionally, $180,000 worth of bulletproof panels were installed inside his Seattle office.
4. Jeff Bezos' personal fortune exceeds the GDP of various countries.
6. Jeff Bezos is well-known for his experimental palette. He ate an octopus with Woot's creator to demonstrate his willingness to try new foods, and in 2018, he tried iguana had the Explorer's Club Annual Dinner, for which he earned an award.
7. He has banned Microsoft PowerPoint from executive meetings at Amazon, instead requiring a six-page letter to be read and debated. He feels that this encourages straightforward thinking and is one of the finest judgments made by Amazon.
8. On the 5th of July in the year 2021, Jeff Bezos made the decision to step down from his role as the Chief Executive Officer of the multinational technology company Amazon in order to shift his focus towards the management and development of his various other business ventures. This strategic move was intended to allow Bezos to dedicate more time and attention to the growth and innovation of his other enterprises, marking a significant transition in his professional career. In the wake of this announcement, Andy Jassy, an accomplished entrepreneur who notably established Amazon Web Services (AWS) back in the year 2003, was selected and officially appointed to assume the esteemed position of the new Chief Executive Officer of Amazon, stepping into the leadership role with a wealth of experience and expertise in the tech industry.
9. Following his departure from the role of Amazon's CEO, Jeff Bezos embarked on an extraordinary journey to fulfill a cherished aspiration from his youth, venturing into outer space on the 20th of July in the year 2021. Accompanied by a select group of fellow passengers, Bezos boarded a Blue Origin rocket for a momentous 10-minute spaceflight experience that encompassed a range of awe-inspiring activities, including a spellbinding three-minute period of weightlessness that allowed the passengers to float freely in the vast expanse of space. Expressing his profound motivation for the space voyage, Bezos articulated his desire to showcase the reliability and safety of the rocket technology, underscoring its potential significance in shaping the landscape of future space tourism endeavors and paving the way for groundbreaking advancements in the realm of space exploration.
10. During his spellbinding sojourn in outer space, Jeff Bezos engaged in a playful and lighthearted activity with his fellow passengers, involving the tossing and consumption of colorful Skittles candies to create a whimsical and memorable moment amidst the backdrop of the cosmos.
11. A noteworthy detail about Jeff Bezos is his height, which measures at 5 feet and 7 inches (equivalent to 152 centimeters) tall, positioning him as slightly below the average height of the typical male in the United States by a diminutive margin of 2 inches (5 centimeters), a distinctive physical characteristic that adds a layer of uniqueness to his persona.
12. Jeff Bezos, the renowned entrepreneur and founder of Amazon, is currently 60 years of age, with his birthdate falling on January 12, 1964, thereby aligning his zodiac sign with Capricorn, a sign known for its traits of intelligence, discipline, and natural leadership abilities.
13. At the tender age of 16, Jeff Bezos was born to Jacklyn Gise, who was merely 16 years old herself at the time, while his father, Ted Jorgensen, was 18. Following a brief union, Jeff's parents parted ways after just seventeen months of marriage, subsequently leading Jeff to adopt his mother's second husband's surname, Bezos.
14. Having commenced his professional journey at the age of 16 with a summer job at McDonald's, Jeff Bezos attributes this experience to instilling in him a sense of responsibility and adeptness at handling tasks under pressure, thereby sparking his interest in service automation, customer relations, and effective employee management practices.
15. Subsequently enrolling at Princeton University with an initial focus on physics, Jeff Bezos later transitioned his studies to encompass electrical engineering and computer science, culminating in his graduation with the highest honors in 1986.
16. Throughout his twenties, Jeff Bezos navigated a prosperous career trajectory, commencing as a debugger at Fitel and steadily progressing to assume roles of increasing responsibility, such as head of development and director of customer service, ultimately culminating in his tenure as vice president at D.E Shaw, which preceded the founding of Amazon.
17. The inception of Amazon in 1994 marked a significant milestone for Jeff Bezos, as he and his former spouse, Mackenzie Scott, collaborated to establish the e-commerce giant, with Mackenzie receiving a substantial 25% share of their Amazon holdings valued at $35.6 billion as part of their divorce settlement in 2019.
18. Initially contemplating naming his brainchild "Cadabra," Jeff Bezos eventually pivoted from this choice due to misinterpretations of the name, which sounded eerily close to "cadaver."
19. Among Jeff Bezos' array of business moniker considerations were "MakeItSo" and "Relentless," yet the final selection of "Amazon" prevailed due to its auspicious commencement with the letter "a," crucial for enhanced visibility, coupled with the symbolic association with the mighty river.
20. During Amazon's nascent stages, Jeff Bezos famously utilized a door as his makeshift desk, a testament to his frugal ethos aimed at cost-saving measures, with these door desks subsequently evolving into an emblem of austerity within the Amazon culture.
21. Noteworthy for his unwavering customer-centric approach, Jeff Bezos regards customer feedback as a valuable conduit for growth and enhancement, a guiding principle that resonates throughout Amazon's operational ethos.
22. Jeff Bezos possesses a publicly available email address through Amazon, and whenever he encounters intriguing customer complaints, he proceeds to forward them to Amazon executives while appending a single question mark to prompt their attention and action.
23. Earning his first million by the age of 33 and achieving billionaire status by 35, Jeff Bezos demonstrated remarkable success at a relatively young age, showcasing his exceptional entrepreneurial acumen and foresight.
24. Even though he amassed a fortune of $10 billion in 1999, Bezos notably continued to opt for driving a 1997 Honda Accord, illustrating his grounded and practical approach to personal wealth management and lifestyle choices.
25. Engaging in the seemingly mundane task of washing dishes each night, Bezos humorously refers to it as one of the most alluring activities he undertakes, aligning with the notion that numerous entrepreneurs find solace in such routine tasks, supported by research indicating their potential to alleviate stress and enhance creative thinking.
26. Establishing the space exploration venture known as Blue Origin on September 8, 2000, Bezos preceded both Elon Musk's SpaceX and Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic by two and four years, respectively, underscoring his deep commitment to pioneering advancements in space technology and exploration as a cornerstone of his professional legacy.
27. In a candid interview with Shah Rukh Khan in Mumbai, Jeff Bezos openly acknowledged his superstitious tendencies, revealing his practice of wearing lucky boots to ward off failure before each Blue Origin rocket launch, reflecting his belief in the power of rituals and symbols to influence outcomes.
28. Surviving a harrowing helicopter crash in 2003, Bezos and his fellow passengers narrowly escaped a tragic fate as adverse weather conditions led to the pilot losing control of the aircraft, fortunately resulting in no serious injuries or casualties among those on board.
29. During a notable encounter in 2004, Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk convened at a restaurant to engage in discussions related to space exploration, underscoring their shared passion for pushing the boundaries of scientific innovation and technological progress.
30. Harkening back to the year 2012, Jeff Bezos notably favored using a Blackberry phone, expressing his fondness for the device to such an extent that it served as a source of inspiration for the design of Amazon's groundbreaking Kindle e-reader, showcasing his ability to draw creativity from everyday experiences and tools.
31. In a health scare in 2014, Jeff Bezos had to be airlifted by helicopter from the Galapagos Islands following a severe kidney stone attack, subsequently being flown back to the United States via private jet for urgent medical treatment, a challenging episode that he light-heartedly addressed in an email to his spokesperson, humorously rating the Galapagos experience positively but giving the kidney stones a resounding zero-star review.
32. As an ardent fan of the iconic series Star Trek, Bezos paid homage to his admiration by naming his dog Kamala and his company Zefram after beloved characters from the franchise, showcasing the profound influence of Star Trek on his personal and professional endeavors, including the design of Amazon's innovative Echo smart speaker and the founding of Blue Origin as a testament to his enduring fascination with space exploration and technological advancement.
33. He had a cameo appearance in the 2016 film Star Trek Beyond as an alien.
34. On July 27, 2017, Jeff Bezos briefly eclipsed Bill Gates as the world's wealthiest person until Gates reclaimed his position. Bezos beat Gates again in 2018, and he held the position until Elon Musk took it in 2021.
34. On July 27, 2017, Jeff Bezos briefly eclipsed Bill Gates as the world's wealthiest person until Gates reclaimed his position. Bezos beat Gates again in 2018, and he held the position until Elon Musk took it in 2021.
Jeff Bezos may be criticized for being one of the world's wealthiest individuals, but there's more to him than that.
He has a talent for creating jokes after witnessing life-threatening situations and is not afraid to deviate from the usual.
The billionaire's humble origins serve as encouragement for individuals who want to start their own firm.
Budding entrepreneurs may also benefit from his business practices, which helped make Amazon what it is today.
Whether you admire him for his accomplishments or loathe him for his huge fortune, there is no denying that he has attained a level of prosperity that few people can achieve in several lives.
He has a talent for creating jokes after witnessing life-threatening situations and is not afraid to deviate from the usual.
The billionaire's humble origins serve as encouragement for individuals who want to start their own firm.
Budding entrepreneurs may also benefit from his business practices, which helped make Amazon what it is today.
Whether you admire him for his accomplishments or loathe him for his huge fortune, there is no denying that he has attained a level of prosperity that few people can achieve in several lives.
