5 international entrepreneurs and their business

By , he owned Carnegie Steel Corporation, the largest of its kind in the world. In he sold his business and dedicated his time to expanding his philanthropic work, including the establishment of Carnegie-Mellon University in Although he had little formal education, Carnegie grew up in a family that believed in the importance of books and learning.

The son of a handloom weaver, Carnegie grew up to become one of the wealthiest businessmen in America. At the age of 13, in , Carnegie came to the United States with his family. The next year he found a job as a telegraph messenger. Hoping to advance his career, he moved up to a telegraph operator position in He then took a job at the Pennsylvania Railroad in He worked as the assistant and telegrapher to Thomas Scott, one of the railroad's top officials.

Through this experience, he learned about the railroad industry and about business in general. Three years later, Carnegie was promoted to superintendent.

Top 100 entrepreneurs in the world

While working for the railroad, Carnegie began making investments. He made many wise choices and found that his investments, especially those in oil, brought in substantial returns. He left the railroad in to focus on his other business interests, including the Keystone Bridge Company. By the next decade, most of Carnegie's time was dedicated to the steel industry.

His business, which became known as the Carnegie Steel Company, revolutionized steel production in the United States.