Three People Who Became Successful After 40

Finding success in today’s demanding market is no small undertaking. With all of the pressures and the competitiveness of the market, it should come as no surprise that there are many people who feel down on their luck and discouraged when they try to make it on their own. One of the biggest problems that people today tend to face when it comes to finding success is that they think there is a time stamp on the prospect and that if you don’t find success “young” or by a certain age, then you never will. This is completely false, and maintaining this mindset will only set you back. With this is mind, it is important to look at some great role models of success in today’s market and take a peek at individuals who have proven there is no age limit on when you can get your big break.

These are not only three of the most successful individuals and established entrepreneurs in history, these are also three highly successful individuals who found success after the age of 40. Take a look at their stories for a little extra inspiration on finding your own success and a reminder that success can be found by any one, at any age, if you are willing to believe and put in the work.

Henry Ford – Ford Motor Company

Today, the name Ford is one of the most recognized brands in the world. Ford Motor Company is not only one of the biggest car manufacturers in America, but in the world. This car company was the brainchild of Henry Ford, but he established the brand much later in life than many people may assume. Ford is typically credited with creating the first car, and obviously, his invention took off and trained the entire world. Ford created his first real automobile, the Model A in 1903 when Ford was 40 years old. This was also the year that he reincorporated his company as the Ford Motor Company.

By 1914 although automobiles were increasingly popular, Ford owned 48% of the market share of the automobile industry. While Ford passed away in 1947, his estate is estimated to be worth nearly $200 billion today.

Sam Walton – Wal-Mart

Today, there are very few companies that are as big or as well-known as Wal-Mart. The massive chain store was started by Sam Walton in Arkansas in 1962. While Walton had managed and operated several stores before, this was the first Wal-Mart, then known as Wal-Mart Discount City.  This first store opened when Walton was 44 years old. By 1977, the company had grew into 190 stores and by 1985 it had expanded to 800 stores, which was Walton’s original goal when deciding to franchise his business. When Sam Walton passed he left control of the company to his family, with his second born son John Walton taking over as director until he passed in 2005.

Although Walton began his career later in life and began with just one local neighborhood store, his ambition and work ethic proved it doesn’t matter when you start your business, how old you are or what experience you have behind you, if you have the vision and the work ethic you can make the unexpected happen.

Ray Kroc – McDonald’s

McDonald’s may arguably be the most popular and most recognized business in our modern world today, and it all began with a man by the name of Ray Kroc. Although Kroc would go on to start one of the biggest businesses in the world, his original McDonald’s location was actually the brain child of one of his former customers. The McDonald’s brothers had a San Bernardino store and Kroc saw the potential to take the restaurant across the country. The brothers were looking for a franchising agent, hired Kroc and he opened the first store under McDonald’s Inc. in Des Plaines, Illinois, where he lived for the rest of his life. He opened this first establishment under the McDonald’s name (which is now a store and a museum for the company) in 1955, when he was 53 years old.

In 1961, at the age of 59, Kroc bought out the McDonald’s brothers for $2.7 million because they were not interested enough in expanding the company in the way Kroc did. The rest is all history, and from there McDonald’s spread around the country and around the world becoming one of the biggest companies on the planet.