24 Inconceivable Facts about Jeff Bezos

Jeffery Preston Bezos, commonly known as Jeff Bezos, is the founder, president, and CEO of Amazon, the world’s leading and most progressive ecommerce company. Bezos always had high aspirations for himself and the world from a very early age. He graduated from Preston University in 1986 with a degree in electrical engineering and computer science, and then moved onto a career on Wall Street. In 1994, he founded Amazon and Blue Origin in 2000, an aerospace manufacturing and sub-orbital space flight company. While his biography is impressive, it is also mostly common knowledge. However, here are some interesting facts about Jeff Bezos you may not know.

1. Jeff Bezos was considered a genius since childhood

It may come as no surprise that Bezos was a bright child but early demonstrations of his innovation and intelligence are truly impressive. When he was only three years old, he disassembled his own crib with a screwdriver! The toddler is claimed to have done so because he wanted to sleep in a “real” bed. (Geek Wire)

2. His father had no idea of his son’s success

One of the most unbelievable facts about Jeff Bezos is that Jeff’s biological father had no idea of his son’s accomplishments until 2013. Jeff’s bio- father was an absent figure in his life from the tender age of only three years old. He apparently had no idea that Jeff is one of the richest and most accomplished persons of the modern world until journalist and author Brad Stone reportedly informed him of his son’s success in an interview. (The Atlantic)

3. He is no longer the richest person in the world.

As of January 2021, Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, surpassed Bezos as the richest person on earth. Due to an increase in Tesla shares, Musk reported net worth is currently $185 billion. Jeff is a close second runner up with a current net worth of $184 billion. (BBC)

4. Jeff is richer than the British Monarchy

This is probably one of the most astonishing facts about Jeff Bezos’ wealth. The mega successful entrepreneur is richer than the British royal family, which has a reported collective net worth of $88 billion according to Forbes. This makes Jeff Bezos nearly $100 billion richer than the entire British royal family combined! (MSN)

5. He owns the Washington Post

In addition to being the CEO of Amazon, Jeff also owns daily newspaper The Washington Post. He reportedly bought the popular newspaper for $250 million in 2013. Since acquiring the newspaper, Jeff has improved the reading experience through enhancing digital accessibility. (The Washington Post)

6. Jeff Bezos was adopted by an immigrant dad

One of the most heartwarming facts about Jeff Bezos is that he was lovingly adopted by his stepfather. Jeff was born January 12, 1964 to a teenage mother. His biological father left the family when Jeff was only three years old. His mother later remarried Mike Bezos, an immigrant from Cuba, who adopted Jeff. Mike arrived in the U.S. in 1962, wearing a hand-stitched jacket from his mother, and couldn’t speak English. Reflecting about his father, Bezos tweeted in 2019:

“When he came here from Cuba at 16, not only was he all alone, but he only spoke Spanish. His grit, determination, and optimism are inspiring,” (NPR)

7. Makes more in one second than most Americans make in a week

Jeff Bezos makes $2,489 per second. The average United States worker making a median wage will earn roughly $875 per week. Meaning Jeff is raking in more than double a weeks’ worth of wages for the average American in just one second! (Business Insider)

8. Amazon was initially an online bookstore

Amazon, named after the longest river on earth, came from humble beginnings. When Bezos founded the company in 1995, it was simply an online bookstore. In the early days of Amazon as Brad Stone depicts in his book, a bell would ring every time a book was sold, and the team would even gather around to see if anyone knew the customer. It was not long before the bell was shut off due to an exceptional number of sales. (LA Times)

9. Reads and replies to customer emails

One of the more humbling facts about Jeff Bezos is that even though he is the Founder and CEO of one of the world’s largest, wealthiest companies, he still takes the time to read customer emails. The Amazon CEO takes emails directly from customers. If there is a problem that is particularly pressing, Bezos forwards the email to the appropriate amazon department, with a question mark as its title, meaning the issue must be resolved immediately!

“I still have an email address customers can write to. I see most of those emails. I see them and I forward them to the executives in charge of the area with a question mark. It’s shorthand [for], ‘Can you look into this?’ ‘Why is this happening?’” Bezos explained during an interview at the George Bush Presidential Center. (Bush Center)

10. He had a different name at birth

The billionaire well-known to the world as Jeff Bezos was actually given a different name at birth. He was born Jeffery Preston Jorgenson in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1964. His mother, Jackie, later married Mike Bezos who adopted Jeff and gave him his current name. (CNBC)

11. Amazon was Bezos’ third choice

One of the most entertaining facts about Jeff Bezos is his journey to naming his company. Initially, Jeff had chosen the name “Cadabra” but after advice from his lawyer stating it sounded very similar to “Cadaver”, he reconsidered the decision. Jeff’s was also fond of the name “Relentless” for his company but eventually settled on Amazon. This was revealed in the book The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon by Brad Stone. (The Everything Store)

12. He is a father of four

The Amazon CEO is also a family man. Bezos and his ex-wife Mackenzie Scott have three sons and an adopted daughter from China. Despite his prevalent influence in the world, with technology and space in particular, his eldest son was the last in his class to receive a smartphone. Bezos is a busy businessman and a dedicated father as well. (The Daily Mail)

13. His family is one of the largest landowners in Texas

His mother’s family owns several thousand acres of land in Texas, including a 25,000 acre ranch in Cotulla, Texas. Bezos spent his summers with his grandfather on this very ranch as a child. (Wall Street Journal)

14. Worked at McDonalds in Florida

It is impossible to speak about Bezos’ success without a reference to his beginnings. One of the most jaw-dropping facts about Jeff Bezos is he worked as a fry cook at renowned American fast-food chain, McDonalds, at one of their Miami locations. He was only a teenager at the time but was still the innovator the world has come to know today, having created an alarm system that would tell him the exact right time to scramble the eggs, flip burgers, etc. (Business Insider)

15.He takes home a modest salary

One of the most impressive facts about Jeff Bezos is his not so impressive salary. Despite his net worth of $184 billion he takes home a moderate salary from the mega company he founded. Jeff takes home an annual salary of just under $82,000. This may seem like a substantial income to most, but to put it in perspective, most doctors and US representatives receive annual salaries that are nearly double the amount. (CNN)

16. After a 25% loss, still one of the richest men in the world

In 2019 Jeff Bezos and then wife Mackenzie divorced. Mackenzie received 25% of Amazon’s stocks, making her the fifth richest woman on earth and Jeff, still, the richest person on earth at the time. (Forbes)

17. Richer than some countries

One of the most impressive facts about Jeff Bezos is the actual extent of unimaginable wealth. At a net worth of $184 billion, Jeff Bezos is richer than some entire countries, including Ukraine, whose Gross Domestic Product equates to roughly $130 billion. (NPR)

18. Wrote his business plan for Amazon in the car

In 1994 Bezos traveled from Texas to Seattle, Washington, to set up his office for Amazon in the Emerald City. His then wife Mackenzie Bezos drove their 1988 Chevy Blazer as Jeff wrote his business plan for Amazon on his laptop. (Reference For Business)

Jeff Bezos facts — *Bezos at the launch of the Amazon Fire Phone. Source:* *Creative Commons*

19. Supports same sex marriage in Washington state

One of the most interesting facts about Jeff Bezos is the strong public stance he took on the social issue of same sex marriage in Washington State. In 2012, an employee confronted the Bezos asking for a $100,000 donation towards the same sex marriage cause in Washington State. The couple in turn donated $2.5 million making them one of the largest supporters of same sex marriages in the state. (The Guardian)

20. Has a strange workplace policy

Even though, on most days, Bezos is the richest man in the world, he is not above hard work, and sets a great example for CEOs everywhere with this unique policy. The CEO requires every Amazon employee to spend two days at the customer service desk every two years. No one is an exception including Jeff Bezos himself! (Business Insider)

21. The magnitude of his wealth is inconceivable

Earlier, it was mentioned that Jeff Bezos makes $2,489 per second. To put this into perspective, when he spends $1.2 million, it is equivalent to the average American spending $1. Also, in comparison to the 10^th richest man in the world, Larry Page of Google, Jeff Bezos is twice richer.

If you thought these facts about Jeff Bezos wealth are insane, wait till you hear the next one. In the United States, the average monthly rent is $1,405 as of 2018. Given that Jeff Bezos makes $2,489 per second, he could actually pay his monthly rent in less than a second if he lived by the average American standards.

To better understand just how rich Jeff Bezos is, he will need just 7.69 minutes to buy ten Teslas, which cost $115,000 each. He could also buy one of the most expensive electric cars, the 2020 Aston Martin Rapid E, which costs $255,000, in roughly two minutes of his earnings. (Business Insider)

22. He has a $70 million property in Medina

Jeff owns a 29,000-square-foot-estate in Medina, Washington. The property is believed to be worth $70 million, and he pays approximately $234,000 in property taxes every year. (Cheat Sheet)

23. Bill Gates is his neighbor

Medina is home to some of the richest people on the planet, with names like Bill Gates, Nordstrom and Jeff Bezos all residing there. The city has around 3,000 people, and can be accessed via the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge, the world’s longest floating bridge. (Business Insider)

24. Had a cameo role in Star Trek Beyond

Bezos actually appeared in the 2016 movie dressed up as an alien. He is a self-confessed Star Trek fan and wishes to travel to space someday. (Hollywood Reporter)

From innovator, to entrepreneur, to activist, Jeff Bezos is truly a man who will be remembered not only for his astonishing wealth. His innovation, vision, and humanitarian efforts are unsurpassed and uniquely authentic. Jeff, along with his ex-wife, Mackenzie, have supported many noble social justice and environmental causes. Jeff continues to be a pioneer not only in business, but in creative climate preservation efforts to include space inhabitation! Jeff Bezos is a remarkable human who continuously creates and inspires many to do the same.

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One thought on “24 Inconceivable Facts about Jeff Bezos”

lynnfay73 says:
January 11, 2021 at 12:04 am
I don’t know if this is all true, but I know he’s a communist asshole who has no appreciation for the freedom he had to get where he is. And I’m going to get rid of Amazon if I can possibly do it.