Inside Jeff Bezos' dramatic transformation from high schooler to Amazon billionaire

From working on his grandfather’s ranch to working tirelessly at McDonald’s, Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos’ early life laid the groundwork for the billionaire he became

Jeff Bezos has become a household name. The 62-year-old is a billionaire who built Amazon into a global empire and launched Blue Origin into space.

But long before his rise to fame, he had humble beginnings as a boy growing up in Albuquerque. From an ambitious child to a business powerhouse and space entrepreneur, his journey is nothing short of extraordinary.

Meanwhile, in his personal life, Jeff recently made headlines after tying the knot with American philanthropist and former journalist Lauren Sánchez in the summer. His first wife was MacKenzie Scott, with whom he shares four children. Here at the Irish Star, we’ve decided to take a closer look at Jeff Bezos’ incredible life.

Early Life

Jeff Bezos was born Jeff Preston Jorgensen on January 12, 1964, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to his mother, Jacklyn, and father, Ted Jorgensen. His birth was the result of a teenage pregnancy, as Jacklyn was only 17 at the time, while his father was 19.

The couple divorced when Jeff was 17 months old. Jacklyn later married Mike Bezos, who adopted Jeff at age 4, and Jeff's last name was legally changed to Bezos.

Humble Beginnings

After his stepfather, Mike Bezos, graduated from the University of New Mexico, the family relocated to Houston, Texas, where he began working as an engineer for Exxon. Jeff attended River Oaks Elementary School from fourth through sixth grade.

A major influence during those years was his maternal grandfather, Lawrence Preston Gise, a regional director for the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission in Albuquerque. After retiring early, Lawrence moved to the family’s ranch near Cotulla, Texas - a place where Jeff would spend many of his summer holidays.

Speaking at Princeton in 2010, Bezos recalled those formative summers, saying: “I helped fix windmills, vaccinate cattle, and do other chores. We also watched soap operas every afternoon, especially Days of Our Lives.”

Princeton University

The family later moved again, this time to Miami, Florida, where Jeff Bezos attended Miami Palmetto High School. During his teenage years, he took a job at McDonald’s, working early-morning breakfast shifts as a short-order line cook. Reflecting on that experience years later, Bezos said: “That was a great job, by the way. I learned a lot. Be on time. You have to start at the bottom. I cleaned the bathrooms.”

In 1982, Bezos attended Princeton University. He initially enrolled as a physics major, then switched to electrical engineering and computer science.

Career

After graduating from Princeton University in 1986, Bezos wasted little time entering the fast-paced world of finance and technology. His first role was at fintech start-up Fitel.

Bezos later moved to Bankers Trust, quickly rising through the ranks before landing a lucrative position at the hedge fund D. E. Shaw & Co. in New York. By his early 30s, he had become one of the firm’s youngest vice presidents.

However, in 1994, Bezos made the bold decision to walk away from financial security to pursue a risky idea he believed in, an online bookstore. That leap of faith led him to found Amazon.

Looking back, Jeff Bezos often credits his early life experiences for shaping his work ethic and problem solving mindset. Whether cleaning bathrooms at McDonald’s or fixing windmills on a ranch, each chapter played a role in building the discipline and vision that defined his success.

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