Good Bad Billionaire Masayoshi Son: High-tech gambler
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May 19, 2025 Dive into the fascinating life of Masayoshi Son, a high-tech gambler who rose from poverty to build SoftBank, showcasing his bold investment strategies and remarkable comebacks. Discover how he overcame significant health challenges and once lost 96% of his fortune yet remained a billionaire through high-stakes bets on tech giants like Alibaba. From an ambitious teenager crashing corporate headquarters to a visionary navigating the tumultuous tech landscape, his story is a blend of triumph and tenacity.
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Persistence Wins Early Mentor
- Masayoshi Son persistently pursued a meeting with Den Fujita, the man who brought McDonald's to Japan, by repeatedly calling and finally flying to Tokyo.
- This persistence led Fujita to advise him to focus on the future industry of computers, shaping Son's career path.
Early Tech Success in College
- Son developed a prototype talking word translator with university professors while still an undergraduate and sold the patent for $423,000.
- This early success showed his entrepreneurial skill despite not knowing electronics himself.
Overcoming a Deadly Diagnosis
- Diagnosed with hepatitis B and given two to five years to live, Son had to step down as CEO temporarily.
- He found an experimental treatment and made a full recovery in two years, saving both his life and business.
