Carlos Helu Slim Success Story: From The Other Side To The Top Of The World

Carlos Helu Slim’s success story is worth writing about simply because of the fact that he has not only dominated the Forbes Lists of the Richest Men in the world, but also because he is the first man from a developing country to do so. With a current net worth of $73 billion, he is a comfortable fixture in the Billionaire listings.

The pressure to start out in business started early for Carlos Slim when his father died when he was 12. He therefore started working in the family company way before he even went to study engineering. He later dabbled in stocks as a stockbroker, and his success in this field earned him his first millions. In fact, he was so successful that by the time he clocked 26, he was worth over $40 million.

His life having been a success story thus far, Carlos Helu Slim used the money he had earned to acquire businesses back in the 1980s when the Mexican economy was crumbling. He bought into tobacco companies, oil companies and most of the American divisions that had a presence in Mexico.

His timely investments over time paid off. But he did not stop there. Ever a firm believer in complete domination of any industry, he started either buying out competitors in the industries in which he had invested in, or simply drove them out by undercutting them. He also bought controlling interests in many companies, both in Mexico and overseas, with the usual cycle being that he bought a controlling stake in a company, reduced the overhead and waste and then later decided either to hold onto his interest or simply sell it off at a huge profit.

The repeated cycle of buying into businesses and driving off competitors eventually led to monopolies that have since fueled his rise to belonging to the world’s most elite economic class: the class of billionaires. His is a success story that is not just limited to one, but several industries which include investments in mining, construction, printing, food and retail industry.

Although a billionaire many times over, Carlos Helu Slim lives a frugal life. This billionaire who is the largest private employer in Mexico lives in a modest 6 bed-roomed house that is less than a mile from his office.

Carlos Slim Helu Quotes

"Work well done is not only a responsibility to yourselves and society; it is also an emotional need."

"Our concept is more to accomplish and solve things, rather than giving, that is, not going around like Santa Claus. Poverty isn't solved with donations."

“When we decide to do something, we do it quickly."

“When there is a crisis, that’s when some are interested in getting out and that’s when we are interested in getting in.”

“When you live for others’ opinions, you are dead. I don’t want to live thinking about how I’ll be remembered.”