What drives someone to become one of the world’s most influential entrepreneurs? How does childhood experience shape a future innovator’s mindset?
As revealed in Segun Thompson’s biography, Elon Musk’s background is a fascinating journey from his early days in apartheid South Africa to his emergence as a global tech leader. His unique upbringing, family influences, and early entrepreneurial ventures laid the groundwork for his revolutionary companies.
Read on to explore the pivotal moments and experiences that transformed a computer-loving kid into the visionary behind Tesla, SpaceX, and more.
Image credit: The Henry Ford, Dearborn, Michigan, US; Photographer: Michelle Andonian (License)
Elon Musk’s Background
Thompson explores Elon Musk’s background and his first ventures into the entrepreneurial world. He highlights how these experiences molded Musk’s perspective, fueled his ambition, and paved the way for his future success.
Growing Up in Apartheid South Africa
Thompson emphasizes how the contrasting environment of Musk’s childhood during South Africa’s apartheid era was vital in molding his character. Although raised in a white, privileged family, Musk was keenly conscious of the severe social inequities of the apartheid system.
Thompson explains how this awareness, coupled with his family background, instilled in him a sense of individuality and a desire to challenge the status quo. Musk’s mother Maye—a successful model and dietitian—instilled in him the values of hard work and perseverance. His father Errol—an engineer—exposed Musk to the world of technology and mechanics, sparking his fascination with these fields at a young age.
Musk’s Initial Achievements
Thompson details Musk’s early interest in computers and programming. At age 12, he created and sold a computer game named “Blastar,” displaying his natural talent for entrepreneurship. His early encounters with technology, fueled by his passion for science fiction, ignited his belief in technology’s power to address global challenges—a belief that would later drive his ventures in electric vehicles, space exploration, and beyond.
Shortform Notes
- Musk was born in Pretoria, South Africa, where he spent his early years. His interest in technology was partly influenced by his upbringing in a country undergoing significant technological and political changes.
- Musk sold “Blastar” for approximately $500 to a computer magazine, which was a considerable sum for a young teenager at the time, indicating his early business acumen.
- Science fiction often explores futuristic technologies and societies, inspiring real-world technological advancements by presenting imaginative solutions to complex problems.
Musk’s Move to the US and Canada
Thompson contends that Elon’s choice to leave his homeland at 17, first for Canada and then the United States, was a major turning point for him. This relocation, motivated by his longing for greater opportunities and a rejection of apartheid, was the start of his journey to becoming a global entrepreneurial icon.
Musk’s pursuit of dual degrees in economics and physics at the University of Pennsylvania provided a robust foundation for his future endeavors. While economics gave him business insight, physics enabled him to delve into the foundational principles underpinning technology, shaping his interest in energy and its potential for transforming the world.
A Knack for Trend-Spotting and Capitalizing
Thompson notes that, even when Musk was in college, his drive for entrepreneurship was evident. He helped establish Zip2, a business that supplied newspapers with online urban guides, recognizing the internet’s potential before many traditional media companies. This venture—although challenging—was a success, illustrating Musk’s ability to spot emerging trends and capitalize on them. Selling Zip2 for almost $300 million gave him the funds and confidence to pursue projects that were even more ambitious.
(Shortform note: Zip2’s services allowed local businesses to reach a wider audience by being featured in these online guides, which was a novel concept at the time.)
Exercise
- Challenge your daily norms by altering one routine each week. Start with something small, such as taking a different route to work or changing your morning routine. This can help you become more adaptable and open to larger changes in your life.
- Create a ‘Tinker Box’ filled with old electronics, mechanical toys, or household items that you can disassemble and reassemble. This hands-on approach allows you to explore the inner workings of everyday objects, giving you a practical understanding of how things are built and function. It’s a way to engage with technology and mechanics without needing formal education in the field.
- Apply cross-disciplinary thinking to everyday problems. When faced with a decision or challenge, consciously draw from knowledge in multiple fields to inform your approach. If you’re planning a home renovation, for example, use economic principles to budget effectively and physics to understand the structural implications of your design choices.
- Implement a ‘test and learn’ approach in your business by conducting small-scale experiments based on economic theories. For instance, if you have a product, you could experiment with different pricing levels to find the optimal price point that maximizes profit without deterring customers. Track and analyze the results to make data-driven decisions that could improve your business performance.
- Create a “Tech-Physics” discussion group with friends or colleagues to explore how physics principles apply to current technologies. Each member could bring a piece of technology, such as a smartphone, a drone, or a solar panel, and discuss the physics principles that make it work. This social learning environment can make the abstract concepts of physics more tangible and directly connected to the technology you use.
- Engage with local energy initiatives by volunteering with a community group focused on renewable energy projects. Look for groups that install solar panels for low-income households or that work on community gardens with sustainable practices. This will connect you with the practical applications of energy transformation and its impact on communities.
