His parents moved to Australia with just $90 to their name, raising their young family in a housing commission flat in Melbourne. It was there Ruslan Kogan honed his selling skills, making a buck selling golf balls and washing cars. He’s now worth about $300 million after creating online retailer Kogan.com.

His parents moved to Australia with just $90 to their name, raising their young family in a housing commission flat in Melbourne. It was there Ruslan Kogan honed his selling skills, making a buck selling golf balls and washing cars. He’s now worth about $300 million after creating online retailer Kogan.com.

Building wealth from the ground up: How I Made It is a fortnightly podcast featuring stories from inside the Australian Financial Review's Rich List.

Building wealth from the ground up: How I Made It is a fortnightly podcast featuring stories from inside the Australian Financial Review's Rich List.

How I Made It

Summer Series: From golf balls to 1c TVs - how Ruslan Kogan built a $300m empire from $0

Sam Kroonenburg built a company from his bedroom, with him and his brother Ryan both making about $500 million. But Sam, 40, is doing what he can to avoid the trappings of wealth.

Further reading:

Aussie who sold cloud start-up for $2b jumps on AI for ads

Young Rich Lister says more founders should take cash off the table

Sam Kroonenburg built a company from his bedroom, with him and his brother Ryan both making about $500 million. But Sam, 40, is doing what he can to avoid the trappings of wealth.
Further reading:
<a href="https://www.afr.com/technology/aussie-who-sold-cloud-start-up-for-2b-jumps-on-ai-for-ads-20240718-p5jurx">Aussie who sold cloud start-up for $2b jumps on AI for ads</a>
<a href="https://www.afr.com/technology/young-rich-lister-says-more-founders-should-take-cash-off-the-table-20220513-p5al87">Young Rich Lister says more founders should take cash off the table</a>

Sam Kroonenburg’s success is only possible because of his wife

After deciding working at Legal Aid wasn’t the career for him, Kerry Harmanis applied to an art school. He was rejected and turned to prospecting in WA. It was a journey that led to the $3.1 billion sale of Jubilee Mines right as nickel prices peaked.

After deciding working at Legal Aid wasn’t the career for him, Kerry Harmanis applied to an art school. He was rejected and turned to prospecting in WA. It was a journey that led to the $3.1 billion sale of Jubilee Mines right as nickel prices peaked.

How exquisite timing helped Kerry Harmanis forge a fortune

Paul Blackburne built a property company that in 2016 land him on the Financial Review Rich List with an estimated $536 million fortune. He’s also seen other people make lots of money and says there’s a success trap entrepreneurs need to be mindful of.

Paul Blackburne built a property company that in 2016 land him on the Financial Review Rich List with an estimated $536 million fortune. He’s also seen other people make lots of money and says there’s a success trap entrepreneurs need to be mindful of.

Summer Series: From golf balls to 1c TVs - how Ruslan Kogan built a $300m empire from $0

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