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Herbalife Nutrition, a premier global nutrition company, released the results of its latest global entrepreneur survey today. In the new study, respondents were asked to select the entrepreneurs who have made the biggest positive impact on society over the past 50 years. Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos and Steve Jobs topped the list as the three most influential entrepreneurs in modern times.
Following the founders of Microsoft, Amazon and Apple, Elon Musk — founder of SpaceX — and Mark Zuckerberg — founder of Facebook — rounded out the top five. Respondents completed their top 10 selections, choosing Oprah Winfrey (co-founder of Oxygen, founder of O, The Oprah Magazine), Melinda Gates (co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation), Sam Walton (founder of Walmart and Sam’s Club), Larry Page (co-founder of Google), and Ted Turner (founder of Cable News Network (CNN).
The survey also asked respondents to compare modern entrepreneurs to the entrepreneurial luminaries of previous generations. While respondents named Henry Ford, Alexander Bell and Thomas Edison, as influential entrepreneurs, the survey uncovered that a notable 48 percent of respondents find modern entrepreneurs more influential than their historical counterparts, while only 20 percent believe that modern entrepreneurs are less influential.
“Our most recent study of entrepreneurs reveals insights into what people think it takes to be a successful entrepreneur today,” said Ibi Montesino, executive vice president of distributor and customer experience at Herbalife Nutrition. “While top entrepreneurs are recognized for changing our world for the better with their out-of-the box thinking and the great impact that their inventions have had on our lives and society, it is also believed that they are engrained with strong character traits that enable them to succeed.”
Herbalife Nutrition commissioned the global survey of 2,750 general population respondents in the U.S., Mexico and Israel which was conducted by market research firm OnePoll. The survey, which included responses from 2,000 Americans, revealed some interesting differences in how respondents view entrepreneurs across countries. Respondents globally said that it takes specific character traits to succeed.
According to the findings, a third of U.S. respondents perceive entrepreneurs as role models, compared to 74 percent of those in Mexico and 60 percent of respondents in Israel. For those who do see entrepreneurs as role models, 24 percent of respondents said the entrepreneur’s personal accomplishments mattered most while 22 percent of respondents found their contributions to society most important.
To be a successful entrepreneur, 19% of respondents globally said that it takes specific character traits, 15% said having one great idea, and 14% said a commitment to hard work. When asked what those specific character traits are, respondents identified creativity (31%) and intelligence (30%) as the most important. This was followed by confidence and motivation which tied at 29 percent.
Nearly half (45%) of respondents across all three countries reported having their own aims to become an entrepreneur — and 42% of them said they believed they had what it takes to be successful in that endeavor, claiming to have a “big” idea that they could turn into a successful business.
“As a company dedicated to fostering entrepreneurial success through our business opportunity, it is inspiring to see that the entrepreneurial spirit remains strong among so many,” said Montesino. “While there are many character traits that make a successful entrepreneur, in our experience, demonstrating a commitment to hard work and surrounding oneself with a supportive community are the foundations for entrepreneurial success.”
For more information about the survey or tips for entrepreneurs, visit www.iamherbalifenutrition.com.