Although the Medici are today recognized as the most important banking dynasty to come out of Medieval Florence, before them the Bardi family were the most important bankers in Florence. Ruined by an unsecured loan to King Edward III, the Bardi were forced to ally themselves with the up-and-coming Medici Read more…
An early advocate of central banking in the US – a country famed for its disdain for such a concept as it was “too British” – Paul Warburg led a group of bankers including the famed J. P. Morgan to create the Federal Reserve. And whilst not perfect by any Read more…
Having worked his way up from janitor’s assistant to the head of the firm, Sidney Weinberg’s is a true rags to riches story and one that contradicts the well refined, Ivy League-educated image that Wall Street has curated for itself over the last century. Despite his lack of such an Read more…
Though the also Jewish Rothschild family are often touted as being the world’s most secretive banking family, that title should instead go to Brazil’s Safra family and their patriarch Jacob Safra, who was arguably the greatest banker no one has ever heard of. He was perhaps even a better banker Read more…
Early Life Frederick Henry Royce was born in the village of Alwalton, in Huntingdonshire, just five miles west of Peterborough on March 27 1863, as the youngest of five children born to flour mill owner James Royce, and his wife, Mary King Royce. Though his first name was legally Frederick, Read more…
Coming from humble beginnings as the son of Canadian immigrants, Walter Chrysler went from railroad engineer to general manager to automotive pioneer, and the driving force behind both the Chrysler Corporation and Chrysler Building, both of which bear his name. Early Life Railroad Career Automotive Pioneer Buick Willys Chrysler Corporation Read more…
Today, few people remember the name “Jacob Schiff” yet during the late 19th century and early 20th century, you would have to travel a long way to find someone who didn’t know his name. A contemporary of bankers like J. P. Morgan, Jacob Schiff was the foremost Jewish banker on Read more…
Today, Bank of America is one of the largest banks in the US (and the world for that matter!) Yet few actually know the story of Amadeo Giannini, the man who helped found it and turn it into the giant it is today! At the time, banks really only dealt Read more…
Today, Stanford University is arguably the best university for aspiring entrepreneurs, with its alumni including Larry Page, Sergey Brin and Elon Musk. Yet few know the story of its founder, Leland Stanford, who built a business empire unlike any other! Most famous for the railroad empire that could rival Cornelius Read more…
Last week I covered how much you should be spending on dating. One of my business partners saw the article and asked if I could do an article about what you should know when you are dating an entrepreneur. So, what are the things that people should know when dating Read more…