

The reasons for the bullying varied-race, disposition, personal interests, appearance, intelligence, or physical size-but all stem from being viewed as different. For example, entrepreneur Steve Jobs, singer Rihanna, and Duchess Kate Middleton are just a few notable people who were bullied as children. (Shortform note: Musk is one of many successful people who were the victims of childhood bullying.

The bullying finally stopped when he switched to a different high school with a more peaceful environment. Musk noted that this was one of the most difficult experiences of his childhood.

Vance describes two main challenges Musk faced as he grew up:ġ) Being bullied: Musk’s bookishness and know-it-all reputation set him apart from his peers, and he was beaten and bullied by a group of boys for several years. Early Life and ChallengesĮlon Musk was born in South Africa in 1971. Finally, we’ll explore Vance’s reflections on how Musk’s traits and management style helped him succeed. Then, we’ll describe how he built each of his companies and some of the major milestones each business met. First, we’ll discuss Musk’s childhood in South Africa.

Vance breaks down Musk’s process of creating Zip2, X.com (later known as PayPal), SpaceX, Tesla, and SolarCity. Published in 2015, this biography will interest anyone who wants to learn about Musk, his entrepreneurial mindsets, or industries with the potential to change the future. Despite facing challenges and public doubt, Musk changed three major industries and became a billionaire in the process.Īfter spending almost 50 hours interviewing Musk, Vance presents unique insight into the life of one of this generation’s most innovative entrepreneurs, as well as the difficult process of building multiple successful companies. He describes an entrepreneur who is driven by big goals and personal interests, not trends or get-rich-quick schemes. In Elon Musk, technology journalist Ashlee Vance describes the life and career of entrepreneur, innovator, and billionaire Elon Musk, the CEO of both SpaceX and Tesla. 1-Page Summary 1-Page Book Summary of Elon Musk
