
23. Co-Founded Zip2
Zip2 was an online business that developed city guides, and Musk co-founded it with his brother. The company worked with newspapers to publish maps, yellow pages, and directions for getting around town. The company became quite successful and had contracts with The Chicago Tribune and The New York Times.
However, his board of directors did not see Musk as CEO material, and they nearly pushed him out entirely. He became the chairman of the company, and when it sold for $307 million to Compaq in 1999, he made $22 million. No small amount, but to be disregarded by the company’s board of directors that you co-founded has got to be disheartening.