--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The biggest start-up successes - from…" description: "\"The biggest start-up successes - from Henry Ford to Bill Gates to Mark Zuckerberg - were pioneered by people from solidly middle-class backgrounds. The..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f9/eric-ries-2911_backgrounds_the-biggest-start-up-successes-from-henr_582416.jpg" --- # The biggest start-up successes - from Henry Ford to Bill… ![“The biggest start-up successes - from Henry Ford to Bill Gates to Mark Zuckerberg - were pioneered by people from solidly middle-class backgrounds. These founders were not wealthy when they began. They were hungry for success, but knew they had a solid support system to fall back on if they failed.” quote by Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f9/eric-ries-2911_backgrounds_the-biggest-start-up-successes-from-henr_582416.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f9/eric-ries-2911_backgrounds_the-biggest-start-up-successes-from-henr_582416.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f9/eric-ries-2911_backgrounds_the-biggest-start-up-successes-from-henr_582416.jpg) > “The biggest start-up successes - from Henry Ford to Bill Gates to Mark Zuckerberg - were pioneered by people from solidly middle-class backgrounds. These founders were not wealthy when they began. They were hungry for success, but knew they had a solid support system to fall back on if they failed.” [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Successful founders often come from modest backgrounds, driven by hunger and supported by a safety net. **In simple terms:** Middle‑class roots plus drive and support lead to success. Key Takeaway Leverage support while staying hungry. Themes entrepreneurship social mobility support systems Mood inspirational realistic Type advice storytelling When to use this quote - startup founding - career pivots - seeking mentorship Key Concepts risk tolerance networking resilience Questions to Reflect On - How does your background shape your ambition? - What support can you build now? A Different Perspective Not all entrepreneurs have a safety net; many face total risk. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) [Entrepreneurship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entrepreneurship/) [Founders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/founders/) [Hungry for success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hungry-for-success/) [Middle class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-class/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support/) [Support System](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support-system/) ## Related quotes > [The mistake isn't releasing something bad. The mistake is to launch it and get PR people involved. You don't want people to start amping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/the-mistake-isn-t-releasing-something-bad-the-mistake-is-to-launch-it/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [Aries are hungry for success. They want to be good at sports, studies and almost everything they get involved in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/aries-are-hungry-for-success-they-want-to-be-good-at-sports-studies/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You gotta be hungry for success, that's the only way you can make it to the top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-gotta-be-hungry-for-success-that-s-the-only-way-you-can-make-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I’m hungry for success. And lasagna.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-m-hungry-for-success-and-lasagna/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Surround yourself with people that have high expectations & that are as hungry for success as much as you. You WILL succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/surround-yourself-with-people-that-have-high-expectations-that-are-as/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Hungry for success. Keeping faith in God. Through ups and downs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hungry-for-success-keeping-faith-in-god-through-ups-and-downs/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'd had my time in the charts and made loads of money. I was no longer hungry for success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-astley/i-d-had-my-time-in-the-charts-and-made-loads-of-money-i-was-no-longer/) [Rick Astley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-astley/) > [Every day, every year, every new season is a reset from the last, and you are still hungry for success, to do things better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-alonso/every-day-every-year-every-new-season-is-a-reset-from-the-last-and/) [Fernando Alonso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-alonso/) > [I'm not hungry for success. I am only hungry for good work, and that is how it is with most superstars. Every day I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-m-not-hungry-for-success-i-am-only-hungry-for-good-work-and-that-is/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [When you have to set a reminder to remind you to eat that's when you know you're hungry for success!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-have-to-set-a-reminder-to-remind-you-to-eat-that-s-when-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [So hungry for success, I can't rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/so-hungry-for-success-i-can-t-rest/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We have a great squad at Bayern Munich and our German players are very important for us - we know their qualities and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-alaba/we-have-a-great-squad-at-bayern-munich-and-our-german-players-are/) [David Alaba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-alaba/) > [“Please I’d rather you didn’t do any name-calling, and you’re talking this way because you've never been hungry for success. One would do anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-a-david/please-i-d-rather-you-didn-t-do-any-name-calling-and-you-re-talking/) [S. A. David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-a-david/) > [When you're hungry for success, don't let anyone feed you crap about slowing down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-forleo/when-you-re-hungry-for-success-don-t-let-anyone-feed-you-crap-about/) [Marie Forleo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-forleo/) > [“You’re so hungry for success, more. I can almost feel the crossroads looming... Do you know there’s a legend that certain musicians sold their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jae-t-jaggart/you-re-so-hungry-for-success-more-i-can-almost-feel-the-crossroads/) [Jae T. Jaggart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jae-t-jaggart/) ## More by Eric Ries > [The lesson of the MVP is that any additional work beyond what was required to start learning is waste, no matter how important it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/the-lesson-of-the-mvp-is-that-any-additional-work-beyond-what-was/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [HubSpot has used the lean startup method to build a spectacularly successful company. What I particularly love about HubSpot is that they are so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/hubspot-has-used-the-lean-startup-method-to-build-a-spectacularly/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [By the time that product is ready to be distributed widely, it will already have established customers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/by-the-time-that-product-is-ready-to-be-distributed-widely-it-will/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [It was 1999, and we were building a way for college kids to create online profiles for the purpose of sharing... with employers. Oops.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/it-was-1999-and-we-were-building-a-way-for-college-kids-to-create/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [Except in very narrow cases, where there's breakthrough science that needs patent production, worrying about competitors is a waste of time. If you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/except-in-very-narrow-cases-where-there-s-breakthrough-science-that/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [“waiting too long to release can lead to the ultimate waste: making something that nobody wants.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/waiting-too-long-to-release-can-lead-to-the-ultimate-waste-making/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [There's nothing wrong with raising venture capital. Many lean startups are ambitious and are able to deploy large amounts of capital. What differentiates them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/there-s-nothing-wrong-with-raising-venture-capital-many-lean-startups/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [“In the Lean Startup model, every product, every feature, every marketing campaign—everything a startup does—is understood to be an experiment designed to achieve validated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/in-the-lean-startup-model-every-product-every-feature-every-marketing/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [Learning is the essential unit of progress for startups.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/learning-is-the-essential-unit-of-progress-for-startups/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [“...a long-term reputation is only at risk when companies engage in vocal launch activities such as PR and building hype. When a product fails…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/a-long-term-reputation-is-only-at-risk-when-companies-engage-in-vocal/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [The minimum viable product is that version of a new product which allows a team to collect the maximum amount of validated learning about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/the-minimum-viable-product-is-that-version-of-a-new-product-which/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [Every startup has a chance to change the world, by bringing not just a new product, but an entirely new institution into existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/every-startup-has-a-chance-to-change-the-world-by-bringing-not-just-a/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [Entrepreneurs can't forecast accurately, because they are trying something fundamentally new. So they will often be laughably behind plan - and on the brink…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/entrepreneurs-can-t-forecast-accurately-because-they-are-trying/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [Meritocracy is a good thing. Whenever possibly, people should be judged based on their work and results, not superficial qualities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/meritocracy-is-a-good-thing-whenever-possibly-people-should-be-judged/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [The lean startup method is not about cost, it is about speed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/the-lean-startup-method-is-not-about-cost-it-is-about-speed/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) [Explore all 138 Eric Ries quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) ## More Backgrounds quotes > [We do not want to be reminded that it is we, the indigenous people, who are poor and exploited in the land of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/we-do-not-want-to-be-reminded-that-it-is-we-the-indigenous-people-who/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) > [When you see how fragile and delicate life can be, all else fades into the background.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-morasca/when-you-see-how-fragile-and-delicate-life-can-be-all-else-fades-into/) [Jenna Morasca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-morasca/) > [Worship is not about personality, temperament, personal limitations, church background, or comfort. It is about God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wimber/worship-is-not-about-personality-temperament-personal-limitations/) [John Wimber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wimber/) > [Eventually the consumer will come to appreciate the editorial point of view of every different brand. User-generated content without editorial oversight will simply be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eisner/eventually-the-consumer-will-come-to-appreciate-the-editorial-point/) [Michael Eisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eisner/) > [I bring my classical training - some of it, but not all of it - and also my background and culture, to spirituals. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-battle/i-bring-my-classical-training-some-of-it-but-not-all-of-it-and-also/) [Kathleen Battle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-battle/) > [The acting background helped a lot when I started writing. I was training for it. In acting class they teach you about the stakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-higgins-clark/the-acting-background-helped-a-lot-when-i-started-writing-i-was/) [Carol Higgins Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-higgins-clark/) > [In the dim background of our mind we know meanwhile what we ought to be doing: getting up, dressing ourselves, answering the person who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/in-the-dim-background-of-our-mind-we-know-meanwhile-what-we-ought-to/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [I think it is a sin to look at another person as inferior to yourself because of race or because of ethnic background and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/i-think-it-is-a-sin-to-look-at-another-person-as-inferior-to-yourself/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [The thing that is making jazz healthy today is that people are coming out of other backgrounds - from rock, folk, from ethnic music.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-taylor/the-thing-that-is-making-jazz-healthy-today-is-that-people-are-coming/) Billy Taylor > [We do not have to be ashamed of what we are. As sentient beings we have wonderful backgrounds. These backgrounds may not be particularly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/we-do-not-have-to-be-ashamed-of-what-we-are-as-sentient-beings-we/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [People from my sort of background needed grammar schools to compete with children from privileged homes like Shirley Williams and Anthony Wedgwood Benn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/people-from-my-sort-of-background-needed-grammar-schools-to-compete/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [Persons who have cleansed themselves of any transgression and who have shown their ability to deal with homosexual inclinations and put them in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallin-h-oaks/persons-who-have-cleansed-themselves-of-any-transgression-and-who/) [Dallin H. 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