What is Rich Barton’s net worth? 

Net Worth:	$2.1 Billion
Age:	57
Born:	June 2, 1967
Gender:	Male
Height:	Unknown
Country of Origin:	United States of America
Source of Wealth:	Entrepreneur
Last Updated:	Dec 13, 2024

Introduction 

Rich Barton is an American entrepreneur and CEO of Zillow Group with an estimated net worth of $2.1 Billion. 

Barton has founded multiple companies, including online travel company Zillow, job search engine Glassdoor, and photography site Trover. Barton was a venture partner at Benchmark and is on the board of directors for Netflix, Avvo, Nextdoor, and Artsy.

Career Overview

After graduating from Stanford University with an engineering degree, Rich Barton started working for the Alliance Consulting Group in 1989. 

In 1991, he left and began working for Microsoft as a project manager for the operating system MS-DOS 5.0. While working for Microsoft, Barton founded the travel site Expedia in 1994 as the company was planning to build a travel guide on CD-ROM. However, Barton pitched the idea of an online service to Bill Gates, who permitted him to pursue the project. 

In 1996, Expedia made its debut on the internet, and Rich was the CEO of the site’s IPO until 2003, when it was purchased for $3.6 billion.

Making Billions

After selling Expedia’s IP, Rich Barton took a year-long break from business to relax in Italy and enjoy his success. However, he didn’t rest for too long and made a comeback in 2004 to begin setting his next business plan in motion. Now in Seattle, Barton began working on the site Zillow, which he believed could transform the real estate industry. 

In December 2004, Zillow was incorporated in Washington and officially launched in February 2006. Upon launch, the site included a home valuation tool, sales history, and value appreciation information. However, the site crashed on the morning of its launch because the servers weren’t strong enough to handle the immense traffic. 

By 2008, Zillow had grown exponentially and, in 2010, had become incredibly profitable for the first time since its launch. 

In 2012, Barton purchased Rentjuice and Hotpads, followed by Street Easy in 2013 and Trulia in 2015. All of this helped make Rich Barton one of the richest people in America, and his net worth continues to increase.

Maintaining Zillow

Although Rich Barton stepped down as CEO in 2010, he returned in 2019, replacing Spencer Rascoff. A year prior, the site began buying and selling through the new Zillow Offers, which partnered with local real estate agents. Upon returning to the CEO position, Barton began expanding Zillow Offers into new markets across the United States. However, when the pandemic struck in 2020, Zillow saw its stock hit a four-year low, forcing them to cut expenses to stay profitable. 

By July 2020, Zillow became one of the first companies to allow employees to work from home permanently. This allowed them to hire an additional 1,500 employees with the plan to expand their workforce by 40% by the end of 2021. 

Unfortunately, things didn’t pan out, and Barton announced in November 2021 that Zillow was shutting down its home-buying business and laying off 25% of employees. 

This didn’t stop the Zillow Group from acquiring other businesses throughout the 2020s to expand their reach. These companies include ShowingTime, Follow Up Boss, and VRX Media, all of which have benefited Zillow. At the same time, Forbes named Barton a billionaire in 2020 after his earnings from Zillow continued to grow. 

Now one of the richest people in the world, Rich Barton has a $700 million stake in Zillow and plans to turn it into a home-flipping machine. He’s undoubtedly lived up to his first name, earning billions through his business. 

Rich Barton Net Worth

In 2024, Rich Barton’s net worth is estimated to be $2.1 Billion. 

Highlights

Here are some of the best highlights of Rich Barton’s career:

• Chief executive officer of Zillow Group
• One of the top 10 innovators under 35 by MIT Technology Review (2003)
• Presidential Ambassadors for Continental Entrepreneurship (2012)

Summary

Rich Barton is an American entrepreneur and businessman best known for being the CEO of the Zillow Group.

He is also the founder of Expedia and Glassdoor. Barton was born in Connecticut and graduated from Standford University. He has also founded the online travel photography-sharing site Trover.

He was a venture partner at Benchmark and served on the boards of directors for Netflix and Artsy. In 2012, he was named one of Barack Obama‘s Presidential Ambassadors for Continental Entrepreneurship. 

What do you think about Rich Barton’s net worth? Leave a comment below. 

What is Russell Simmons’ net worth?

Net Worth:	$340 Million
Age:	67
Born:	October 4, 1957
Gender:	Male
Height:	1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Country of Origin:	United States of America
Source of Wealth:	Entrepreneur
Last Updated:	Dec 13, 2024

Russell Simmons is an American record producer and entrepreneur with an estimated net worth of $340 Million. 

Simmons is the co-founder of the record label Def Jam and has been among the top 25 most influential people in the industry over the past 25 years, playing a pivotal role in bringing hip-hop music to the forefront. 

Early Life 

Russell Simmons was born in Queens, New York, on October 4, 1957.

He is the son of Daniel Simmons Sr. and Evelyn Simmons. His father was a public school administrator, and his mother worked as a park administrator. Simmons attended the City College of New York for some time, after which he dropped out and went on to promote local musicians. 

Career

During college, Simmons met industry mentor Robert Ford Jr., and a few years later, he co-founded Def Jam Recordings with Rick Rubin. In 1985, he co-produced and appeared alongside Daryl McDaniels in the film “Krush Groove” and launched the Def Comedy Jam television program.

From Rap To Riches

The Def Comedy Jam program featured notable figures such as Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, and Martin Lawrence, who were prominent comedians then. At the same time, Russell’s services to the music industry and hip-hop culture were honored at the 2004 VH1 Hip Hop Honors. A few years later, he produced hit films “The Nutty Professor” featuring Eddie Murphy and “How to Be a Player.”

In 2003, Russell established RushCard, a prepaid debit card provider, and launched Phat Fashions LLC, featuring Phat Farm and Baby Phat labels. The apparel line has a traditional appearance and feel thanks to the influence of designers like Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger. Not long after establishing the business, he sold Phat Farm and Baby Phat to Kellwood Company in 2004 for $140 million.

That same year, he formed the Russell Simmons Music Group as a joint venture with Universal Music’s Island Def Jam Music Group.

Simmons’ Vegan Advocacy

Additionally, he co-founded the Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation and received an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Humane Letters from Claremont Lincoln University in 2014. He also coordinated the anti-Rockefeller Drug Law demonstrations promoting more equitable drug laws and was designated as the UN Slavery Memorial’s Goodwill Ambassador.

Russell is a huge PETA supporter and won the PETA Humanitarian Award in 2001 and the Person of the Year Award. The group PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) fights against animal abuse in entertainment and industry, advances vegetarianism, and defends animal rights. Many celebrities, such as Pamela Anderson, Ellen DeGeneres, and Woody Harrelson, are just a few of the figures supporting PETA.

His involvement with the NGO has influenced him to live a healthier lifestyle. He has become vegan himself and promotes the routine.

Signing Lil Skies And Jack Harlow

Simmons, a vegan since 1999, supports the David Lynch Foundation, which encourages activism, mindfulness, and vegetarianism; he also practices Jivamukti Yoga and Transcendental Meditation. He supports the Somaly Mam Foundation, which combats human trafficking and sexual slavery and endorses the second Muslim Jewish Conference promoting interfaith dialogue and cooperation.

In 2012, Simmons’ book “Super Rich: A Guide to Having It All” took home the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work – Non-Fiction.

To top it all off, Richtopia listed him as one of the 200 most influential social entrepreneurs and philanthropists worldwide in 2017.

Russell released the “Masterminds of Hip Hop” NFT collection alongside Snoop Dogg and Ice-T and became a senior advisor for the vegan brand Everything Legendary.

Recently, Russell has been more involved in Def Jam Records, signing up-and-coming artists such as Lil Skies, Jack Harlow, and Dreezy.

Estimated Net Worth

Highlights 

Here are some of the best highlights of Russell Simmons’ career:

• Co-founded Def Jam (1983) 
• Krush Groove (Movie, 1985) 
• Launched Clothing Line (1992) 
• Sold Phat Farm (2004) 

Summary

Russell Simmons was one of the first producers in the industry to co-found one of the most significant record labels ‘Def Jam’. Simmons has collaborated with some of the best artists, such as Jay Z and LL Cool J.

What do you think about Russell Simmons’ net worth? Leave a comment below. 

What is Shawn Fanning’s net worth? 

Net Worth:	$70 Million
Age:	44
Born:	November 22, 1980
Gender:	Male
Height:	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Country of Origin:	United States of America
Source of Wealth:	Entrepreneur
Last Updated:	Dec 14, 2024

Introduction   

Shawn Fanning is an American computer programmer and entrepreneur with an estimated net worth of $70 Million. 

Fanning developed Napster, one of the first mainstream file-sharing platforms. Napster’s popularity was widespread, and Fanning was featured on the cover of Time magazine. Following his involvement with Napster, he joined and invested in many early-stage technology startup companies.

Early Life

Shawn Fanning was born on the 22nd of November, 1980, in Brockton, Massachusetts.

Fanning is the son of Coleen and Joe Fanning. He went to Northeastern University. 

Fanning began working on Napster, where he made music and shared аmоng thе ѕtudеntѕ оf Nоrthеаѕtеrn Unіvеrѕіtу. Іn 2013, hе wаѕ а ѕubјесt оf thе dосumеntаrу еntіtlеd ‘Dоwnlоаdеd’ bу Аlех Wіntеr.

Career 

Fanning’s software engineer uncle played a significant role in nurturing his interest in technology and introducing him to the programming world. He developed Napster in his dorm room, writing the initial code as a side project while balancing his college coursework.

Fanning conceived the revolutionary idea of a peer-to-peer file-sharing network allowing users to share music files directly. He later teamed up with Sean Parker, a fellow tech enthusiast and entrepreneur, who helped him refine the concept and secure initial funding.

Together, they co-founded Napster, which quickly gained popularity among college students for music sharing and was featured on the cover of Time magazine in 2000. That same year, Fanning and Napster were awarded the “Best New Technology Award” at the 2000 MTV Europe Music Awards.

Founding The Program Snocap

Napster faced legal challenges for encouraging illegal sharing of copyrighted material; the lawsuit prominently involved Dr. Dre, Madonna, and Metallica. A year later, Napster was shut down after unsuccessful court appeals, but a paid subscription version was later launched.

At the same time, Fanning was named one of Time Magazine’s Time 100 most influential people, recognizing his impact on the music industry and technology. Despite some legal issues, Fanning was named to the MIT Technology Review TR100 as one of the top 100 innovators under 35.

In 2003, he founded the program Snocap with Jordan Mendelson and Ron Conway, aiming to create a legitimate digital media marketplace. However, Snocap soon faced technical issues and poor customer support, which led to its decline and the layoff of 60% of its workforce.

Collaborating With OpenAI

He founded the Rupture project in 2007 with co-founder John Baudanza to create a social network for gamers. A few years later, Electronic Arts acquired Rupture for $30 million, and Fanning and his team were laid off from Electronic Arts in 2009.

Shawn then co-founded Path.com with Dave Morin as CEO, who left Facebook, the online platform created by Mark Zuckerberg, to join Path. Fanning reunited with Sean Parker to found Airtime.com; unfortunately, due to technical failures, their launch, which hosted celebrities Jim Carrey and Olivia Munn, was disastrous.

Shawn is involved with Helium, a decentralized wireless network company aiming to build a peer-to-peer network for Internet of Things devices. He has also been reported to have collaborated with OpenAI on various AI-driven projects, focusing on the intersection of artificial intelligence.

Estimated Net Worth

In 2024, Shawn Fanning’s net worth is estimated to be roughly $70 Million. 

Highlights

Here are some of the best highlights of Shawn Fanning’s career:

• He developed Napster
• One of the top 100 innovators in the world under the age of 35 (2002)
• Fanning founded Helium Systems (2013) 

Summary

Shawn Fanning is an American computer programmer, serial entrepreneur, and investor best known for creating Napster.

Napster is a file-sharing platform that was very popular around the turn of the century.

What do you think about Shawn Fanning’s net worth? Leave a comment below.