Michael Dell: Revolutionizing the Tech Industry Through Innovation and Tenacity

Michael Dell,

the founder and CEO of Dell Technologies, is a visionary entrepreneur who has left an indelible mark on the technology industry.

Born on February 23, 1965, in Houston, Texas, Dell’s journey from a college dorm room startup to leading one of the world’s largest technology companies is a testament to his entrepreneurial spirit, innovative mindset, and unwavering determination.

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Early life and education	Michael Dell was born in 1965 in Houston to a Jewish family. His parents were Lorraine Charlotte (née Langfan), a stockbroker, and Alexander Dell, an orthodontist. Michael attended Herod Elementary School in Houston. In a bid to enter business early, he applied to take a high school equivalency exam at age eight. In his early teens, he invested his earnings from part-time jobs in stocks and precious metals.
Business career	In January 1984, Dell believed that the potential cost savings of a manufacturer selling PCs directly had enormous advantages over the conventional indirect retail channel. In January 1984, Dell registered his company as “PC’s Limited”. Dell’s strategy was to sell directly to customers by manufacturing computers only after they were ordered. Operating out of a condominium, the business sold between $50,000 and $80,000 worth of PC upgrades, kits, and add-on components. In May, Dell incorporated the company as “Dell Computer Corporation” and relocated to a business center in North Austin. The company employed a few people as order takers, a few more to fill the orders, and, as Dell recalled, a manufacturing staff consisting of “three guys with screwdrivers sitting at six-foot tables”. The venture’s capitalization cost was $1,000.
Penalty	In July 2010 Dell Inc. agreed to pay a $100 million penalty to settle SEC charges of disclosure and accounting fraud in relation to undisclosed payments from Intel Corporation. Michael Dell and former CEO Kevin Rollins agreed to pay $4 million each and former CFO James Schneider agreed to pay $3 million to settle the charges.
Wealth	In 1998, Dell founded MSD Capital L.P., later renamed DFO Management, to manage his family’s investments.
Personal life	Dell married Susan Lieberman on October 28, 1989, in Austin, Texas; the couple reside there with their four children.
Philanthropy	At 1999, Michael and Susan Dell established the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, which focuses on, among other causes, grants, urban education, childhood health and family economic stability. Dell is also behind the founding of the Dell Jewish Community Campus in the Northwest Hills neighborhood of Austin.
Net worth	73.1 billion USD [2024]
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