Michael Dell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Michael Dell
|
|
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg)
Dell in 2021
|
|
| Born |
Michael Saul Dell
February 23, 1965 Houston, Texas, U.S.
|
| Alma mater | University of Texas at Austin (dropped out) |
| Occupation |
|
| Title |
|
| Spouse(s) |
Susan Lynn Lieberman
(m. 1989) |
| Children | 4 |
| Relatives | Adam Dell (brother) |
Michael Saul Dell, born on February 23, 1965, is a very successful American businessman and investor. He is the person who started and now leads Dell Technologies. This company is one of the biggest in the world for computer technology.
As of December 2024, Michael Dell is one of the richest people globally. His wealth comes from his shares in Dell and other investments. In 2013, he made a big move to take Dell Inc. private, meaning it was no longer traded on the stock market. Later, in 2018, the company became public again.
Contents
Early Life and School Days
Michael Dell was born in 1965 in Houston, Texas. His parents were a stockbroker and an orthodontist. Even when he was very young, Michael showed a strong interest in business. At just eight years old, he tried to take a high school equivalency exam!
As a teenager, he used money from his part-time jobs to invest in stocks and precious metals. He bought his first calculator at age seven. When he was 15, he got his first computer, an Apple II. He quickly took it apart to see how it worked.
Michael went to Memorial High School. During the summer, he sold newspaper subscriptions. His parents wanted him to become a doctor, so he started studying medicine at the University of Texas in 1983.
However, Michael kept finding clever ways to sell newspaper subscriptions. He learned that newlyweds and people moving to new homes were most likely to subscribe. He collected their contact information and sent them mail. This earned him $18,000 in one year. He even hired people to help him! After making almost $200,000 in his first year, Michael Dell decided to leave the University of Texas when he was 19.
Starting His Business Career
_signed_by_Michael_Dell.jpg)
While still a student, Michael started a small business. He put together and sold computer upgrade kits from his dorm room. He realized he could save money by selling computers directly to customers. This was different from how most computer stores worked.
In January 1984, he named his company "PC's Limited." His idea was to build computers only after customers ordered them. He started his business in a small apartment. It quickly grew, selling many computer parts and upgrades.
In May, he officially named his company "Dell Computer Corporation." He moved it to a business center. At first, he had just a few people taking orders and a small team building the computers. His starting cost for the business was only $1,000.
By 1992, Michael Dell was only 27 years old. He became the youngest CEO of a company on Fortune magazine's list of the top 500 corporations. This was a huge achievement!
In 1996, Dell started selling computers online, which was a new idea at the time. Soon, dell.com was making about $1 million in sales every day. By 2001, Dell Inc. became the world's largest PC maker. This was the first time the top spot had changed in seven years.
In 2004, Michael Dell stepped down as CEO but remained chairman. He returned as CEO in 2007 at the request of the company's board.
In 2013, Michael Dell worked with other companies to take Dell Inc. private. This meant the company was no longer traded on the stock market. It was a big deal worth about $25 billion. Michael Dell ended up owning 75% of the company.
In 2015, Dell Inc. announced plans to buy another big tech company called EMC Corporation. This was a massive deal, costing $67 billion. It was one of the biggest tech purchases ever. The deal was completed in 2016.
Awards and Recognition
Michael Dell has received many awards for his business success. Inc. magazine named him "Entrepreneur of the Year" when he was just 24. Worth magazine called him "Top CEO in American Business." He also received the Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement in 1998. In 2013, he won the Franklin Institute's Bower Award for Business Leadership.
Important Groups and Councils
Michael Dell is part of many important groups around the world. He serves on the board of the World Economic Forum. He is also on the executive committee of the International Business Council. He used to be a member of the U.S. President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, he was named to a special group in Texas. This group worked to find safe ways to reopen the state. He also advises a technology group that helps find solutions for the pandemic.
Books He Has Written
Michael Dell has written two books about his experiences. His first book, Direct from Dell: Strategies That Revolutionized an Industry, came out in 1999. It tells the story of his early life, how he started Dell, and the lessons he learned.
His second book, Play Nice But Win: A CEO's Journey from Founder to Leader, was published later. This book shares stories about the challenges he faced and how they helped him become a stronger leader.
His Family Life
Michael Dell married Susan Lieberman on October 28, 1989, in Austin, Texas. They live there with their four children.
Wealth and Helping Others
In 1998, Michael Dell started a company called MSD Capital L.P. (now DFO Management). This company manages his family's investments.
In 1999, Michael and Susan Dell created the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation. This foundation uses their wealth to help others. It focuses on important causes like improving health and education for children.
See also
In Spanish: Michael Dell para niños
