How nerds have taken over big business

Look at some of the richest and most successful people in the world and you’ll soon start to see a theme with the kind of person they are. Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Larry Page, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg… They all have one thing in common and that’s that they are self-confessed nerds. Sure, the stereotype might have one been damaging, but as Bill Gates once famously said, “Be nice to nerds. Chances are you’ll end up working for one.” It’s no secret that ‘nerds’ are dominating big business nowadays, but how did they rise to the top? How have these once-ostracized stereotypes taken over big business in such a dominating way? The answer may not be what you think…

They are obsessive

One of the biggest factors about many of the people we’ve mentioned (and other nerdy big business owners), is that they become obsessed with their businesses. Just look at the hunger the late Steve Jobs had, for creating something truly mind-blowing in the industry. Without his obsessiveness, it’s unlikely Apple would have become the powerful force that it is today. It’s believed that it takes around 10,000 hours to truly master a skill and there’s no doubting that people like Bill Gates have spent more than that honing their craft. They obsess over what they love, turn it into a business, and make billions.

A tough background

For many ‘nerds’ and ‘geeks,’ growing up isn’t a walk in the park. They were often cast aside, ostracized, and sometimes even bullied. However, this has actually worked in their favor in the long run. It’s proven that popular and charismatic leaders (such as those who were jocks in school) don’t succeed as well as those who just put their head down and get on with things. Nerds feel as though they have a whole lot more to prove after being mistreated for so long, and this gives them the extra drive they need. On top of this, pain and isolation are actually catalysts for creativity and these once-ostracized men are women can channel their negative energy into positive pursuits… Like making a few billion dollars!

The intelligence

Of course, one thing that goes hand-in-hand with being a nerd is a certain level of intelligence. Instead of trying to prove themselves as a popular kid, many of these business owners buried their heads in books and got obsessive. This leads to a much higher level of intelligence that put most of us to shame – and certainly helps when it comes to creating new and innovative products or services. We live in the age of technology, which certainly paves the way for those who love all things STEM. However, many people also already assume that nerds are intelligent. This means that they don’t need to prove their level of smarts to an investor in order to get a cash injection… It’s likely the investor just assumes they’re a genius and hands over the money. More opportunities are definitely now opened up to nerds than ever before.

In a world that is dominated by advancements in technology, it certainly makes sense that nerds are taking over big business. Without them, we’d have no social media, no online shopping, and probably no computers at all. You wouldn’t be reading this, we’d be out of a job, and the world would be a much less interesting place. So, dear nerds, we salute you!