Benjamin Franklin 1706-1790,

[maruppharm]

No list of greatest entrepreneurs would be complete without America's original entrepreneur, Benjamin Franklin. He was a printer and self-taught writer whose witty conversational writing style made his Pennsylvania Gazette and Poor Richard's Almanack the most successful publications in the country. His printing operations were so successful that he franchised printing in other cities when the concept of franchising was relatively uncommon. He and his wife also collected cotton rags, invested in paper mills and set up a wholesale paper business--all of this before retiring in his 40s to concentrate on his inventions, science and experiments and, of course, politics and diplomacy.

Quote: "To succeed, jump as quickly at opportunities as you do at conclusions."