Elon Musk is now a household name, synonymous with innovation, ambition, and billion-dollar ventures. From launching reusable rockets with SpaceX to revolutionizing the auto industry with Tesla, Musk’s impact on technology and business is undeniable. But the roots of his empire don’t trace back to Silicon Valley boardrooms or high-profile IPOs. Instead, Musk’s entrepreneurial journey began in the most unassuming of places: a school hallway and his childhood bedroom.

Humble Beginnings: Candy Sales and a Homemade Video Game

Long before he was negotiating with world leaders or unveiling the latest in artificial intelligence, Musk was just a curious, driven kid growing up in South Africa. His first taste of entrepreneurship came from selling candy at school. Spotting an opportunity, Musk bought sweets in bulk and resold them to classmates at a markup. It was a simple operation, but it taught him valuable lessons about supply and demand, pricing, and customer service—fundamentals that would later underpin his business philosophy.

But candy sales were just the beginning. At age 12, Musk took a deeper dive into technology. Fueled by a passion for computers and a self-taught approach to programming, he created a video game called Blastar. The game, a space-themed shooter reminiscent of early arcade classics, was coded entirely by Musk, who learned through trial and error. He sold Blastar to a computer magazine for $500—a small fortune for a young teenager in the 1980s.

This early success was pivotal. It wasn’t just about the money; it was the realization that he could turn an idea into a tangible product and find a market for it. The experience of creating, marketing, and selling Blastar planted the seeds for Musk’s future ambitions. It was his first taste of turning creativity into value, a theme that would echo throughout his career.

Early Lessons in Business and Technology

Musk’s childhood ventures were far from glamorous, but they were rich in lessons. Selling candy at school taught him about sourcing products, setting prices, and dealing with customers—real-world business basics that many entrepreneurs first encounter much later in life. Coding and selling Blastar gave him a firsthand understanding of product development, marketing, and the power of technology to reach people beyond his immediate circle.

These formative experiences also instilled in Musk a relentless curiosity and a willingness to tackle challenges head-on. He learned that with enough persistence and ingenuity, he could solve problems and create opportunities where others saw none. These traits would become hallmarks of his entrepreneurial style.

Zip2: The First Big Break

Armed with the lessons from his early hustles, Musk was ready for bigger challenges. In the mid-1990s, after moving to North America, he co-founded Zip2 with his brother Kimbal. Zip2 was an online city guide software company designed to help newspapers establish a digital presence by providing maps, business directories, and other resources for their websites.

The timing was perfect. The internet was just beginning to transform how businesses operated, and many traditional companies were scrambling to adapt. Musk saw the potential to bridge the gap between the old and new worlds, and Zip2 quickly attracted attention—and investment.

Unlike his childhood ventures, Zip2 required significant capital and teamwork. Musk’s ability to secure funding and lead a team marked a new phase in his entrepreneurial journey. In 1999, Compaq acquired Zip2 for $307 million, netting Musk $22 million from the sale. This windfall provided the financial foundation for his next major project: X.com, which would eventually become PayPal.

Scaling Up: From Modest Ventures to Global Disruption

While Musk’s early businesses were small in scale, the lessons he learned were anything but minor. He discovered the importance of thinking big, taking risks, and never settling for the status quo. Even as a child, Musk wasn’t content with local success—he wanted to create something with lasting impact.

This mindset guided him as he moved from selling candy and coding games to launching companies that would change the world. After Zip2, Musk founded X.com, an online payment company that later became PayPal. The sale of PayPal to eBay for $1.5 billion in 2002 gave Musk the resources to pursue even more ambitious goals.

The Birth of Tesla and SpaceX

With the capital from his early successes, Musk set his sights on industries ripe for disruption. He founded SpaceX in 2002, aiming to make space travel more affordable and eventually enable human life on other planets. In 2004, he joined Tesla Motors, determined to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy through electric vehicles.

Both ventures faced enormous skepticism and near-fatal setbacks. SpaceX’s first three rocket launches failed, and Tesla teetered on the brink of bankruptcy more than once. But Musk’s resilience—honed during those early years of hustling and problem-solving—kept him going. Today, SpaceX is the world’s leading private space company, and Tesla is the most valuable automaker on the planet.

Lessons for Young Entrepreneurs

Musk’s journey offers powerful lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs:

Start Small, Think Big:

 Even the most successful empires can begin with a simple idea—a candy sale or a homemade video game.

Learn by Doing:

 Musk’s self-taught approach to programming and business gave him practical skills that no classroom could replicate.

Persist Through Setbacks:

 Every entrepreneur faces obstacles. Musk’s willingness to keep going, even after failures, set him apart.

Spot Opportunities:

 From the schoolyard to Silicon Valley, Musk’s success has always hinged on his ability to identify and seize opportunities others overlook.

Innovate Relentlessly:

 Whether it’s rockets, cars, or brain-computer interfaces, Musk is never satisfied with the status quo.

The Mindset That Built an Empire

Looking back, it’s clear that Musk’s early ventures were more than childhood hobbies—they were the crucible in which his entrepreneurial mindset was forged. The creativity, persistence, and willingness to take risks that defined his candy-selling and game-coding days remain at the core of his approach today.

As Musk continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible with Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, and beyond, his story serves as a reminder that billion-dollar dreams often have the humblest beginnings. For young entrepreneurs everywhere, Musk’s journey is proof that with curiosity, determination, and a bit of hustle, anything is possible.