✎ Get free access to our vault of PDF summaries for every YouTube video here: https://believe.evancarmichael.com/the-vault
✎ Check out my NEWEST video: https://goo.gl/E0eE6m
✎ To get more details on all the research and studies mentioned in this video check out the articles below:
https://leaders.com/articles/leaders-stories/jan-koum/
https://www.businessinsider.com/whatsapp-ceo-jan-koum-rags-to-riches-2017-5
https://www.wired.com/story/whats-app-owner-founder-jan-koum-facebook/
https://untoldfounders.com/jan-koums-extraordinary-journey-from-ukrainian-immigrant-on-food-stamps-to-whatsapp-billionaire
https://www.geeknack.com/2019/08/22/jan-koum-when-magic-does-not-need-gimmicks/
https://personalfinanceclub.com/whatsapp-cofounder-overcame-many-obstacles/
https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/facebook-whatsapp-mark-zuckerberg-jan-koum-data-monetisation-a8331051.html
✎ Jan Koum’s story shows what’s possible when you refuse to let your past define your future. Born in Ukraine with no running water, no electricity, and harsh Soviet-era oppression, Jan grew up standing in ration lines just to get food. When he and his mother immigrated to America, they survived on food stamps, and Jan worked as a grocery store cleaner while trying to learn English. But he kept going. He found old programming books in a used bookstore, taught himself to code, and pushed through every setback with determination.
✎ Jan’s skills eventually led him to Yahoo, where he spent nine years building his expertise. After leaving the company, he applied for a job at Facebook and got rejected. That rejection became fuel. Together with Brian Acton, Jan started building WhatsApp from a tiny office with almost no money. The first version failed. Investors said no. The app kept crashing. But Jan and Brian kept improving it, focusing on speed, privacy, and simplicity. Their persistence paid off as WhatsApp grew to hundreds of millions of users worldwide through word of mouth alone.
✎ Then came the full-circle moment. In 2014, Facebook—the same company that once rejected him—bought WhatsApp for $19 billion. Jan signed the deal at the same welfare office where he once collected food stamps. His story is a powerful reminder that rejection can become motivation, principles matter, and persistence wins. From poverty to building one of the biggest apps in the world, Jan Koum proved that where you start doesn’t determine where you can go. Continue to believe—your moment is coming.
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• 254 Confidence: https://amzn.to/3jdh9c2
★ RECOMMENDED VIDEOS FOR YOU ★
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• 9 Celebrities Like Lady Gaga Who Risked It All to Chase Their Dreams - https://youtu.be/94Dym4CPPx0
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• How to Overcome Self-Doubt When It’s Your Turn (in Just 15 Minutes!) - https://youtu.be/3larjT7_0rI
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Much love,
Evan
#Believe