Aiming High — the rise of Masayoshi Son and SoftBank

Like many entrepreneurs, Masayoshi Son was born an outsider with a point to prove and a relentless determination to succeed. Raised in a poor Korean family who had originally migrated to Japan hidden in the hull of a small fishing boat, Son grew up in a highly hierarchical society with few opportunities. But thanks to his natural intelligence, ferocious hard work, quirky charm and happy knack of anticipating the next technological trend, Son has emerged as one of the world’s most influential investors. The SoftBank Group he founded in 1981 now ranks among Japan’s five most valuable listed companies, owning stakes in many market-leading tech firms. To Son’s mind, the disadvantages of birth gave him advantages in life. “The cards I was dealt meant I started at a deficit compared to everyone else, but in the end that proved an extraordinary source of inspiration and energy to go on and do the impossible. I am beyond thankful to God for that gift,” Son tells the author Atsuo Inoue, a Japan

Like many entrepreneurs, Masayoshi Son was born an outsider with a point to prove and a relentless determination to succeed. Raised in a poor Korean family who had originally migrated to Japan hidden in the hull of a small fishing boat, Son grew up in a highly hierarchical society with few opportunities. But thanks to his natural intelligence, ferocious hard work, quirky charm and happy knack of anticipating the next technological trend, Son has emerged as one of the world’s most influential investors. The SoftBank Group he founded in 1981 now ranks among Japan’s five most valuable listed comp