Question 1: Elon Musk and which CEO were both named the world’s richest person in 2023?
- Bernard Arnault
- Jeff Bezos
- Larry Ellison
Correct Answer: Bernard Arnault
Fact: The X and Tesla CEO and Arnault, the CEO of many luxury brands including Louis Vuitton, Moet Hennessy, and Bulgari, swapped the top spot a couple times in 2023. As of November, however, Musk was back on top as the world’s richest person.
Question 2: Which billionaire received 10 rejections from Harvard and was turned down for a job at KFC?
- Jack Ma
- Larry Page
- Warren Buffett
Correct Answer: Jack Ma
Fact: Jack Ma went on to amass $48.4 billion as founder of Alibaba, but before he experienced success, he experienced rejection. Not only did Harvard reject him ten times, but when Kentucky Fried Chicken came to China, he was the only one of 24 applicants who wasn’t hired.
Question 3: Speaking of Harvard, which of these billionaires did not drop out of the famous Ivy League school?
- Mark Zuckerberg
- Bill Gates
- Steve Ballmer
Correct Answer: Steve Ballmer
Fact: Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard after just two years, while his friend Steve Balmer, who lived down the hall from Gates during their sophomore year, graduated magna cum laude in 1977. Balmer went on to become Gates’ assistant at Microsoft. Meanwhile, Mark Zuckerberg dropped out of Harvard in 2004 to focus on Facebook, which he started while an undergrad.
Question 4: Which pop star become a billionaire for the first time in October 2023?
- Jennifer Lopez
- Taylor Swift
- Beyoncé
Correct Answer: Taylor Swift
Fact: Between her Eras concert tour, album re-releases, blockbuster film, and her relationship with NFL player Travis Kelce, the year 2023 has been good to Taylor Swift.
Question 5: Who was the first-ever billionaire in US dollars?
- John D. Rockefeller
- Andrew Carnegie
- Cornelius Vanderbilt
Correct Answer: John D. Rockefeller
Fact: Rockefeller, who led the Standard Oil business empire, remains the wealthiest person in modern history when adjusted for inflation.
Question 6: L’Oreal CEO Françoise Bettencourt Meyers holds what distinction among billionaires?
- First to make a billion euros
- World’s richest woman
- Has given away the most money
Correct Answer: World’s richest woman
Fact: Meyers' mother Liliane Bettencourt was previously the world's richest woman until her death in 2017.
Question 7: According to Forbes, what Carl Barks creation is the richest character in all of fiction?
- Jay Gatsby
- Scrooge McDuck
- Tony Stark
Correct Answer: Scrooge McDuck
Fact: Depending on the 'DuckTales' comics and cartoons you consult, Scrooge's net worth is in the trillions, quadzillions, or multiplujillions. (Forbes calls it a mere $65.4 billion.)
Question 8: Who was the first hip-hop artist to become a billionaire?
- Ice-T
- Jay-Z
- P. Diddy
Correct Answer: Jay-Z
Fact: The rapper born Shawn Carter has not only sold 125 million records but has had huge success in the clothing and restaurant industries.