Softbank $24 Billion down the drain

The legend goes that Masayoshi Son wanted to fund the future’s ideas, so he created a $30 BN dollar fund. That’s right, $30 BN.

But just before he met with potential investors, he fiddled with the slides and changed the amount. The fund wouldn’t be $30 BN. It would be $100 BN.

The investors laughed out loud. He didn’t. “Life’s too short to think small”, he said.

“Life’s too short to think small”

And nothing about his journey to becoming one of the world’s most prominent billionaires has been small. His company, Softbank, is a giant in multiple industries, with aggressive investment and fast expansion. But also, controversy and very costly mistakes.

Softbank Origins

When Masayoshi Son arrived in the US, his English was limited, but his dreams were big. After reading about microchips, he felt computers were the future and created his company, Softbank. In 1981, he began importing PC software from Japan then ventured into the publishing business, with PC magazines.

By 1990, Softbank Corp. Japan became Softbank Corp and now brought services from the US to Japan. Son created yet another company, Softbank…