George Soros survived the Nazi occupation of his native Hungary during World War II and emigrated to England in 1947.

He put himself through the London School of Economics by working odd jobs, such as a dishwasher and house painter. While waiting tables, he was once told that if he worked hard, he could one day end up as the headwaiter's assistant, according to a biography of Soros by Michael T. Kaufman.

Soros did not stay a waiter for long. He went on to become a financier, and, in 1992, made a billion dollars at once when he bet against the British pound in a day known as Black Wednesday. Now an American citizen, he is worth billions and donates generously to various causes.