From mopping floors to a $19 billion deal
When I was 16, my mom and I left Ukraine for the U.S. with nothing more than a suitcase and a few dollars in our pockets. We ended up in a tiny apartment with no heat, surviving on food stamps and government aid. While my classmates were thinking about parties, I was working nights cleaning offices just to help pay rent. Some days, dinner was nothing but stale bread.
Then life got even tougher—my mom was diagnosed with cancer. We didn’t have health insurance, and I barely spoke English. I was her translator at the hospital, juggling fear, responsibility, and survival all at once.
But those struggles became fuel. I taught myself computer science from used manuals I found, since I couldn’t afford formal classes.
When I applied to Facebook for a job, I got rejected. Years later, that same Facebook would buy my app, WhatsApp, for $19 billion. The idea started from something simple: I just wanted an easy way to stay connected with my mom. I never imagined it would grow to connect billions of people around the world.
“Don’t let rejection or struggle define you. Even the person scrubbing floors today can be the one signing billion-dollar deals tomorrow.” — said Jan Koum.
Adapted from the article shared by Story of Life today, Sunday 7 September 2025.
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