Robert Kiyosaki

In 1986, he tied the knot with Kim Meyer, who is an entrepreneur, investor, author, and motivational speaker.

Over the years, Kiyosaki has given financial advice on a number of television news channels including CNBC, Fox Business, and Bloomberg. Additionally, he appeared on programs such as The Oprah Winfrey Show, Fox and Friends, Larry King Live, The O'Reilly Factor, The Alex Jones Show, Glenn Beck, and Your World with Neil Cavuto.

Robert Kiyosaki was born to Ralph H Kiyosaki in Hilo, Hawaii. He had a Japanese American ancestry. His father was a teacher and instructor by profession, which enabled young Kiyosaki to attend better educational institutes.

He attained his preliminary education from Hilo High School, after which he enrolled at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in New York, graduating from the same as a deck officer in 1969.

Completing his education, he started working on merchant ships, which allowed him to travel to various parts of the world. These journeys exposed him to new cultures and new ways of life. Furthermore, he witnessed extremes of poverty that people faced around the world. These voyages left a profound impact on him.

In 1972, during the Vietnam War, he served as a helicopter gunship pilot in the Marine Corps. For his service, he was awarded with the Air Medal. Two years later, he left the Marine Corps. However, instead of returning to Hawaii he moved to New York.

From 1974 until 1978, he took up the profile of a salesman for Xerox Corporation selling copy machines. Meanwhile in 1977, having saved enough money, he started a company of his own that brought forth to the market the first nylon and Velcro ‘surfer’ wallets.

As a means to limit the cost of the wallets, he did not pay heed to the quality of the product which led to a downfall in the demand, thus causing financial losses to the company. A bankruptcy became inevitable.

Towards the beginning of the 1980s decade, he initiated a business that licensed T-shirts for heavy metal rock bands, such as Motley Crue. Though the business brought forth exceptional financial success initially, with a change in trend, the preference for heavy metal band gave way to softer music which led to a decline in demand. The company became insolvent in 1985.

His first three books, ‘Rich Dad Poor Dad’, Rich Dad's ‘CASHFLOW Quadrant’, and Rich Dad's ‘Guide to Investing’, have been number one on the top 10 best-seller lists simultaneously on The Wall Street Journal, USA Today and the New York Times. It was the success of these books that propelled him to further continue with the series which today comprises of 15 books which together have done a business of over 26 million.