The story of Zara founder Amancio Ortega is like a dream. Who could ever imagine a young boy, at the age of 16 from a non-wealthy family could be one of the richest men in the europe today.

When you hear the names Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, you instantly know that they are two of the wealthiest men in the world. But do you know the name Amancio Ortega? Chances are, you probably don’t know the man, but you’re aware of the clothing retail company he founded, Zara.

What makes the Spanish multibillionaire so interesting isn’t the fact that he briefly topped Bill Gates as the richest man in the world–it’s his amazing rags-to-riches success story.

At the age of 16, Ortega decided that he could start a company and make real money. By actually really selling things. Compete with his competitors by giving customers exactly what they wanted, quickly instead of buying up inventory and hoping it would sell. A total new business model with an impressive supply chain. In 1975, he opened his first store, and 10 years later his first international store in Portugal.


His story is like a fairytale and we can definitely learn about eight life lessons from Mr. Ortega’s approach.

1. He Don’t Live ‘Life of the Party’
There’s a misconception that successful people have to be extroverts. While networking is part of an entrepreneur’s responsibilities, introverts can be just as, if not more, successful.

Ortega is a known recluse and has spoken very little to the press during his career. However, despite not being the life of the party, he has been able to accumulate a net worth that is estimated at more than $74 billion. Just as Gates, Buffett, Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, and Abraham Lincoln have also shown, introverts like Ortega can be successful because they are better listeners, are more willing to collaborate, and can be more creative.

2. He Was Humble And Modest
It’s been reported that Ortega visits the same coffee shop every day, has lunch with his employees, and, despite being the man behind Zara, dresses modestly in the same blue blazer, white shirt, and gray pants.

Being successful in life doesn’t mean that you can’t still be humble and modest. In fact, having those traits can be extremely beneficial for both your professional and personal lives. Humility has been found to help us cope better with anxiety, become better leaders and workers, have more self-control, and be more willing to help others.

3. Humble And Modest, But He Still Enjoy the Flashy Things
Though humble and modest, Ortega is still able to enjoy himself. He rides horses, and even owns an equestrian center in Finisterre, Spain. He also owns an Audi A8 luxury sedan.

If you can afford that luxury item or vacation, and it’s something that you value, then you shouldn’t feel any guilt about spending that money. It’s OK to splurge every now and then, just like Ortega, because it can actually make you happy.

4. He Never Forgot His Roots
One of the most interesting things about Ortega is that he never really left home. He built the Zara empire in his hometown of A Coruña, Galicia, Spain. This is important, because being close to home helped Ortega remember his roots. And that helped drive the success of Zara, according to Xabier R. Blanco, co-author of the book Amancio Ortega: From Zero to Zara. “Poverty clearly made him who he is,” says Blanco.

5. It’s Never Too Late To Be Successful
Sometimes we are led to believe that you have to be successful at an early age, much like Steve Jobs or Mark Zuckerberg. But Ortega was almost 40 years old when he founded Zara. While that’s not ancient by most standards, it’s not your typical twenty- or thirtysomething millionaire story. It’s refreshing to know that it’s never too late for you to achieve your dreams and ambitions like Ortega did.

6. He Had A Purpose And Knows What Drives him
Around the age of 13, Ortega witnessed his mother’s getting rejected for credit at a grocery store. The realization of his family’s poverty was a driving force for Ortega. He left school immediately and began working so that he and his family would never be put in that situation again.

Sometimes we forget why we wake up every morning and sit in traffic for hours, or why we left a cushy job to launch a startup that is on the brink of failure. Remembering why you make those sacrifices is what forces us to achieve our goals and dreams.

7. Good Things Only Come To Those Who Wait
It took a decade for Ortega to found Zara’s holding company Inditex and open his first shop. Today, Inditex is one of the world’s biggest fashion groups.

Even though 10 years may seem like an eternity when establishing a business, it clearly paid off. Being patient gives you the chance to wait, watch, and know when to act in all aspects of your life. Instead of acting inappropriately or irrationally, with patience you can step back, regroup, and make the best decision possible.

8. He Did It His Own Way
You don’t always have to do what everyone else is doing. Ortega doesn’t have to eat lunch with his employees, but he chooses to have that connection. He opted not to have a big, corner office. Instead, he was on the floor with designers. And, according to economic historian Carlos Rodriguez Braun:

“Without any favourable conditions, in a sector that relies on invention yet restricts creativity, he decided to fight to the top relying on pure innovation. He found a great balance between quality and price, shortened the shelf life of his product by speeding up the design process, selected prime locations for his stores and extended their operating hours, and all of this was done with the goal of attracting the casual shopper. He made it all happen.”

Ortega did things his way rather than follow in the footsteps of fashion industry leaders in Paris, Milan, or New York. That decision clearly paid off. And it’s a great example of success achieved through following and trusting your intuition.

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