7 Successful Entrepreneurs Turned Politicians

Here's our list of the top entrepreneurs who decided to run for political office.

SPONSOREDUpdated 5:17PM • 11/23/15

1. Mike Bloomberg

Mike Bloomberg was most known for starting the financial data and media company, Bloomberg LP, with a $10 million severance package from an investment bank, until he left his position as CEO to pursue his political career. Bloomberg served as New York City’s mayor for three terms and has now returned to Bloomberg LP. Once an entrepreneur, always an entrepreneur?

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2. Mitt Romney

Mitt Romney started his career in consulting and worked for the Boston Consulting Group until he joined Bain & Company. He left Bain & Company to cofound the spinoff company Bain Capital, focusing on venture capital. After a failed Senate campaign, he took some time off from politics until he decided to run for governor of Massachusetts, for which he served from 2003-2007. Romney went on to run for President in 2012, but was defeated by President Barack Obama.

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3. Ross Perot

After working for IBM, Perot formed his own company: Electronic Data Systems. The company was so successful that he later sold it to General Motors. He is one of the most successful third party candidates in U.S. history during his two runs for president as an independent.

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4. Donald Trump

Donald Trump is a well-known real estate developer, TV personality, author and now presidential candidate. Trump began his career at his father’s real estate company but has started many projects of his own. He has established the Trump name and brand in many industries including sports, beauty pageants and TV. Being very vocal about his political views throughout his business career, Trump had considered running for President and governor many times. It wasn’t until this year that he decided to run for the presidential nomination for the Republican Party.

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5. Arnold Schwarzenegger

In case you didn’t guess, the “Governator” didn’t start his career in politics. After being a successful bodybuilder, he decided to start his own business with a fellow colleague. In 1968, he started a bricklaying business, which he would later sell and use the profits to start a mail order business that sold bodybuilder and fitness-related products. George H. W. Bush nominated Schwarzenegger as chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. Then, as a Republican, he was elected as governor of California, and was in office from 2003-2011.

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6. Mark Warner

Mark Warner was working in politics as a staff member to a U.S. Senator before he got involved in business. With his knowledge of federal telecommunication law, he became a broker of mobile phone franchise licenses. He later became the founder and managing director of Colombia Capital, a venture capital firm. He returned to politics in 2002 as the governor of Virginia. He is currently serving as a U.S. Senator.

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7. Carly Fiorina

Starting her career as an AT&T management trainee, she worked her way up to become an executive officer. As CEO of HP, she was the first woman to run a top 20 company, as ranked by Fortune Magazine. Since leaving HP in 2005, she was a candidate for the US Senate in California and is currently running for the Republican nomination for president.

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7 Successful Entrepreneurs Turned Politicians

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