Elon Musk is now the richest person in the world with a net worth of $ 187 billion, and while his mother Maye Musk realized he was a genius when he was a kid, she has admitted that she didn’t always know if the CEO of SpaceX that was. destined for greatness.
The 72-year-old model promoted the paperback edition of her book A Woman Makes a Plan on CBS This Morning on Monday, when she got detailed how her children Elon, 49, Kimbal, 48, and Tosca, 46, discovered their passions at an early age.
‘At three o’clock I knew [Elon] was a genius, ”Maye told hosts Gayle King and Anthony Mason,“ but you still don’t know if he’s going to do great things because a lot of geniuses just end up in a basement like a genius, but don’t apply it. ‘
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Proud mom: Maye Musk, 72, talked about her three kids, Elon, 49, Kimbal, 48, and Tosca, 46, while appearing on CBS This Morning on Monday
Wow: While Elon (center) is the richest man in the world with a net worth of $ 187 billion, Kimbal (far right) founded a chain of farm-to-table restaurants and Tosca (far left) is a filmmaker
The proud mother recalled how her oldest son, at the age of 12, created a computer program game that impressed a group of engineering students.
“They said,” Wow, he knows all the shortcuts, “she said, showing them the game.
Maye suggested that young Elon submit the game to a magazine, and he did, earning $ 500.
“I don’t think they knew he was 12,” she said. “So that was a good start.”
One of Elon’s first business ventures is the software company Zip2, which he founded with his brother Kimbal and Greg Kouri with money from a group of investors, including his mother.
Looking back: Maye said each of their kids found their individual passions at an early age growing up in South Africa
Memories: Maye said she knew Elon was a genius when he was only three years old, but she wasn’t always sure he was destined for greatness
Budding Engineer: Maye remembered how Elon made a computer program game at 12 for which he received $ 500 after submitting it to a magazine
“ I was so excited when he started Zip2 because it just made life easier with door-to-door directions, and then newspapers could have a link that took you to a restaurant, ” Maye recalls.
‘I know that’s common now, but it was highly unusual and people didn’t believe it was possible. So that’s why I invested in that in the beginning – although I didn’t have a lot of money. ‘
“Then he thought the banking system needed some help, so he did PayPal,” Maye continued. ‘Then he said,’ Should he do space research or solar energy or electric cars? “And I said, ‘Pick one,’ and of course he didn’t listen to me. ‘
When asked if she has a Tesla, Maye said, “Of course [Elon] gets me the best. ‘
Elon and his partner Grimes welcomed their son X Æ A-Xii in May. He also shares five children with his first wife Justine, from whom he divorced in 2008. They have 17-year-old twin sons, Griffin and Xavier, and 15-year-old triplets, Kai, Saxon and Damian.
Supporting: The model said she invested in Elon’s company Zip2 in 1995, remembering how she was ‘so excited’ when he co-founded the software company with Kimbal and Greg Kouri
Children: Elon shares 17-year-old twins Griffin and Xavier, and 15-year-old triplets, Kai, Saxon and Damian with ex-wife Justine (pictured with ex-fiancé Talulah Riley and his sons in 2010)
Newest Musk: Elon’s youngest child, eight-month-old X Æ A-Xii (left) – who he shares with music artist Grimes (right) – was born in May
Elon may be the oldest and most famous of her children, but his siblings are equally remarkable. His brother, Kimbal, has founded a chain of farm-to-table restaurants and his sister, Tosca, is a filmmaker.
Their career choices come as no surprise to their mother, who saw them pursuing their interests from an early age while growing up in Pretoria, South Africa.
Maye admitted that Kimbal started cooking because he didn’t like the food she made growing up.
“I’m not a great cook, so that’s why he has restaurants,” she explained. “He also does vegetable gardens in underprivileged schools, because he believes that children should always have fruit and vegetables.”
“And then, of course, Tuska was in the movie,” the mother of three went on. She just loved every movie, remembered them all, and she wanted to get into the movie business, which of course I was very discouraged.
Case in point: Maye said her mother (pictured with Maye as a child) never worried about aging or wrinkles and didn’t retire until she was 96
Stare on the rise: Maye is just as impressive as her kids, having found her greatest success as a model in her 60s and 70s
Exciting: Maye (pictured with Gayle King in January 2020) appeared on CBS This Morning on Thursday to promote the paperback edition of her book A Woman Makes a Plan
“Who wants to be in the movie world?” she said with a laugh. And now she has her own platform, Passionflix. They all do the work they love to do. ‘
Maye is just as impressive as her children; she has found her greatest success as a model in her 60s and 70s. The dietitian made history in 2018 when she became the face of CoverGirl at the age of 69 and her modeling career continues to flourish.
“My mother never had any problems with old age,” she recalls. No one could tell her she was getting old. She retired at the age of 96, but before that she never talked about wrinkles or getting old or anything.
“She was just always positive and always learning, teaching herself, and I think that’s a good example,” she continued. “When I got into my 60s, people talked about getting older and being afraid of getting older, and I said, ‘Why are you afraid of getting older?'”
Maye noted that when women turn 50, they “fear losing their jobs, but men at that age” become CEO and president. ‘
“So what’s that about?” she asked. ‘We have to change that. If someone makes you feel bad about your age, just say goodbye. ‘