Successful entrepreneurs naturally have plenty of money to spend and, not surprisingly, they often spend it indulging their personal hobbies.
Most of the time, those interests are mainstream like yacht racing (Steve Ellison, Richard Branson, Ted Turner) or owning a major league sports team (Steve Ballmer, Paul Allen).
However, there are a few entrepreneurs whose hobbies seem just a little bit weird:
1. Elon Musk
The founder of Tesla Motors collects James Bond memorabilia. He owns the Lotus Esprit from the 1977 James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me, which he’s said to be converting into a car-submarine like in the (eminently forgettable) film.
2. Warren Buffett
The famous financier plays, teaches and proselytizes the virtues of the ukulele. Several of his instruments have become collector’s items. A ukulele autographed by Buffett once sold over $11,000.
3. Bill Gates
You might think the Microsoft founder would be all about being online, but instead he collects rare books. Gates once paid $30.8 million for a single manuscript, the Codex Leicester, which contains essays by Leonardo da Vinci.
4. Thomas Edison
The famous inventor was a follower of fad diets or (as his wife characterized them) “correct eating.” At one point, the only liquid Edison would consume were pints of milk at three hour intervals.
Wikimedia Commons/Library of Congress
5. Henry Ford
The automobile magnate collected and restored historic buildings in the hopes of transforming the towns of Sudbury, Massachusetts and Greenfield Village, Michigan into tourist attractions that would celebrate early America.
6. Walt Disney
Not surprisingly to anybody who’s visited Disneyland, Walt Disney had a particular affection for model trains. In addition to those in his parks, Disney had a huge model train setup in his office and a miniature steam train in his backyard.
Associated Press
7. Bob Parsons
The Godaddy founder is an avid hunter of big game. In 2011, a video of the Godaddy CEO killing an elephant surfaced, resulting in widespread criticism. He somewhat lamely attempted to position the kill as a humanitarian act.
8. Nicola Tesla
The inventor of the radio, robotics and alternating current was also an avid pigeon-fancier. He fed wild pigeons from his bedroom window and when too bedridden to continue, he hired somebody to feed the pigeons for him.
9. Thomas J. Watson
The IBM founder was big supporter of the Boy Scouts. He liked putting on a custom-tailored Boy Scout uniform and sitting around the campfire “chewing the fat” with scout leaders and regular boy scouts.
10. Mark Zuckerberg
Zuckerberg kills and eats his own food. His “soup to nuts” treatment of his carnivorousness has included a lobster, a chicken, a pig and at least one goat. Characteristically, he’s posted his kills on his Facebook page.
