The Harder You Work, the Luckier You Get

Joe Ricketts, the founder of TD Ameritrade, shares the incredible behind-the-scenes tale of how a blue-collar kid from Nebraska took on the exclusive brokerage industry of Wall Street, disrupted it, and emerged as a billionaire.

Throughout his life, Joe Ricketts had a unique knack for spotting opportunities that others overlooked. Growing up in a family of construction workers, he started off as a part-time janitor, but by the time he was thirty-three, he saw an opening to shake up the traditional brokerage firms by offering the average American an affordable way to manage their own stock trading. Today, it's normal to see everyday Americans investing on Wall Street, but it was Ricketts who made this possible. With just $12,500 in borrowed funds from loved ones, his company skyrocketed, fueled by early adoption of digital technology and bold marketing tactics.