Greetings, dear Steemians! In our series of success stories, as you may know, we take a look at the inspiring life tales of the most accomplished people from across the world, often with awe and astonishment as to how they could tolerate the challenges of life to arrive at their current place. A few years ago, Jan Koum sold WhatsApp to Facebook in a staggering $19 billion contract, making him one of the richest people in the world of computers and IT. As impressive as that might sound, Koum’s origin story is one of grief and hardship. ![image2.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmbr5jUZ8aVvKvwz6P8fiVw7XbfqhefYS1YYMYD7ZtVN78/image2.jpg) img src

Koum was born in a small village in Ukraine to a construction manager and a caring mother. His early life was not particularly easy, and at the age of 16, Koum and her mother immigrated to the United States because of the troubling environment that they had to tolerate in their original home. They were given a two-bedroom apartment by the government. To pay the costs of living, Koum’s mother became a babysitter and Jan himself worked as a janitor in a grocery store, sweeping floors and thinking about his dreams for life. One of the most difficult moments of Koum’s life is when his mother was diagnosed with cancer. His father could not make it to America, so when his mother died, Koum was all alone. ![image3.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmZgG7UFTipQg2FooBR4AQK2WNVVNLuJbDeZCyoMECRJ5H/image3.jpg) img src

There was a point in Koum’s life when he had to stay in line in front of a North County Social Services building to collect food stamps and enjoy free meals as he couldn’t afford anything else. Koum was interested in computer sciences and didn’t lose a chance at learning something new everyday about computers and programming. He eventually found himself working in Yahoo in their advertising branch. He didn’t care much about advertisements, but he did find a good friend there by the name of Brian Acton. Jan Koum couldn’t easily connect with people, but he found a certain comfort in his friendship with Brian Acton. Together, and after his mother’s death and the troubles at Yahoo, they travelled the Southern parts of America in the hope of finding something new for themselves. In January 2009, Koum bought an iPhone and realized the potential of App Store. In the coming months, he envisioned and took steps towards making his idea of a messaging app a reality. WhatsApp was eventually born, and despite the enormous technical setbacks, found his way around in the heart of the public opinion. ![image1.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmNyqxKUWvaWDXgU4pvLaS1ijZZCFm8JYxtY33Z81KVXeB/image1.jpg) img src

In the year 2014, Jan Koum sold WhatsApp for $19 billion to Facebook. He most fascinating thing about that contract was the spot on which it was signed. Jan Koum, Brian Acton and a few other representatives drove a few blocks from WhatsApp headquarters to an abandoned Social Services building, the same building that fed a struggling Koum in his early years. It was indeed a significant and meaningful spot for Koum, as it reminded him of his bravery and courage in the face of life’s difficulties. Difficulties that could drive any man insane or fill them with hopelessness. WhatsApp is now one of the most popular messaging apps throughout the globe. A BIG HUG! @chbartist ================== Important Note! I have been working very hard on this blog since the beginning. I have a very busy life but I am giving my best and believe me I have shared experiences that I have been coaching thousands of people and I know that the change of the Mindset should be daily. I am already grateful to see you giving upvotes to each other and you can see this with the fact that many already have 8, 9, 10 upvotes. But I'm sure that with the effort of all of us we will see a community with, 40, 50, 80 upvotes and for that everyone should get engaged so we can make it come true. I believe and we can! Resteem... ***Remember Community: Please, if you commented and upvote on a new post I did, please always go back to the previous one because if someone in the community commented lastly because of time zone differences it will be without your upvote and that would not be fair. You all know the goal! We can reach: 50+ Upvotes each others! Attention!!! I'm reading all the meaningful comments from the posts. I am here making a list of all of you who have helped build this community by voting for each other who write meaningful comments and soon I will respond to everyone with comment and thank you all because I can already see this spirit being built in this Positive Mindset community and help between all of you. You will receive my upvote in all material and brief comments I will do this in all the posts I am following very closely and I can see what the people who are generous and contribute to this legacy that I am trying to build with all of you can become reality in a short time. AND First of all, I would like to thank all of you, who are the most active and proactive in this community, showing your generosity and always with meaningful comments. From now on I will always make a list of these incredible people who have helped to expand our goal of growing ever more. But I ask that if you are new around here you read many of the previous posts because they make it clear that we are building a community with respect among all, generosity and this blog is for those who really want to start moving their Mindset to positive and moreover be part of the growth of all of us who contribute to this blog. Please do not ask to include you in the list if you are just wanting upvotes because we want here people genuinely attuned to growth and good attitudes and as I have always said with Respect as the basis of all, generosity and positivity! ABOUT OUR LIST!!! WE NEED GROW THIS LIST! LET'S GO TOGETHER IN THIS COMMUNITY - RESTEEM! Feel free if you want to be included in the list of contributors to this community. Just ask at the end of your comment. @juanmanuellopez1 @moghul @coolguy222 @newageinv @gowealth @blessed-girl @cruis @lexymaine @alokkumar121 @aceandnotes @darlenys01 @rafique1953 @marvyinnovation @wems @ajks @alaisguineasis @amnlive @kimmysomelove42 @praditya @tommyl33 @samryan @vickykarma @brightsun @oppongk @kryp70kn1gh7 @hobo.media @theticket @royer94 @mentalhealthguru @bradley028 @nummulshrma @maxijgcomm @maikelblogo @mrblu @nancymj @petervi @mcoinz79 @missabigail @saludoalalma @mcnestler @moarafatshow @gargi @luis402 @rem-steem @shahzadeh @sumon-ar-vines @naijauser @yantrax @josema.saborido @khan.dayyanz @shapescooper @aceofhearts @marcocosta @rvag5 @fusroj @cashlane @borrowedearth @michaeljn @kchitrah @mitchhunter @nataliaeline @cherlianny @unknownphoton @unclefz @gardengranny @bettyamv @ghostwriter9 @wandrnrose7 @nancybriti @missladybug @shirophantomhive @rvag5 @ankitjnv @marvyinnovation @tommyl33 @gowealth @ustaadonline @daio @brightsun @mzubairch @lightestofideas @amit1995 @starapple @treodecimo @edinhazard @maxijgcomm @wasito @mariita52 @maroni55 @nataliaeline @ajtech2596 @keithf @wesleyvanderstel @grainsofsand @mariita52 @naijauser @castleirwell @juanmanuellopez1 @moghul @coolguy222 @newageinv @gowealth @blessed-girl @cruis @lexymaine @alokkumar121 @aceandnotes @darlenys01 @rafique1953 @marvyinnovation @wems @ajks @alaisguineasis @amnlive @kimmysomelove42 @praditya @tommyl33 @samryan @vickykarma @brightsun @oppongk @kryp70kn1gh7 @hobo.media @theticket @royer94 @mentalhealthguru @bradley028 @nummulshrma @maxijgcomm @maikelblogo @mrblu @nancymj @petervi @mcoinz79 @missabigail @saludoalalma @mcnestler @moarafatshow @gargi @luis402 @rem-steem @shahzadeh @sumon-ar-vines @naijauser @yantrax @josema.saborido @khan.dayyanz @shapescooper @aceofhearts @marcocosta @rvag5 @fusroj @cashlane @borrowedearth @michaeljn @kchitrah @mitchhunter @nataliaeline @cherlianny @unknownphoton @unclefz @gardengranny @bettyamv @ghostwriter9 @wandrnrose7 @nancybriti @missladybug @shirophantomhive @rvag5 @ankitjnv @marvyinnovation @tommyl33 @gowealth @ustaadonline @daio @brightsun @mzubairch @lightestofideas @amit1995 @starapple @treodecimo @edinhazard @maxijgcomm @wasito @mariita52 @maroni55 @nataliaeline @ajtech2596 @keithf @wesleyvanderstel @grainsofsand @mariita52 @naijauser @castleirwell @isabelpereira @nulifeiq @royer94 @yaleal @ushmil @nisiryan0522 @reveurgam @certain @kkins @nurseanne84 @robertyan @xtophercruzeu @theureview @anil566 @freedomanytime @clayrawlings @zetacoin @goldheart @artoftherhyme @jiujitsu @don-thomas @arsl14 @vishalmajumdar @thehippierays @kemc @aple Thanks All of You!!!!