Jeff Bezos’s parents invested $245,573 in Amazon when it was an uncertain online bookstore; that early family investment is worth billions today as the company’s valuation passes $2 trillion

When Jeff Bezos decided to leave his secure job in 1994 to build an online bookstore, he was pursuing an idea that many people struggled to understand. The internet was still unfamiliar to most investors and the future of online shopping remained uncertain. His parents, Jackie and Mike Bezos, nevertheless backed him with $245,573 from their savings in 1995. Bezos later recalled that he warned them they could lose their money. They invested anyway because they believed in their son. Nearly three decades later, Amazon has grown from a small internet bookseller into a global technology and retail giant. The family’s early decision has since become one of the most remarkable investment stories linked to the company’s rise.