Akio Nitori

Akio Nitori founded discount home furnishings chain Nitori Holdings; its shares trade on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.The company has expanded in urban markets like Tokyo and has nearly 500 stores across Japan.Nitori, the firm's chairman, founded the first store in 1967. He stepped down as president in 2016. The chain has stores outside Japan in China, Taiwan and the U.S. To earn money for college tuition and expenses, he worked collecting unpaid bar tabs and hustling pool, among other jobs.