Forget a private jet; Steve Jobs’s billionaire widow once didn’t even have the money to fly coach and could only afford stamps from countries she dreamed of visiting. Now Laurene is sailing to every destination in that stamp book aboard her $120-million superyacht, Venus
When we picture billionaires, we often imagine a life of opulence, with butlers and assistants attending to their every need, never having to lift a spoon or work a single day, except, perhaps, to sign documents. In reality, however, the journey to this extravagant lifestyle is far more demanding. Self-made billionaires like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg didn’t inherit their wealth, they worked their way up through sheer drive and ambition.
Steve Jobs, the late co-founder of Apple, was one such individual. Although he no longer ranks among the wealthiest today, his wife, Laurene Powell Jobs, remains one of the richest women in the world, at the helm of her own incredible philanthropic work.
At 60 years old, Laurene’s childhood couldn’t have been more different from the billionaire lifestyle she leads now. The mother of three was far from the high-end mansions and luxury yachts she enjoys today. When her father died in a tragic accident, her mother was left to raise four children under the age of six, with limited financial resources. Yet what her father did leave her was resilience and an unshakable work ethic. During those difficult years, every child contributed. Laurene and her three brothers, two older, one younger, “always had jobs,” as the Washington Post reported, taking on a local newspaper delivery route that was passed down from sibling to sibling. Despite their modest means, Laurene’s dreams were boundless.
“There was no money for the family to travel, so Laurene collected stamps of countries she would like to visit someday,” a source shared. According to the Washington Post, young Laurene would carefully collect postage stamps from faraway nations, each small square a symbol of a destination she hoped to visit one day The American businesswoman recently traveled to India to attend the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, continuing Jobs’ spiritually significant connection to the nation.
This “never say die” attitude drove her to work tirelessly in her youth, taking on various odd jobs, from delivering newspapers to shoveling snow, babysitting, teaching swimming lessons, and even lifeguarding, all before she was out of her teens. As an adult, she bussed tables and later worked as a waitress.
That was many decades ago, and today, the Stanford graduate is a billionaire with a portfolio that includes a $70 million Spanish Renaissance Revival mansion in San Francisco’s Pacific Heights, another $33 million historic mansion on San Francisco’s exclusive Billionaire’s Row, and approximately $80 million invested in luxury properties, with a focus on exclusive California coastal developments. Laurene has single-handedly purchased more homes than Steve Jobs did in his entire life. However, the real asset is her Venus superyacht, a true testament to her success and vision.
From stamps to superyachts
The founder of philanthropy and advocacy firm Emerson Collective is a billionaire worth $14 billion, with a $120 million superyacht, that can take her to any part of the world she desires. Although Steve Jobs didn’t live to see the launch of Venus in late 2012, the yacht remains in the loving hands of his widow, who was deeply involved in the design process alongside French designer Philippe Starck from the very beginning.
Steve Jobs, who spent countless hours tweaking the plans and reviewing mockups at home, once confided, “I know that it’s possible I will die and leave Laurene with a half-built boat,” he told Isaacson. “But I have to keep going on it. If I don’t, it’s an admission that I’m about to die.” In the end, he left her with a masterpiece, built with Apple hardware as its brain. Laurene and her family later hosted the Dutch team that worked on the yacht, gifting each worker an iPod Shuffle engraved with the yacht’s name, along with a thank-you note.
The 255-foot, six-deck yacht sleeps 12 guests in six cabins, boasts an expansive beach club, and is a shining example of minimalistic design. Venus has taken Laurene to exotic locations like Amsterdam, Australia, Turkey, Monaco (where she collided with the Lady Moura yacht), Italy, Mallorca, and beyond. It stands as a constant reminder of Steve’s creative vision and the years they spent together. It was one of the last major projects they embarked on as a couple.
With Venus, Laurene has turned some of her childhood dreams into reality. The yacht is not just a symbol of wealth but a sanctuary and an adventure, shared with her loved ones. The sleek and splendid superyacht has departed from St. Maarten and is currently cruising in the Caribbean, according to Marine Traffic.
