7. Tyler Perry
Today, Tyler Perry is a billionaire media mogul—but he once lived out of his car while trying to get his first stage play off the ground. For years, he poured everything into writing and producing, facing rejection after rejection.
But he believed deeply in his work and kept at it. Eventually, I Know I’ve Been Changed found its audience. Perry went on to create the Madea franchise, his own studios, and an empire built on resilience and vision.