From Dairy Farm To Billionaires List: America's Richest Self-Made Woman 'Grew Up Real Fast'

This story is part of a new series of features on the subject of success, Benzinga Inspire.

Many of the world's richest people came from wealth but one of the wealthiest women in the world grew up on a dairy farm in Wisconsin.

And she still lives in The Badger State to this day.

What To Know: According to CNBC, Diane Hendricks spent most of her childhood building a work ethic on a farm, and she has topped Forbes' list of America's Richest Self-Made Women for five years in a row. 

Related Link: Billionaire Warren Buffett Still Lives In A 1920s House He Paid $31K For

Hendricks generated a large majority of her wealth from a construction materials company she started with her late husband in the 1980s called ABC Supply. She remains chair of the company today. 

As of last year, Hendricks had a net worth of more than $12 billion, according to Forbes. Her journey to the top of the list is quite remarkable.

Milking The Most Out Of Life: Hendricks got her work ethic by helping her parents on the farm from a young age. She got pregnant when she was 17 and she was divorced by the age of 21, so she took on several jobs in order to support her family.

"Motherhood got in the way real quick and I grew up real fast. It didn’t stop me from wanting to reach my dream. In fact, I think I became even more focused," she told CNBC.

She co-founded ABC Supply with Ken Hendricks, a roofing contractor. By the mid-90s, the company had exploded in size. Before the turn of the century, ABC Supply generated $1 billion in revenue annually. 

Her husband passed away in 2007, but the company didn't lose a step. She continued building the supply company which now has more than 800 locations and is listed in the top 25 largest private companies, per Forbes. 

As of 2020, the company was doing more than $12 billion in annual sales and employed more than 15,000 associates, according to ABC Supply's website.

"Sharing accomplishments and accolades is fine as long as everyone understands that each is only made possible by focusing on customers and their needs," the site states.

Hendricks still resides in a small town in Wisconsin and the work ethic instilled in her from a young age still remains. According to Forbes, she’s spent millions rebuilding run-down properties and attracting new business to the state by building a complex that is home for several small companies. 

You really can't frame her story any better than ABC Supply does in its slogan: "Delivering on the American Dream since 1982."

See Also: Billionaire Chamath Palihapitiya Predicts New Law Showering Billions On Clean Energy To Create World's First Trillionaire

Photo: ABC Supply.