Do Won Chang is the cofounder and CEO behind the $4 billion fast fashion darling Forever 21, with some 790 stores spanning 48 countries. In 1984, the Changs started the chain with a 900-square-foot store in Los Angeles and a mere 11,000 in savings. Capitalizing on wholesale close-outs, they bought merchandise for cheap and hit $700,000 in first year sales, prompting them to open a new store every 6 months. The pair immigrated to the U.S. from South Korea in 1981 with not much more than a high school education. Updated July 2017
Do Won Chang
Cofounder and CEO, Forever 21
Born in: South Korea
![Do Won Chang](https://media.carnegie.org/filer_public_thumbnails/filer_public/80/b2/80b2dca8-aa4f-4a12-a47c-79270afbd0a7/do-won-chang-3.jpeg__288x288_q85_crop_subsampling-2_upscale.jpg)
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