13.06.2026 19:20
Mexican welder Juan Hernandez, who started working at SpaceX, the space and aviation company owned by US billionaire businessman Elon Musk, in 2015, became a millionaire overnight after the company stock he received as a bonus of $10,000 at the time reached $1,046,000 following the massive initial public offering.
Mexican immigrant Juan Hernandez, who started working as a welder at U.S. billionaire businessman Elon Musk's space and aviation company SpaceX in 2015, became a millionaire when the $10,000 worth of company shares he was given at that time exceeded $1 million after the public offering.
STARTED AS "JUST AN ORDINARY JOB", HIS LIFE CHANGED
Juan Hernandez, who immigrated from Mexico to the U.S. and applied to SpaceX in 2015 on a friend's recommendation, described those days to American media outlet CBS News. Hernandez said he knew almost nothing about SpaceX when he first started and saw it as "just an ordinary contract job." As a welcome gift, he was allocated company shares worth about $10,000 at that time.
BECAME A MILLIONAIRE OVERNIGHT
After 11 years, SpaceX's massive $75 billion public offering completely changed Hernandez's life. The immigrant worker, who worked on rocket launch pads and structures over the years and rose to a managerial position, saw his approximately 6,500 SpaceX shares reach a value of over $1,046,000 based on Friday's market closing price.
Hernandez stated that the company rewarding ordinary workers with shares increased their sense of belonging and praised Elon Musk's vision with these words: "Elon Musk provided opportunities to the cook, the electrician, and ordinary people like us that they couldn't even dream of. Giving shares to employees makes everyone feel like a real part of the company."
NOW WORKS AT A RIVAL COMPANY
Juan Hernandez said he has no plans to stop working even though he is a millionaire and continues his career at Blue Origin, another giant in the aviation and space industry owned by Jeff Bezos.
The millionaire welder said he has started teaching his children financial literacy and investing with the money he earned, proudly noting that his 16-year-old daughter already holds shares in several global companies, including Meta (Facebook), and is growing up with an entrepreneurial spirit.