Born and raised in Hawaii, Robert Kiyosaki is a fourth-generation Japanese-American. After graduating from college in New York, Robert joined the Marine Corps and went to Vietnam as an officer and helicopter gunship pilot. Returning from the war, Robert went to work for the Xerox Corporation, and in 1977 started a company that brought the first nylon and Velcro surfer wallets to market. In 1985, he founded an international education company that taught business and investing to tens of thousands of students throughout the world. In 1994, Robert sold his businesses and retired at the age of 47. Shortly afterward, he wrote The New York Times best-seller Rich Dad, Poor Dad, and he created the educational boardgame, CASHFLOW.