In a secret corner of the enchanted forest, hidden among towering trees and deep moss, lies a dwarfed magic laboratory. This whimsical space is nestled within the roots of a giant oak tree, its entrance a narrow passage covered in ivy and guarded by mystical creatures. Inside the laboratory, a symphony of colors and sparkling lights greet visitors. Glass jars filled with powdered unicorn horn, starlight crystals, and ground dragon scales line the shelves, each labeled with carefully handwritten notes. Potions bubble and hiss in elaborately adorned cauldrons, releasing intoxicating scents that fill the air. In one corner, a dwarf with a long gray beard and oversized spectacles tirelessly mixes ingredients, his gnarled hands expertly manipulating the fragile magic.
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Maye, who was divorced from Elon and Kimbal s father before Elon was 10, has two master of science degrees, practiced as a dietician, and worked on the side as a model to pay bills as a single mother. Those budding teen tycoons included two sets of brothers Elon Musk, whom you ve likely heard of, and his brother, Kimbal, a fellow entrepreneur focused on trying to change America s food culture; and Lyndon and Peter Rive, the founders of SolarCity.
In one corner, a dwarf with a long gray beard and oversized spectacles tirelessly mixes ingredients, his gnarled hands expertly manipulating the fragile magic. A spellbook, its pages yellowed with age, is opened beside him, providing guidance and ancient wisdom. The dwarf mutters incantations under his breath, the words swirling with power and significance.
How Elon Musk’s Mom (and Her Twin Sister) Raised the First Family of Tech
Elon, his brother, and his cousins are entrepreneurs who are changing the automotive, space-exploration, food, and green-energy industries. Elon’s mother is a model and public-health teacher. Emily Jane Fox chats with the family, and traces a path from South Africa to Silicon Valley.
October 21, 2015From left to right, Russ Rive, Elon Musk, Kimbal Musk, and Peter Rive about 35 years go in Pretoria, South Africa Courtesy of Maye Musk.
Save this story Save this storyHere’s an idea that one of five young South African cousins threw out sometime in the 1980s: What if they could arbitrage the cost of chocolate in an Easter egg? Plain old chocolate at the time cost virtually nothing, but a nicely packaged chocolate Easter egg cost about one rand. So the young cousins melted regular chocolate, molded it into egg shapes, wrapped the chocolate eggs in foil, and went around the poshest parts of their Pretoria neighborhood. And instead of selling these chocolate eggs for the going rate, they cranked up the price to 10 rand.
When neighbors balked at the price, the boys responded as they’d rehearsed. Purchasing from them, they said, would mean the buyer was supporting young capitalists. It worked.
This is not the kind of scheme most 14- or 15-year-old relatives dream up, but these were not most 14- or 15-year-olds. This is a piece of lore essential to understanding what may be the 21st century’s First Family of entrepreneurship, a family of happy capitalists intent on cracking today’s toughest problems by building businesses. Those budding teen tycoons included two sets of brothers: Elon Musk, whom you’ve likely heard of, and his brother, Kimbal, a fellow entrepreneur focused on trying to change America’s food culture; and Lyndon and Peter Rive, the founders of SolarCity. (Their brother Russ now runs the art, technology, and design company SuperUber, in Brazil.) Each family also has a sister: Tosca Musk, a filmmaker, and Almeda Rive, a competitive dirt-bike rider.
Elon may be the most famous of the clan, thanks to his mad-scientist ways and the Beatles-esque buzz surrounding the companies he’s dreamed up—from PayPal to electric carmaker Tesla Motors to aerospace manufacturer SpaceX to what remains—for now—the mere concept of the high-speed Hyperloop. But each of the Musk-Rive cousins has achieved notable levels of success. Kimbal Musk co-founded The Kitchen, a group of eight restaurants that source directly from local farmers, and The Kitchen Community, a nonprofit that’s opened more than 250 school and community gardens that impact 140,000 kids each day. Lyndon and Peter Rive founded SolarCity, the energy-service company that has a market cap of about $4 billion, after Lyndon, Peter, and Russ sold their company, Everdream, to Dell in 2007.
America loves a familial power block—from the Emanuel brothers to the Williams sisters, the Kennedys to the Hemsworths. But there’s something even more intriguing about those Musks and Rives, given what appears to be their genetically pre-programmed ambition. How did five of them grow up to take on some of the knottiest problems on the planet, setting goals so lofty as putting civilians in space and transforming household energy use?
This being an origin story, it all has a great deal to do with their mothers: Maye and Kaye. They are—what else?—twins.
Maye, who was divorced from Elon and Kimbal’s father before Elon was 10, has two master of science degrees, practiced as a dietician, and worked on the side as a model to pay bills as a single mother.
“They grow up knowing you work hard, and the harder you work, the better you do and the luckier you get,” she recently told VF.com. “They also had to be responsible for themselves, because they had to help me.”
Lyndon Rive, whose parents were entrepreneurs in the natural-health business, recently recalled watching his mother—Kaye—work from 7 in the morning until 11 o’clock at night, every day.
“We grew up thinking that’s what people do, isn’t it? That’s what’s expected,” he says.
This bred quite a bit of independence, and quite a bit of time for the cousins to get up to something. The fact that they didn’t get allowances meant they spent that free time trying to come up with ways to make a buck. That they grew up 20 minutes away from each other made it easy to scheme together.
“We didn’t have a lot of oversight with our parents, so there was a freedom to get up to mischief. It was a different kind of mischief, though. It always had a capitalist bent,” Kimbal explains. “We were very excited, hungry kids with way too much energy on our hands. Not only were we individually inclined that way, but when you put us all together, then it’s like, What are we going to do now? Get a bunch of us in a room, and we come up with something.”
The Musk Family: From left to right, Maye, Lyndon Rive, Elon, Kimbal, and Peter Rive.
Photo-Illustration by Ben Park; By Fernando Leon (Maye), from Bloomberg (Peter and Lyndon, Kimbal), by Kevork Djansezian (Elon), all from Getty Images.
That’s why the older cousins—Lyndon is six years younger than Elon and was left on the fringes of much of their teenage business endeavors—came up with the idea to open an arcade close to their school. Elon, the ringleader, and his cousins signed a lease, got contracts in place, filled out a stack of forms at the city planning department, and nearly reached the last hurdle of getting a zoning variance before the city told them they were too young and needed an adult to sign off.
The post caught the attention of Elon Musk, who simply commented “!”. Starbuck replied, “It’s really horrible. It was about 5 years ago so the 2 involved are younger than they look here. I was reluctant to share this before because they were young and knew California wouldn’t do anything about it. It’s tragic. DM btw, I have an idea to fight this ideology.”
Next to him, an array of enchanted objects covers a workbench, glinting with hidden enchantments and mysterious properties. Small figurines carved with intricate details bring miniature scenes to life, while tiny bottled fairies flit and dance, captivating onlookers with their delicate wings and mischievous antics. In the center of the laboratory, a circular table stretches out, covered in a mosaic of ancient symbols. Here, the dwarf gathers with fellow magic practitioners - fairies, leprechauns, and other woodland creatures - to share their latest discoveries and troubleshoot magical conundrums. The atmosphere in the laboratory is one of excitement and awe, as magical experiments take shape and new spells are forged. The enchanted forest outside provides an abundant source of inspiration, with its ethereal creatures and hidden wonders that have yet to be uncovered. Visitors leave the dwarfed magic laboratory with a sense of wonder and a newfound respect for the delicate art of spellcasting. This hidden gem in the heart of the forest reminds them of the ancient traditions and untamed magic that still thrives in the world, waiting to be explored and embraced..
Reviews for "Dreaming Big in a Small Space: The Magic of Dwarfed Laboratories"
1. John - 2/5 - I was really disappointed with the Dwarfed Magic Laboratory. The attractions were limited and not very exciting. The staff seemed disinterested and unenthusiastic about their job. The overall atmosphere was dull and uninspiring. I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone looking for a fun and magical experience.
2. Lisa - 1/5 - I had high hopes for the Dwarfed Magic Laboratory, but it fell short in every aspect. The exhibits were outdated and poorly maintained. The interactive displays were glitchy and barely functioned. The ticket prices were way too high for the underwhelming experience offered. Save your time and money, and look for a better magical attraction elsewhere.
3. Mike - 2/5 - The Dwarfed Magic Laboratory lacked the charm and wonder I was expecting. The setup was confusing, and there were no clear directions on how to navigate through the different sections. The displays appeared cheaply made, and some even had missing or broken parts. The whole experience felt rushed and poorly executed. I regret spending my money on this disappointment.
4. Sarah - 2/5 - I was unimpressed with the Dwarfed Magic Laboratory. The exhibits were repetitive and offered nothing new or exciting. The staff seemed disorganized and struggled to answer basic questions. The layout of the laboratory was confusing, and it was easy to get lost without any clear signs or maps. Overall, it was a lackluster experience that I wouldn't recommend to others.