Scott Lee Cohen Net Worth, Relationships, Age/Birthdate & Birthday

The rise of a reluctant dropout turned billionaire: Ryan Cohen

Born on August 4, 1986, Ryan Cohen’s birthday marks the origin of a journey few could have predicted — from teenage side-hustler to multibillion-dollar entrepreneur and activist investor.

Cohen’s story doesn’t read like a classic business school fairy-tale. Raised in Montreal before relocating to Florida with his family, he was introduced early to business through his father, a glassware importer — a background that would shape Cohen’s instincts for commerce.  At the age of 15, he had already dipped his toes into online enterprise by building websites that generated referral-fee income. 

That early taste of entrepreneurship sowed the seeds for his defining venture: in 2011, at the age of 25, Cohen co-founded an online pet-supply store originally named MrChewy — a company that would later become the e-commerce giant Chewy. 

When pet love turned into pet retail dominance

The inspiration was personal: Cohen owned a toy poodle named Tylee, and his experience shopping for pet food made him realize how fragmented and inefficient the market was. Rather than jewelry — his original business idea — Cohen decided to channel his energy into something he cared about: pets. Thus, Chewy was born.

In its earliest days, Chewy faced steep challenges. Cohen has recalled being turned down by over 100 venture-capital firms.  Undeterred, he pressed on — and by 2013 secured a first outside investment of $15 million from Volition Capital. 

Within years, Chewy had exploded. By 2016, the company claimed roughly $900 million in sales and had become the largest online pet retailer in the United States.

Then, in April 2017, came the defining moment: Chewy was acquired by PetSmart for about US$3.35 billion — at the time the largest e-commerce acquisition ever. 

Cohen stayed on as CEO through 2018, growing revenues to some US$3.5 billion per year before stepping down to devote more time to personal pursuits.

From pet supplies to meme-stock king: The GameStop saga

With Chewy behind him, Cohen shifted his focus to investing — and few moves proved as audacious as his bet on GameStop. In late 2020 he quietly built a stake that ultimately amounted to nearly 13 % of the company, making him its single largest individual shareholder.

By January 2021, Cohen had secured a seat on GameStop’s board; by June of that year he became chairman.  That move — and the confidence of retail investors — helped spark one of the most unusual and explosive short squeezes in stock-market history.

When GameStop CEO Matt Furlong was dismissed in September 2023, Cohen — still not drawing a salary — stepped in as CEO.  In taking the helm, he reaffirmed his ambition: not only to invest, but to reshape companies and reimagine their futures.

Fortune rooted in bold risks — and strategic timing

According to Forbes, Cohen’s wealth is derived from both his own entrepreneurship and his savvy investments. As of the most recent public estimates, he remains among the wealthiest self-made entrepreneurs globally.

His portfolio has ranged widely — from his core e-commerce roots, to stock holdings in tech companies like Apple and even a 2022-era investment in Bed Bath & Beyond, which he quickly exited, reportedly netting substantial gains. More recently, media reports have detailed a significant position in Alibaba stock — a diversified pivot that underlines how Cohen continues to move with the market. 

While some labeled him the “meme king” — a nod to his outsized influence on retail-investor sentiment — Cohen prefers to frame his approach differently. In interviews, he has cited his father and Warren Buffett as his two greatest influences, steering him toward independent thinking, long-term conviction, and an avoidance of “the herd.” 

What we know — and what remains private

Cohen’s net worth, domicile, and investing history are reasonably well documented thanks to public filings and frequent coverage by Forbes, Business Insider, and other outlets. 

What we know far less about — or that remains speculative — are details of his personal life and relationships. Public profiles generally list him as “married,” but avoid naming his spouse or offering further family details. The entrepreneur has rarely spoken publicly about his romantic life, preferring to keep that side of his world private while remaining focused on business and investing.

Why Ryan Cohen matters — beyond headlines

Ryan Cohen’s narrative is compelling not because it’s tidy, but because it’s messy — full of pivots, risks, rejections, successes, and reinventions. From selling pet food to challenging Amazon, from founding a billion-dollar startup to reshaping a distressed retailer — his path has defied norms.

He represents a kind of 21st-century entrepreneurship that blends guts, opportunism, and a deep understanding of consumer psychology (whether pets or gamers). As CEO of GameStop, investor in tech giants, and the quietly ambitious force behind multiple major plays, Cohen remains a figure many watch — both with admiration and skepticism.

In a world where startup hype often overshadows substance, Ryan Cohen is a rare example of someone who built real wealth, made high-stakes bets, and continues to steer his fortunes in directions most wouldn’t dare explore.