How Some of The World’s Largest Companies Got Started

How Some of The World’s Largest Companies Got Started

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Every big business had to start out somewhere, right? Some have come from more humble beginnings than others, launching with no more than some basic equipment, a couple employees, a garage space and a innovative idea.

Many of today’s largest tech companies, such as Sony, Nokia, Samsung and IBM, have been around for a very long time (some since the 1800s). Their beginnings were often very humble, and it is fascinating to look back and see how they actually got started.

To better understand how to build a world famous company, you need to dive into how other entrepreneurs have created theirs. So we have selected and created, for you, a list of companies who have started from rather simple products, only to build great business empires. Some are informative, some are inspiring but some are unexpectedly funny(Nokia).

 SONY

Sony founder Masaru Ibuka started looking into making electronics products because in post-war Japan electricity was cheap. As the war plants were closing down, there was more electricity being produced than was needed. The first product of the company Sony was electric rice cooker.

 NOKIA

Nokia- was founded in 1865 and gradually grew into one of the biggest communications and information technology corporations in the world. But what comes as a s surprise is the fact that  Nokia started by producing leather footwear or so called Galoshes,at the early stage of the company.  It wasn’t until 1987 that they actually introduced their first handheld phone, Mobira Cityman 900. It weighed ”only” 0.8 kg and cost €4650.

TOYOTA

Toyota- Japanese automotive manufacturer, that in 2013 made  ¥962.1 billion profit, have actually started by producing, sewing machines. Believe it or not they are producing them even today.

IKEA

IKEA- Kamprad founded IKEA in 1943 at his Uncle Ernst’s kitchen table. IKEA was basically an acronym of his name Ingvar Kamprad and Elmtaryd, his family farm and the village Agunnaryd. At first the business was typically mail-order and included only small household goods such as picture frames, wallets, nylon stockings, pens and wallets.

 SHARP

SHARP - Is Japanese company that today designs and manufactures electronic products. But they started from a different market too. The”Ever Sharp Pencil” was manufactured in 1915 by Tokuji Hayakawa(the firm founder). It was world’s the first mechanical pencil- ”ever sharp” and that is why the company was named SHARP.

BMW

BMW-   is known for producing the “Ultimate Driving Machines,” but the German brand has a long history that has included the manufacturing of motorcycles as well as aircraft engines. What few consumers may realize is that the BMW logo is actually a symbol of the movement of an aircraft propeller, an image that dates back to the early 1900s.

VIRGIN

Richard Branson- Virgin CEO & Founder faced the challenges of Dyslexia during his schooling years.But that didn’t slow Branson down. In 1966 at the tender age of 16, Richard packed his bags and left school early to start his first business venture, a magazine called “Student”.

SAMSUNG

Samsung- Samsung was formed in 1938 by Lee Byung-chull as a trading company based in Su-dong. The small company started as a grocery, trading goods produced in and around the city as well as its own noodles. Today Samsung is multinational conglomerate company producing various sorts of electronic devices. Under 2013 their net income was $ 30.1 billion.

HUGO BOSS

HugoBoss- Is a German and worldwide-known luxury fashion and style house based in Metzinger. But what you probably did not know is that they started their business by sewing uniforms for Gestapo.

IBM

IBM- The so called Big Blue is a multinational computer technology and IT consulting corporation, based in NY. The roots of IBM date back to the 1880s, decades before the development of electronic computers. But before the computer era they produced all sorts of different products: automatic meat slicers, coffee grinders,tabulating machines and weighing scales.

 LIPTON

Lipton- is one of the world’s greatest refreshment brands. This world’s best-selling tea brand, has been established for more than 100 years, and is available in more than 100 countries. But even this gigantic company started as a regular grocery store. In 1871,Thomas Lipton used his small savings to open his first own shop, in Glasgow, Scotland.

NINTENDO

Nintendo-  The Nintendo Corporation’s domination of the gaming industry didn’t start with their first video game console. They have actually established themselves 70 years before the first video game came to life, in the 19th century when they brought back the popularity of card games to Japan.  A new card game, Hanafuda, was invented, by Fusajiro Yamauchi(Nintendo founder) which used images instead of numbers, making it difficult for gambling.

LAMBORGHINI

Lamborghini -  The founder of Lamborghini, Ferruccio Lamborghini as he tested one of the Ferraris in 1950s noticed some flows in clutch design; he used his tractor knowledge (yes tractor knowledge) and suggested a solution to Ferrari owner Enzo. But Enzo laughed and offended him, this pushed Ferruccio to start his own company which today is a big enough  to be called a rival to Ferrari.