There is the cliché that every successful business started in a garage or a dorm room. As if only humble beginnings guarantee a billion-dollar empire.
But is this really the reality, or do marketers love this ‘zero to top’ narrative? Let’s take a look behind the scenes!
Apple: the garage that’s (almost) too perfect
The Beginnings: So yes, there was this particular garage at Steve Jobs’ parents’ house in Los Altos, California. This is where Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs actually put together the first Apple I computers.
What few people know: although the garage is iconic, in fact the vast majority of the story took place in a much more professional setting, and Jobs’ parents’ living room was where the first machines were made. So the “garage” is more of a romantic symbol than the exclusive centre.
Where they’ve come from: One of the world’s most valuable and influential companies. From the iPhone to the Apple Watch, the company doesn’t just sell technology, but a complete lifestyle, prestige and innovation. They have grown from what started as an almost tinker’s workshop to a global empire that has changed the world. Amazing!
Nike: from car shoes to global icon (and a bit of Greek mythology)
The Beginnings: in 1964, renowned athletics coach Bill Bowerman and his former student Phil Knight founded Blue Ribbon Sports. In the beginning, they imported Japanese Onitsuka Tiger (now ASICS) shoes, which Knight sold out of the trunk of his car at athletic competitions. Imagine a startup like that today: “Hello, buy shoes from my van!”
The real extra: The name Nike, which stands for the Greek goddess of victory, was suggested by the first employee, Jeff Johnson, in 1971. And for the first “swoosh” logo, a student named Carol Davidson was paid just $35!
Where they’ve come from: A sports giant whose Just Do It slogan motivates millions worldwide. Nike sells sports gear, of course, but rather what gives it its real power is that it also sells inspiration, perseverance and embodies the spirit of winning. They have gone from a boot to a brand that is synonymous with sport and performance. A giant leap!
Haribo: From licorice to the world’s best-known gummi bears (and a good pun)
The Beginnings: Hans Riegel founded Haribo in 1920 in Bonn, Germany. The company name stands for Hans Riegel Bonn.In the beginning, he cooked his sweets in a small, courtyard laundry room in a copper oven, and his wife Gertrud delivered orders by bicycle. The first product was the “Dancing Bear”, which is considered the ancestor of the gummi bear. Can you imagine the postman (or your wife) bringing you fresh gumdrops on a bicycle?
Where they’ve come from: The world’s leading manufacturer of gummi bears, with billions of units sold every year. Haribo’s “Goldbären” (Golden Bears) are iconic and the brand’s slogan (“Haribo macht Kinder froh – und Erwachsene ebenso”, or “Haribo makes children happy – and adults too”) is globally recognised. From a laundry room to the world’s leading confectionery market, that’s something!
The journey of brands from nothing to the top is rarely linear, and is full of surprising twists and turns, and sometimes even a bit of marketing colour. But the bottom line is that vision, persistence and continuous innovation are all essential to your success. And yes, sometimes a car boot or a laundry room can be the starting point for a global empire.
Which famous brand’s history do you remember something extra that few people know?
Aletta Nagy-Kozma
