Items25The creator’s order
  1. 1Madam C. J. WalkerMadam C. J. WalkerBorn 23 Dec 1867Walker began marketing her hair-care line in 1906 through personal demonstrations, mail order and door-to-door selling. Training a network of agents turned a small operation into a business that continued for decades after her death. Her daughter A'Lelia and her management team helped make that…0i
  2. 2Yvon ChouinardYvon ChouinardBorn 9 Nov 1938Before Patagonia's clothing, there were pitons forged from scrap metal. In 1957 Chouinard bought second-hand blacksmithing equipment, worked in his parents' backyard and sold climbing gear from his car. That small specialist trade gave him unusually direct contact with customers using the products.…0i
  3. 3Anita RoddickAnita RoddickBorn 23 Oct 1942Roddick opened one small Body Shop in Brighton in 1976 with borrowed money. Refillable containers and a limited product range made the shop's difference visible without a large launch campaign. Her husband Gordon and early investor Ian McGlinn helped turn the initial shop into a chain. Its decades…0i
  4. 4Ingvar KampradIngvar KampradBorn 30 Mar 1926IKEA started in 1943 as a teenager's trading business selling small goods, not as a ready-made furniture empire. Kamprad's father paid the registration fee as a graduation present, and his family supplied support and a base. Furniture entered the range in 1948. His early interest in the gap between…0i
  5. 5Amancio OrtegaAmancio OrtegaBorn 28 Mar 1936Ortega's manufacturing roots lie in a small clothing workshop begun in 1963, before the first Zara shop opened in 1975. Rosalia Mera and other family members contributed to the early enterprise. Making garments before becoming a large retailer gave the business practical knowledge of production and…0i
  6. 6Sara BlakelySara BlakelyBlakely launched Spanx in 2000 after putting $5,000 of savings into developing a specific undergarment she wanted to wear herself. She kept selling fax machines while researching patents and seeking a manufacturer. Early department-store orders and Oprah Winfrey's exposure helped turn a narrow…0i
  7. 7Michael DellMichael DellBorn 23 Feb 1965Dell began PC's Limited in 1984 as a university student with $1,000. Upgrading and assembling computers for customers offered a way into the market without first building a nationwide retail network. Direct selling and computers configured for customer requirements provided a commercial distinction…0i
  8. 8Phil KnightPhil KnightBorn 24 Feb 1938Knight and coach Bill Bowerman each contributed $500 to Blue Ribbon Sports in 1964. Their initial business imported Japanese running shoes, with Knight selling at track meets and Bowerman bringing technical knowledge and relationships with athletes. Nike developed later. It is a useful example of…0i
  9. 9Kōnosuke MatsushitaKōnosuke MatsushitaBorn 27 Nov 1894Matsushita's first electrical-product experiments took place in a tiny Osaka tenement in 1917; the manufacturing works followed in 1918. His wife Mumeno and her brother Toshio Iue worked alongside him. Poor initial socket sales made an order for fan-insulation plates important working capital. The…0i
  10. 10Soichiro HondaSoichiro HondaBorn 17 Nov 1906In 1946 Honda's research institute occupied a small barrack-like building, adapting surplus engines for bicycles. Proceeds from an earlier components business and existing engineering experience helped support this new start. Honda Motor followed in 1948, and Takeo Fujisawa supplied crucial…0i