Small business owners can attest that starting a new business can be daunting. Learning to manage a small business properly can be a learning experience of trial and error. Despite all that can be learned from on-the-job training, prospective business owners can learn a lot from individuals who have already started successful businesses. The following top entrepreneurs built their businesses from the ground up and are positive examples for those looking to branch out into the business world.
Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison might be known as a famous inventor, but he also had a keen sense of business. Edison made his mark on the business world by pioneering the concept of research and development, formulating a way to turn ideas into innovation positively. Edison first entered the business world by working for various companies before founding General Electric. Through his combined sense of intelligence and business savvy, Edison helped establish the early electrical infrastructure of the United States.
Walt Disney
It might shock some people to learn that Walt Disney began his career as a lowly animator at an advertising company. Disney had a vision that he soon turned into a reality despite his humbling beginnings. Inspired by the mice that roamed his office, Disney created the famous Mickey Mouse and made him the star of the 1928 short “Steamboat Willie.” The success of “Steamboat Willie” and several other short films starring the plucky Mickey led Disney to found his animation studio, which soon blossomed into amusement parks and a merchandising empire. Disney would become synonymous with entertainment and popular culture as time went on.
Steve Jobs
As one of the co-founders of Apple, Steve Jobs led the company through the heyday of the Digital Revolution. In the 1980s and 90s, Jobs and his partner, Steve Wozniak, turned Apple into a household name and the only tech company capable of challenging Microsoft’s dominance over home computing. However, jobs’ significant contribution to Apple lies in his later work. In the 2000s, Jobs pushed Apple to branch out solely from the home computer industry and instead focus on a wide range of consumer electronics. Everyday items like the iPod, iPhone, and iPad were invented through Jobs’ creativity and ingenuity, turning Apple into the gold standard of tech companies.