Not every great business starts on a high rise or in an executive board room. Many of today’s most successful companies began as little more than a dream, coupled with a few dollars, and enough guts to make it happen. The business stories of many of today’s most successful companies are not only inspirational but also a fabulous source of important lessons.
Whether you’re a budding entrepreneur or a person looking for some direction to provide the nudge to follow your passions, these inspiring business stories will prove to you that greatness can come from small beginnings.
Also Read: Uncovering the Untold Stories of Successful Brands
The Power of Business Stories That Start Small
Real business stories are not just about the money they are about people who believed in what they were doing when nobody else did! These journeys illustrate that with a bit of courage and a good deal of perseverance, very little can come from very little. So let these stories inspire you: that no dream is too small and that nothing is wasted effort!
1. YouTube: From an Idea at a Dinner Party to a Video-Based Revolution
In 2005, three former PayPal employees (Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim) considered sharing videos on the internet and ran into some roadblocks. Discouraged by the state of video sharing, they built their way to share videos on YouTube. The very first business story started in the form of what would become the world’s largest video-sharing platform with a very simple video called “Me at the Zoo”.
Just 18 months later, Google would acquire YouTube for 1.65 billion dollars. It wasn’t just about the videos. It was about creating a real-world solution to a real-world problem, and solving it better than anyone else.
This is perhaps one of the most inspirational business success stories of the Internet era.
2. Airbnb – from Air Mattress to a Global Game-Changer
In 2008, Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia couldn’t pay their rent in San Francisco. Their idea? Rent out airbeds in their apartment renting to the people travelling to the area for a conference to sleep there. They called their simple site AirBed & Breakfast (the precursor to Airbnb).
They received a great deal of rejections. Most investors thought it was crazy for a stranger to rent a home from a stranger – no one would do that. However, the founders didn’t stop there, and, along with Nathan Blecharczyk, created a new model for travel and hospitality.
Today, Airbnb has changed the industry and has a valuation of over $80 billion. This is certainly another case of the business success stories that derive from finding alternate ways of solving problems.
3. Spanx: One Woman’s Audacity that Changed the Fashion Industry
Sara Blakely had $5,000 in savings, no investors, and no experience in fashion. What she did have was an idea to develop comfortable and stylish shapewear that did not show. After many rejections from manufacturers (all men!), she found a factory owner willing to give it a go.
Blakely did her marketing, pitched the item at Neiman Marcus and ultimately got Spanx approved by Oprah Winfrey, which, as they say, changed everything.
Now Spanx is a billion-dollar brand and Blakely is one of the most successful self-made women in the world. Blakely’s journey is one of the more inspirational business stories you will encounter when discussing modern day entrepreneurship.
4. Ben & Jerry‘s – Creating Joy from a Gas Station
Childhood buddies Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield took a battered gas station in Burlington, Vermont and opened it up as an ice cream store in 1978. They put in just $12,000 of their money and opened a fun and wacky ice cream store.
The thing that made their business story so appealing wasn’t only the taste but the way they delivered social values, supported community causes, and provided fair trade. People didn’t love a product. They loved the brand.
In the end Ben & Jerry’s was sold to Unilever, their company still remains faithful to their roots. They are a great theme for how values driven companies can appeal to a global audience.
5. Starbucks – Brewing Success from a Single Store
Before Starbucks achieved a global name, it was simply a store providing coffee coals and equipment in Seattle. Founded in 1971, by Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegl, and Gordon Bowker, it took a dramatic turn when Howard Schultz joined the company in the early 1980s. Following his understanding of Italian coffee culture, Schultz transformed Starbucks into a café-style brand that served an experience along with coffee.
Now, with over 35,000 stores worldwide, Starbucks is one of the more powerful business success stories. What once started as a small business is now a representation of modern coffee culture; the possibility of a small business has an enormous impact around the world.
Also Read: Motivational Stories for Students: Lessons That Will Inspire Hard Work
Key Takeaways from These Business Stories
What do these business stories have in common?
- They all started small. Most of these ideas were born in apartments, garages, and gas stations.
- They all provided a real solution. From video sharing to travel to fashion discomfort, each story solved a real issue.
- They all were persistent. Rejection, failure, and uncertainty didn’t stop them.
- They remained authentic. Each brand stayed true to its vision and values.
These amazing inspirational business success stories show that creativity, consistency, and courage, are enough to start something great.
If these stories ignited your passion, search no further than Businesstories.com for additional real-world examples, tricks, and tactics to create and scale up your venture. Every successful business started at one point as a small idea. Maybe your idea will be next.
