6 Major Companies That Were Started in a Garage or Shed

Starting out as an entrepreneur can be though. However, you should take comfort in the fact that many of the founders of the most successful companies in the world also had very humble beginnings. Many, in fact, had their start in cramped garages and simple wooden sheds. Below is a list of some of the world’s most successful businesses that started in the confines of a garage or shed.

1. Apple

Perhaps the most famous example is Apple. This company didn’t start with amazing digital devices like the iPhone. It instead started when the founders of Apple, Steve Jobs, Ronald Wayne and Steve Wozniack, hand built their first prototype personal computer in a garage in 1976 that would later go on to become the highly successful Apple.

2. Harley Davidson

The origins of Harley Davidson, the motorcycle choice of tough bikers everywhere, is as humble. The first Harley Davidson motorcycle was in fact constructed in a wooden shed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin by childhood friends, William S. Harley and Arthur Davidson, in 1901.

3. Mattel

The company famous for Barbie actually got its start as a picture frame manufacturer operating out of a garage in Southern California in 1945. Eventually, the company’s founders, Harold Matson and Elliot Handler, came up with the idea of constructing doll houses out of the spare picture frame wood. Their doll houses sold much better than their picture frames, and they soon transitioned into the toy industry.

4. Disney

The world’s foremost producer of animated films, theme park attractions and many other products was actually started in a tiny wooden shed in 1923 in Los Angeles. The shed belonged to Robert Disney, Walt Disney’s uncle. Prior to becoming the first Disney animation studio, it existed as a modest one car garage.

5. Amazon

Today, the world’s biggest retailer is Amazon.com. It used the internet and the US mail system to transform how people purchase products. However, Amazon too had a humble start. It all began in the garage of founder, Jeff Bezos, in 1994 during the infancy of the world wide web. Today, Amazon’s prominence as a commercial hub can’t be matched.

6. The Yankee Candle Company

The almost limitless number of enticing smelling Yankee scented candles also had their origin in a simple wooden shed. The first Yankee Candle was created by founder Michael Kittredge from melted crayons in his parents’ garage as a gift for his mom in 1969.

Overall, while being a new entrepreneur can seem daunting, starting a successful business only requires some inspiration and hard work. Wood storage sheds and garages are not always very glamorous, but they can be a great place to get to work on nearly any project that could someday revolutionize the business world