Through The Years With FSB THIS ISSUE TELLS COMPELLING TALES OF CREATION FROM THE ENTREPRENEURS WHO'VE CHANGED AMERICAN LIFE. THEY JUST MIGHT INSPIRE YOU TO TRY SOME NEW IDEAS.
(FORTUNE Small Business) – Just over five years ago we launched a column called Look Back, which usually appears on FSB's last page. The conceit couldn't have been simpler: Each story would explore the entrepreneurial roots of the country's most important companies. Someone started Mattel, right? Pizza Hut didn't come to us courtesy of some food conglomerate's idea lab--or did it? And who were those legendary thinkers who spawned the ever delectable TV dinner? Such classic stories, we figured, would be not only entertaining but also instructive. Some 40 editions later, Look Back has become one of our more popular features. In fact, we're occasionally asked if there's a collection of the columns in print (no, but you can find many of them on fsb.com). That's what led us to create this special issue, which deviates from our usual format. Our opening section is filled with historical stories that are true to the Look Back theme. Our features take a deeper look at the entrepreneurial evolution of ten companies. Most of the stories are new to the magazine--Gillette's, for instance. But we've also expanded on such old favorites as Holiday Inns. If you're a fan of these companies or just interested in history, you're in for a treat. You'll read about how Holiday Inns founder Kemmons Wilson, who recently died, decided to open a hotel chain after a family road trip in the summer of 1951. As it turns out, Wilson was annoyed that the motels he and his family visited had no pools and no restaurants, and charged extra for kids. And by now we all know what he did about it. Then there was King Gillette. The sharpest advice the razor maven ever got? Look for "something that when used once is thrown away and the customer comes back for more." Those were the words of King's boss at the time, who ran a cork-bottle-cap business. And how did Mattel break out? In 1955, ABC-TV offered Ruth and Elliot Handler, Mattel's founders, an exclusive 52-week sponsorship of a new program, The Mickey Mouse Club. The decision was hardly a no-brainer. The $500,000 pricetag was steep--and who knew television would be a great advertising medium? The Handlers were intrigued, though, and turned to their comptroller for advice. If the show failed, they asked, will we go broke? "Not broke," their number cruncher apparently said, "but badly bent." That was safe enough for the Handlers, who are best known for bringing Barbie into the world. The result: The show was a hit upon its debut in October 1955, and by Christmas Day the Handlers took in more than a million orders for their Burp Gun, at $4 a pop. As always, the stars of the magazine are the founders and their companies. But the people who helped bring these stories to life also deserve recognition. Senior editor David Lidsky was the boss of the issue. He worked hard picking the companies and giving shape to their compelling stories. Contributor Paul Lukas, our regular Look Back author, wrote the main stories, aided by the skilled Maggie Overfelt. They combed through official company histories and biographies, interviewed family members, and talked to a slew of outside experts. The magazine owes its distinctive look to our team of photo editors and designers. Photo whiz Ilene Hoffman, along with Erica Beckman, brought the issue to life under the guidance of Michael Novak, our talented assistant art director. Please let us know how we did at fsb_mail@timeinc.com, or send cards and letters to us at Time Inc., 1271 Sixth Avenue, New York, N.Y., 10020. Thank you, as always, for reading. |
|