In today’s economy it is easy for small business owners to get discouraged. If you have a business that deals in the high risk industry it is especially difficult to secure a loan or to find loans at a fair rate. But there is hope. For the thousands of new businesses that fail due to poor management or the inability to establish secure merchant accounts, there are many that do succeed. And some that not only succeed, but grow to become empires.
Ben & Jerry’s: This company is one of the nation’s leading ice cream brands, but began as a quirky outsider all the way in Vermont. Founded by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield in an old gas station, it quickly outpaced its competition and sales skyrocketed. In 2000, the company was taken over by Unilever for $326 million.
Wal-Mart: It is hard to believe that the biggest company in the world began as a mom and pop business. Sam Walton began the brand in 1950. But Walton’s Five and Dime didn’t stay small for long. Its sales quickly grew as it became known for its low market prices. Soon Walton’s turned into Wal-Mart Discount City and expanded into 24 stores in only 5 years. Since then the company has expanded into 50 states and 14 countries.
Burt’s Bees: Burt’s is one of the leading names in natural personal care products. The company began in 1984 with the hard work of Burt Shavitz and Roxanne Quimby. Quimby began making personal care products with the left over bee wax from his candle making service. In 1991, Burt’s Bees became incorporated and started to branch out into lip balm, soaps, and perfume. The rest is history.
Whole Foods: The massive grocery chain began as a small operation in 1978, called Safer Way Natural Foods in Austin, Texas. The store later partnered with Clarksville Natural Grocery to create the original Whole Foods Market in 1980. The store became an instant success and is now the largest natural foods market in the U.S.
All of these empires began as small time shops, with only a vision and hard work as a guide. In today’s competitive business environment, these two things although important, may not be enough for success. Small businesses need larger sums of collateral to get their dreams started. This is at the heart of what FAM does. We are the leading merchant cash advance organization around.