Captains of Industry - Past and Present

[Value Collector]

I thought I would start a thread about the Industry Titans (love them or hate them), that have created or changed industries.

My first contribution Walt Disney, I love this short video of him where he explains how his entire family fortune (and the banks) was tied up in their first feature film Snow White which cost $2,000,000 at the time.



And this one where he explains how he got the idea for Disney land, ( The actually had the park bench he talks about moved to Disneyland, where it is on display)

 

[SirRumpole]

Nice thread. Keep 'em coming.

 

[Value Collector]

Sam Walton, the founder of Walmart.

He started out running a 5 and 10cent store (a Nickel and dime store) and created the largest retailing operation that had ever existed, completely changing the entire retailing dynamic of America and probably the world.

When he began the American retail scene was based on high margin low volume in Main Street and corner stores, he basically invented the concept of bulk buying and selling large volumes at hugely discounted prices, through big stores outside of town.

He grew his company rapidly by spreading through Americas heartland in communities smaller than Kmart and Target were willing to touch, but he developed a network of highly efficient distribution centres strategically located so trucks could drive to and from the distribution centre to the furthest store within 1 day.

Where ever he built a new distribution centre he would quickly saturate the market in all population centres with 1 days drive, locking out competitors and making it unlikely they would put in their own distribution centres to compete with a highly aggressive discounter.

 

[SirRumpole]

Not really a captain, second Lieutentant maybe, but a success story nevertheless.

https://www.news.com.au/finance/bus...s/news-story/97a526c06874e9ba6e15fc5b708eede7