63
Hewlett-Packard (HP) began life in
Dave Packard’s garage. The company
has restored the garage, which in 1987
was named a California landmark as
“the birthplace of Silicon Valley.”
See also: Beating the odds at start-up 20–21 ■ Luck (and how to get lucky) 42 ■
The Greiner curve 58–61 ■ Changing the game 92–99 ■ Small is beautiful 172–77
START SMALL, THINK BIG
backgrounds usually needed a full-
time job to meet the living costs
of themselves and their families.
Without sufficient savings, few
people could risk a new business
venture in the 20th century, but
today, starting a business is easier.
Micropreneurism
In the mid-2000s, the notion of a
micropreneur began to emerge. This
was an individual who ran a very
small business, often in addition to
full-time employment. The concept
gained popularity alongside the rise
of e-commerce, which made it
possible to launch a commercial
website and manage it nights and
weekends. Sales platforms, such as
those provided by eBay and the
Chinese online marketplace Taobao,
made it even easier, since they
dispensed with the need for a
website or payment systems.
These micropreneurs, who sell
everything from homemade fashion
items to antiques and secondhand
electronics, are risking very little
other than their own time—the
capital outlay can be as much or as
little as they are willing to risk. The
micropreneur’s skill lies in spotting
the right opportunity. In this way
the business can be as small or
large as time, and desire, allows.
For those who aspire to more
than running a business as a part-
time hobby, the lean start-up path
is well trodden. Large companies
such as Hewlett-Packard and
Indian biotech Biocon both started
in their founders’ garages. Passion
was key—with very limited capital,
essential equipment was begged
and borrowed; friends and family
were used as (free) staff; and sleep
was sacrificed. The main resources
were time, skill, and tenacity.
The path is not straightforward,
however, and requires a deep
commitment, often in the face
of failure. As Jeff Bezos warned,
“invention requires a long-term
willingness to be misunderstood.” ■Hewlett-Packard
Bill Hewlett, born 1913, and
Dave Packard, born 1912, were
close friends who graduated
as electrical engineers from
Stanford University. After his
marriage, Packard moved into
an apartment in Palo Alto,
California, with his wife, while
Hewlett camped out in a shed
on the grounds. A garage
belonging to the property
became a decidedly low-tech
workshop. From 1938 to 1939
the garage served as home,
think tank, lab, office, and
production department. Bill and
David developed the 200A and
200B audio oscillators, which
became Hewlett-Packard’s
first products.
Believed to be the first US
technology company to launch
in a garage, Hewlett-Packard
was founded by the two
friends on an investment of
just $538. Today the
organization is one of the
world’s largest technology
companies, with sales in
excess of $27 billion in 2012.
The garage is designated a
historic landmark and is listed
on the United States National
Register of Historic Places.You have to really believe
in yourself and know that, in
the worst-case scenario, if it
doesn’t work out, you still
built something really cool.
Kevin Rose