Taking the Garage Global: HP Steps it Up
Taking the Garage Global: HP Steps it Up
Hewlett and Packard now had their company, they had a lab of sorts to work from, and they had the inspiration to achieve big things. What they did not have was a product. And so, Hewlett went back to look at his graduate thesis from Stanford. It focused on practical applications for electrical engineering technology of negative feedback, and it would be the inspiration for HP’s first product.
Together, Hewlett and Packard created an audio oscillator. It was in fact the first practical, low-cost method of generating high-quality audio frequencies that were needed in a wide range of industries, including defense and medicine. Hoping to impress the idea that the company had been around for awhile, they named their product 200A. “We really didn't know if this oscillator was any good,” said Hewlett. “We simply put one together that worked pretty well, sent a letter out to universities and others, got three or four orders, and tried it again.”
One of those first orders was from Walt Disney Studios, who wanted eight oscillators for their upcoming movie, “Fantasia.” From there, the two patented their product and began working on the next one. Because of the success of 200A, each subsequent and improved version would take on the suffixes ‘B’ through ‘E’.
In 1940, the two were finally able to move from their garage to a rented office building in Palo Alto, California. They expanded their line of products to include signal generators, voltmeters, oscilloscopes, counters, and more. While Hewlett provided many of the company’s early technical innovations, Packard easily took on the role of administrator. Soon, they had moved on to producing calculators, computers and printers.
Over the next few decades, with Hewlett and Packard still at the helm, the company continued to innovate and expand. A partnership with Sony and Yokogawa Electric in Japan, as well as a small spin-off company called Dymec, did not prove too successful and both were eventually brought back into HP. But a number of the company’s products would be revolutionary, including the HP 800 and HP 250 series of computers, which were nearly a decade ahead of the PC. In fact, Wired magazine called the HP 9100A the world’s first PC. HP was also responsible for the world’s first handheld scientific electronic calculator.
From 1947 to 1964, Packard served as the company’s president. After that, he became chairman of the board for various years until 1993. Three years after he left HP behind for good, Packard passed away. By the time of his death, his stake in the company was more than $1 billion. Meanwhile, Hewlett served as the company’s president from 1964 to 1977, as well as CEO from 1968 until 1978. He then served as vice chairman of the board until 1987.
Today, HP continues to reign as the world’s leading IT superpower. With a reputation for innovative and reliable products, it now earns revenues in excess of $104 billion.
Taking the Garage Global HP Steps it Up
Like this article? Share it with your friends
As soon as Hewlett and Packard began working away in their garage, they decided to create a set of rules to live by. Rule number one was “Believe you can change the world.”
Hewlett and Packard now had their company, they had a lab of sorts to work from, and they had the inspiration to achieve big things. What they did not have was a product. And so, Hewlett went back to look at his graduate thesis from Stanford. It focused on practical applications for electrical engineering technology of negative feedback, and it would be the inspiration for HP’s first product.
Together, Hewlett and Packard created an audio oscillator. It was in fact the first practical, low-cost method of generating high-quality audio frequencies that were needed in a wide range of industries, including defense and medicine. Hoping to impress the idea that the company had been around for awhile, they named their product 200A. “We really didn't know if this oscillator was any good,” said Hewlett. “We simply put one together that worked pretty well, sent a letter out to universities and others, got three or four orders, and tried it again.”
One of those first orders was from Walt Disney Studios, who wanted eight oscillators for their upcoming movie, “Fantasia.” From there, the two patented their product and began working on the next one. Because of the success of 200A, each subsequent and improved version would take on the suffixes ‘B’ through ‘E’.
In 1940, the two were finally able to move from their garage to a rented office building in Palo Alto, California. They expanded their line of products to include signal generators, voltmeters, oscilloscopes, counters, and more. While Hewlett provided many of the company’s early technical innovations, Packard easily took on the role of administrator. Soon, they had moved on to producing calculators, computers and printers.
Over the next few decades, with Hewlett and Packard still at the helm, the company continued to innovate and expand. A partnership with Sony and Yokogawa Electric in Japan, as well as a small spin-off company called Dymec, did not prove too successful and both were eventually brought back into HP. But a number of the company’s products would be revolutionary, including the HP 800 and HP 250 series of computers, which were nearly a decade ahead of the PC. In fact, Wired magazine called the HP 9100A the world’s first PC. HP was also responsible for the world’s first handheld scientific electronic calculator.
From 1947 to 1964, Packard served as the company’s president. After that, he became chairman of the board for various years until 1993. Three years after he left HP behind for good, Packard passed away. By the time of his death, his stake in the company was more than $1 billion. Meanwhile, Hewlett served as the company’s president from 1964 to 1977, as well as CEO from 1968 until 1978. He then served as vice chairman of the board until 1987.
Today, HP continues to reign as the world’s leading IT superpower. With a reputation for innovative and reliable products, it now earns revenues in excess of $104 billion.
Taking the Garage Global HP Steps it Up
Like this article? Share it with your friends
 | |
 |
No article feedback found. |
| |
Leave Your Feedback |
 | |
| |||
David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
|||
Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
|||
|
To learn more about the Evan Elite Author Program please contact us. | |||
|
 | ||
 |
||
 |
||
 |
||
 | ||
 |
| Have you written articles that would be of value to entrepreneurs? Become an expert on our site by publishing them! Expose yourself to a wide audience, drive more traffic to your website and get more sales! Click Here for details. |
 |
 |
| Modeling the Masters: Learn the true secrets behind Walt Disney's business success factors & grow your company! Video produced by Phanta Media |
|
|
 |
"Learn straight from Evan how you can Make a Full Time Income (And More) from a Website"
Click Here To Learn More |
|
|
|
|
Get advice & tips from famous business owners, new articles by entrepreneur experts, my latest website updates, & special sneak peaks at what's to come!
|
|
 |
 Referral Strategies Hiring An SEO Expert Email Overload Advice Conversations of Leadership Maslow For Entrepreneurs |
|
 | ||
 |
Guide To ERP Software
Business Management Software | |
 |
Choose A PR Topic
Press Release Builder | |
| ||
 | ||||
| ||||
|
| ||||
| ||||
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||
|
Email us your ideas on how to make our website more valuable! Thank you Sharon from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for your suggestions to make the newsletter look like the website and profile younger entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez and Sean Combs!
|
|
|
