Business History for the Week of June 4-8

  1. Business history is filled with inventions, start-ups, and entrepreneurs. We like to start Monday with a little motivation fueled by the past as we look to the week ahead.
  • June 4, 1896 – Henry Ford unveiled the “Quadricycle,” the first automobile he ever designed or drove. It had two driving speeds, no brakes, very basic steering ability— and a doorbell button as a horn. At top speed of 20 miles per hour, Ford raced into business history!
  • June 5, 1947 – U.S. Secretary of State George C. Marshall outlines “The Marshall Plan,” a program intended to assist European nations, including former enemies, to rebuild their economies.
  • June 6, 1930 – Frozen foods are sold commercially for the first time. The grocery business would never be the same.
  • June 7, 1914 – The first vessel passes through the Panama Canal reducing the time & expense of global shipping.
  • June 8, 1887 – Herman Hollerith patents his punch card calculator. It was soon put to good use processing the large amount of data collected during the U.S. census of 1890/1891. Because of his invention, he is now considered to be one of the “grandfathers” of IBM.

It was a good week for business history back then, Buzz Bear Media hopes you make it a good one for your business and customers this week as well!