10 huge companies that started out surprisingly tiny

From cozy living room startups to bustling garage workshops, the origin stories of some of the world’s largest companies are nothing short of inspiring.

[{"selector":"#anim-396d8e82-ecee-4f4f-a439-000e3afb1fd2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-310d6d6a-97b6-4fdf-b17f-aa9c551b70d1","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Learn more

In 1978, John Mackey and Renee Lawson took a loan of $45,000 from their family and friends to establish a small natural foods store named SaferWay in Austin, Texas.

[{"selector":"#anim-718c5681-2002-4d59-b5a0-16967b3cd976","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-23c10c65-4199-4731-8162-70dbe39d6c7a","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Learn more

Walmart

[{"selector":"#anim-55de469e-7ac4-487e-b61a-aa19cdeeeb58","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c3cbb3ed-d83a-480e-ae75-574e4e092e6e","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Medium Brush Stroke It was 1945, and Sam Walton had a dream. He opened Walton’s Five and Dime in Bentonville, Arkansas, with a mission to sell products at lower prices to get higher-volume sales. Learn more

Nike

[{"selector":"#anim-a3a587dc-ed7a-402d-be25-6d887ed6e07a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-02b01211-c8c9-4c80-9fd0-e88255f9e262","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Learn more

Estée Lauder Companies

[{"selector":"#anim-75e3b5fb-73e5-4ecd-8279-5b9287ad1020","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3a602fdf-abf4-433b-b5fd-30f7db60e5d3","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Medium Brush Stroke Estée and Joseph Lauder started their cosmetics empire in 1946, armed with a passion for beauty, a few skincare concoctions, and a belief in the power of good face cream. Learn more

SWIPE UP NOW TO READ MORE!

[{"selector":"#anim-c4302362-3f31-411d-8963-1f1e6673271e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c0168b7e-c6c0-4520-817e-7f404d936415","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Learn more

Finding a financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free quiz matches you with fiduciary financial advisors in your area or who serve your area. If you are ready to be matched with financial advisors that can help you achieve your financial goals, take the quiz now.

[{"selector":"#anim-7a3ab8d1-523a-4865-9a9c-5c30e1bde510","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-134b5b0a-4d27-4889-90fb-13a417c809e4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-07d8a33a-3129-420f-ae3b-f21f60883408","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3d4c91d9-3fcb-4d4a-8252-3447a97b0204","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 99.16371%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Could you stomach these struggle meals from the Great Depression? “Go fry asparagus” & 6 other spicy Spanish insults