When I started to build my own business from my backyard a few years ago I was filled with doubt, anxiety, dread — pick your own word to fill in here.
It’s normal to have these kinds of feelings, but if you want to work from home ALL of the time you have to get past them.
It just so happens some of the biggest companies and inventions began as an idea in a garage, basement, shed, sunroom or bedroom.
If you’re looking for inspiration to launch your career as a Backyardpreneur, read on to learn about some of the world’s biggest ideas that began as a home based business.
Here are 29 of the most successful companies and inventions started in backyards, basements, sheds and bedrooms.
1| Amazon — Started As an Online Bookstore
Embed from Getty ImagesIn July 1994, Jeff Bezos started an online book selling business out of his garage in Bellevue Washington. Fast Forward to today and that fledgling company now known as Amazon.com, Inc. has a market capitalization of 1.2 trillion dollars. Of course they sell a lot more than books these days. That definitely puts Amazon firmly in the category of one of the most successful companies and inventions started in backyards, basements, sheds, bedrooms or garages.
2| Microsoft — Started in A Garage In Albuquerque
Embed from Getty ImagesIt was April 1975 and two childhood friends, Bill Gates and Paul Allen, saw an opportunity to develop a version of the BASIC coding system for the new Altair 8800 microcomputer. They started their software company out of a garage in Albuquerque, New Mexico and turned it into one of the largest software companies in the history of the planet. Microsoft’s current market cap is more than 1.8 trillion.
3| Google — Started by Larry Page and Sergey Brin from Their Dorm Room
Embed from Getty ImagesIn 1995 Larry Page and Sergey Brin met on the campus of Stanford University. By 1996, they had developed the first version of their iconic search engine — although at that time it was called Backrub. Luckily they changed the name to Google — not sure how “Hey Backrub” would have sounded in our living rooms. At the time of writing, their market cap is more than 1.3 trillion (Alphabet Inc.). They are without a doubt one of the most successful companies and inventions started in backyards, basements, sheds, bedrooms or garages.
4| Apple — The Two Steves Built the Apple 1 in a Garage
Embed from Getty ImagesIn April 1976, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak began a journey together that would eventually give us some of the most innovative products in history such as the iPod, iPhone and iPad. Apple Computers may have started from humble beginnings in Jobs’ parents garage, but there’s nothing humble about Apple these days. At last check, its market cap was 2.367 trillion.
5| Disney — Walt and Roy Disney Started Drawing Cartoons in Their Uncle’s Backyard Garage
Embed from Getty ImagesDisney has given us so much joy over the years it’s hard to imagine a time when they weren’t providing us with magical moments, but everything has to start somewhere. Their journey began in their uncle’s garage back in 1923. From those first few drawings, Disney has grown into one of the largest entertainment companies in the world with a market cap of 186.77 billion.
6| Under Armour — Kevin Plank Started in His Grandmother’s Basement
Embed from Getty ImagesKevin Plank’s story started on the football field of the University of Maryland. From his own playing days he understood the frustration of sweaty t-shirts after practice. He wanted to create a better alternative and the Under Armour clothing line was born. Its market cap is now 3.06 billion. It’s hard to include them as one of the most successful companies and inventions started in backyards, basements, sheds, bedrooms or garages.
7| Tumblr — David Karp Started Out of His Childhood Bedroom
Embed from Getty ImagesTumblr may not be a powerhouse today, but just a few short years ago it was one of the fastest rising internet based businesses in the world. It started out of David Karp’s childhood bedroom and by the time he sold it to Yahoo! In 2013, it was valued at over $1 billion dollars.
8| Dell — Started Out of a Dorm Room
Embed from Getty ImagesThe story of Dell Inc. started in Michael Dell’s dorm room. With $1000 he began building custom PC’s and started a personal computer revolution. Today, Dell is a household name and many of us have owned a Dell Laptop at some point. Its current market cap is $27.01 billion.
9| Harley Davidson — Began in a Shed in Milwaukee Wisconsin
Embed from Getty ImagesIf there’s one name that comes to mind when you think motorcycles it has to be Harley Davidson. In 1903, this American legend was born out of a small shed in Milwaukee Wisconsin. William S. Harley, along with Arthur and Walter Davidson put a small engine on a bicycle and the rest is history. Harley’s current market cap is 5.25 billion.
10| HP Inc. — Hewlett-Packard Started in A One-car Garage
Embed from Getty ImagesBill Hewlett and David Packard began by making electronic testing equipment out of a one-car garage in Palo Alto, California in 1939. After winning their first big contract from Walt Disney, they quickly grew into a major force in the emerging technology sector. They’re considered by many to be the fathers of Silicon Valley. HP’s current market cap is $26.95 billion.
11| Mattel — Started In a Garage in California
Embed from Getty ImagesMost of us grew up playing with toys from Mattel, but even they have an origin story. For Mattel, it started when Harold Matson teamed up with Ruth and Elliot Handler out of a garage in 1945. With design and engineering backgrounds, they wanted to make toys that children would love. With products like Barbie in their lineup they clearly succeeded. Mattel’s market cap currently sits at $7 billion.
12| Virgin — Richard Branson’s First Business Was A Student Magazine From a Basement
Embed from Getty ImagesVirgin started out as a record company back in 1970. Before that, Richard Branson began his first business venture — a student magazine — out of a friend’s basement. Proving you can get your start in business from just about anywhere whether it’s a basement, backyard shed, garage or office sunroom. With a market cap of $1.1 billion as of October 2022, Virgin has come a long way since its early days as a mail order record company.
13| Martha Stewart Living — Started as a Catering Business in Her Basement
Embed from Getty ImagesIn 1976 Martha Stewart started a catering business out of her basement and from there went on to become a household name. Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia has a market cap of more than $369 million.
14| Epic Games — Started in Tim Sweeney’s Parents Basement
Embed from Getty ImagesEpic games was founded by Tim Sweeney in his parents basement as Potomac Computer Systems. Its first video game was released in 1991 and it’s grown into a household name in the video game industry. Epic is now owned by Tencent and its market cap currently sits at $32 billion.
15| Fresh Books — Started in Mike McDerment’s Parents Basement in Toronto
Embed from Getty ImagesWhen Mike McDerment started his software company back in 2003 there weren’t a lot of great options for small businesses that wanted to keep track of their books. He began developing the code in his parents basement that would become FreshBooks. By 2021, it had reached a market valuation of more than $1 billion dollars.
16| Mashable— Began in Peter Cashmere’s Parents Basement in Scotland
Embed from Getty ImagesIn 2005, Peter Cashmere launched Mashable from his parents basement in Aberdeen Scotland as a news blog. He sold the company to Ziff Davis in 2017 for $50 million. Today Mashable continues to expand into new markets in Asia, Europe and Australia.
17| Nike — Started Out of The Trunk of Phil Knight’s Car
Embed from Getty ImagesNike started as Blue Ribbon Sports with Phil Knight selling shoes out of the trunk of his car in 1964. He didn’t even have a converted backyard shed as an office to work out of! Today. Nike is one of the biggest names in footwear worldwide with a market cap in excess of $138 billion.
18| Ikea — Ingvar Kamprad Began Selling Pens From the Family Farm in 1943
Embed from Getty ImagesIkea’s founder, Ingvar Kamprad began selling pens, watches, wallets and belts from the family farm in Sweden. He was only 17 at the time so his father had to register the business. The switch to furniture didn’t take long and today you can find Ikea furniture in homes on every continent. By late 2021, the brand was valued at more than $18 billion.
19| Dyson Limited — First Prototype Built in a Shed in England
Embed from Getty ImagesAfter being frustrated when his vacuum kept clogging in 1974, James Dyson decided to do something about it. Over the several years he built more than 5000 prototypes out of his backyard shed. His story is about perseverance — success didn’t happen over night, but he kept at it. Dyson Appliances Limited was launched in 1991. The company is still private, but James Dyson’s net worth is estimated to be about $7.2 billion.
20| Lotus Cars Limited — First Sports Car Built in a Private Garage
Embed from Getty ImagesColin Chapman built his first sports car, the Lotus Mark I in his garage back in 1948. Soon after, he partnered with Colin Dare to form Lotus Engineering Ltd. in 1952. It’s currently owned by Chinese company Geely with revenues in excess of $12.4 million dollars.
21| Ford — Ford Motors Started in a Backyard Shed
Embed from Getty ImagesHenry Ford started Ford Motor Company from his childhood home in 1896. The Quadricycle was built in his backyard shed as a gasoline powered horseless carriage. 5 years later, in 1903 the Model T that would revolutionize the world was born. At last check, Ford Motor Cpmpany’s market cap was $49 billion.
22| Etch A Sketch — Andre Cassagnes Created it in His Garage
Embed from Getty ImagesIn the mid 1950’s a French electrician by the name of Andre Cassagnes created the first prototype for the Etch A Sketch in his garage. In 1960 the Ohio Arts Company purchased the United States distribution rights to the product. To date, the Etch A Sketch has sold more than 100 million units all over the world.
23| Fisher Research Labs — Started in a California Garage
Embed from Getty ImagesIn 1925, Dr. Gerhard Fisher made his first metal detector in his garage in Palo Alto California and obtained a patent for it in 1931. From there he went on to found Fisher Research Labs which makes annual revenues of between $5 and $10 million.
24| NordicTrack — The Original NordicTrack Ski Machine Was Built in a Garage
Embed from Getty ImagesIn 1975 Edward Paul was looking for a better way to train for a cross-country ski race so he built the first NordicTrack ski machine in his garage in Chaska MN. In 1998 the company was bought by Icon Health & Fitness and NordicTrack is one of its most recognized brands, now more recognized for treadmills. The latest market cap for Icon Health & Fitness is $14.5 billion.
25| Oculus — Started in Palmer Luckey’s Parents Garage
Embed from Getty ImagesIn 2011 Palmer Luckey built the first prototype for the Oculus Rift VR headset in his parents garage in Long Beach California at the age of 18. Originally funded by a kickstarter campaign, it was sold to Facebook for more than $2 billion dollars in 2014. Not a bad return on 3 years of effort that started in a garage. And that’s why they easily make it in as our last example of one of the most successful companies and inventions started in backyards, basements, sheds, bedrooms or garages.
