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William Harley
Of all the truly remarkable small business success stories, the story of William Harley is one that inspires and moves people to action. Born in Milwaukee, WI in 1880, William S. Harley became lifelong friends with his neighbor Arthur Davidson. The product of their friendship would impact several generations, inspire a strong subculture and in some ways a nation: the Harley-Davidson motorcycle. In 1901 William drew up plans for what he called a "bicycle motor." In essence this was a small motor meant to be attached to a bicycle and propel it. No motors really existed at the time so all parts for this motor were handmade at a friend's shop by Arthur and Bill Davidson. This is starting from the ground up on the level of extreme.

Lesson #4: In Following Your Passion, You Become Your Own Best Customer
How were they able to devote themselves day and night to manufacturing their mighty machines? Why were they so hell bent on ensuring the highest standards of quality? And what drove them to dedicate themselves to the same business for the majority of their adult lives? William Harley and the Davidson brothers didn’t just make motorcycles – they lived and breathed them. They were, in fact, their own biggest fans. It was in pursuing the one thing they were passionate about that they were able to create such a classic tale of entrepreneurial success in America.

Lesson #2: The Proof is in the Product that Works
In 1910, Harley-Davidson motorcycles captured at least seven different first place finishes in races and endurance contests across America. The four boyhood friends who founded the company began racing their motorbikes because they loved it. But soon after they began sweeping races across the country, Harley and the Davidson brothers realized that they were now racing for something even more valuable than a trophy or prize money: they were racing for sales.

Revving its Engines: Harley-Davidson Goes Hog Wild
After the success of their first three models of motorbikes, Harley and the Davidson boys all plunged themselves wholeheartedly into the newly formed company. Walter Davidson became the company’s first president, while his brother William handled much of the human resources, and Arthur handled sales and the establishment of a dealer network. William Harley served as the company’s chief engineer and treasurer. Together, the four worked day and night to get their business off the ground and running. “We worked every day, Sunday included, until at least ten o’clock at night,” recalled Walter Davidson. “I remember it was an event when we quit work on Christmas night at eight o’clock to attend a family reunion.”

Kings of the Road: The Beginnings of the Harley-Davidson Empire
They were simply two young boys fooling around with motors in their garage; William Harley and Arthur Davidson were childhood friends who loved fishing, but hated the amount of time it took to get to their favourite fishing spots. And so, they decided to create a motorized bicycle that would help them get to where they wanted to go faster. Their youthful experiments laid the foundation for what would later become one of the largest and last remaining mass producers of motorcycles in the U.S. Today, with over $1.5 billion in annual sales last year, Harley-Davidson remains an American icon and an example of entrepreneurship at its finest.

Other william harley Related Articles

Kings of the Road: The Beginnings of the Harley-Davidson Empire
They were simply two young boys fooling around with motors in their garage; William Harley and Arthur Davidson were childhood friends who loved fishing, but hated the amount of time it took to get to their favourite fishing spots. And so, they decided to create a motorized bicycle that would help them get to where they wanted to go faster. Their youthful experiments laid the foundation for what would later become one of the largest and last remaining mass producers of motorcycles in the U.S. Today, with over $1.5 billion in annual sales last year, Harley-Davidson remains an American icon and an example of entrepreneurship at its finest.

Revving its Engines: Harley-Davidson Goes Hog Wild
After the success of their first three models of motorbikes, Harley and the Davidson boys all plunged themselves wholeheartedly into the newly formed company. Walter Davidson became the company’s first president, while his brother William handled much of the human resources, and Arthur handled sales and the establishment of a dealer network. William Harley served as the company’s chief engineer and treasurer. Together, the four worked day and night to get their business off the ground and running. “We worked every day, Sunday included, until at least ten o’clock at night,” recalled Walter Davidson. “I remember it was an event when we quit work on Christmas night at eight o’clock to attend a family reunion.”

Lesson #1: The Innovative Process Can Help You Reinvent the Wheel
Today, Harley-Davidson isn’t one of the largest manufacturers of motorcycles in the U.S. just because their bikes worked well or they looked particularly fashionable with their Bar & Shield logos. Harley-Davidson motorcycles were unlike any others at the time; they had parts and engines that had never been seen before, and they were able to go up to speeds that were unheard of for a motorbike. Indeed, it was by engaging in a constant process of innovation that the Harley-Davidson Motor Co. was able to stay at the front of the pack.

Lesson #2: The Proof is in the Product that Works
In 1910, Harley-Davidson motorcycles captured at least seven different first place finishes in races and endurance contests across America. The four boyhood friends who founded the company began racing their motorbikes because they loved it. But soon after they began sweeping races across the country, Harley and the Davidson brothers realized that they were now racing for something even more valuable than a trophy or prize money: they were racing for sales.

Lesson #4: In Following Your Passion, You Become Your Own Best Customer
How were they able to devote themselves day and night to manufacturing their mighty machines? Why were they so hell bent on ensuring the highest standards of quality? And what drove them to dedicate themselves to the same business for the majority of their adult lives? William Harley and the Davidson brothers didn’t just make motorcycles – they lived and breathed them. They were, in fact, their own biggest fans. It was in pursuing the one thing they were passionate about that they were able to create such a classic tale of entrepreneurial success in America.

Lesson #5: From Sight to Sound, Create a Signature Brand
It has been described as a “throaty pounding and off-centered drumming beat,” but everyone who owns a Harley-Davidson motorcycle knows what it is to hear one. In fact, the adept ear can pick a Harley out of a crowd before the eyes are even able to see it; every bike the company produces sounds the same when you turn the keys, and yet completely different from any other bike manufacturer. Attaching a unique sound to Harley-Davidson engines was just one of many deliberate steps the company’s four founders took to build a strong brand and a loyal following.

The Seats of Success: How Harley-Davidson Powered Itself to the Top
Harley-Davidson fans are known for the overt pride they take in their machines. A T-shirt that one devotee made reads: “Put your ass on some class.” Whether that motto has been officially sanctioned by the company or not, that is exactly what hundreds of thousands of bike riders around the world have done. With more than 33 models of touring and custom Harleys, which are sold by over 1,300 dealers, Harley-Davidson remains the only major American manufacturer of motorcycles, and dominates sales of the more heavyweight bikes. How did four young boys from Milwaukee turn their shed-bound experiments into a thriving enterprise and a cultural icon of America?

Sales Values
I just finished reading an excellent book about the history of Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Interestingly enough, it’s simply called “Harley-Davidson.” This is an unusual read for me since I am not a Harley owner nor do I own or even ride motorcycles. But I am interested in learning about how successful companies got their start and grew over the years, and this book was very interesting and educational, and loaded with the most beautiful pictures of motorcycles that one could imagine. At one point there was a picture of the company’s value statements.
A Funny Sales Training Story
Then the fun began… After the first night with his 15 people William came back and reported no sales. Nothing new there for William. It only gets funnier. At work the next day only 11 of his people showed up for work and I questioned William who proceeded to inform me that he was weeding the garden and he was just keeping the best people. Well that night he came back with his crew and again there were NO sales. Again no surprise.

William Harley
Of all the truly remarkable small business success stories, the story of William Harley is one that inspires and moves people to action. Born in Milwaukee, WI in 1880, William S. Harley became lifelong friends with his neighbor Arthur Davidson. The product of their friendship would impact several generations, inspire a strong subculture and in some ways a nation: the Harley-Davidson motorcycle. In 1901 William drew up plans for what he called a "bicycle motor." In essence this was a small motor meant to be attached to a bicycle and propel it. No motors really existed at the time so all parts for this motor were handmade at a friend's shop by Arthur and Bill Davidson. This is starting from the ground up on the level of extreme.

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