Whether you’re the owner of a small business wanting to grow, the CEO of a multimillion pound organisation with some difficult decisions to make or just a young entrepreneur with an idea and no capital, it helps to know that someone has been in your position before and made it through those hard times, and they’ve made it all the way to the top!
These are the 10 highest rated brands in the world and some inspiration for those that follow in their footsteps:
# 10: Hewlett Packard
Current brand value: $26,867 million.
Hewlett Packard originated in a garage near Palo Alto. In 1939, Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard started their business with a capital investment of US$538.
# 9: Disney
Current brand value: $28,731 million.
Walt Disney got to live his life drawing, making funny voices and playing in theme parks.
# 8: Nokia
Current brand value: $29,495 million.
With all those other cellular phone brands jostling for position, it still works hard enough to make it to the top 10 (none of the other’s did).
# 7: Intel
Current brand value: $32,015 million.
Started with two men and an idea (and a wad of cash), in just 2 years they raised $6.8 million.
# 6: McDonald’s
Current brand value: $33,578 million.
One restaurant started by two brothers in 1940 now has more than 31,000 branches worldwide.
# 5: GE
Current brand value: $42,808 million.
Standing the test of time, this brand was started by Thomas Edison and Charles Coffin and it’s still up there with the big boys!
# 4: Google
Current brand value: $43,557 million.
Google was started as a research project by Larry Page and Sergry Brin – the original SEO specialists.
# 3: Microsoft
Current brand value: $60,895 million.
Bill Gates and High School friend, Paul Allen had a dream of putting a computer in every home. And, they started in a garage!
# 2: IBM
Current brand value: $64,727 million.
From their website: “Legendary dedication to client success.” (Enough said)
# 1: Coca Cola
Current brand value: $70,452 million.
The brand that got Santa Claus to change his colour scheme stated off by making a wine called “Pemberton’s French Wine Coca”. When alcohol was banned in 1886, Pemberton faced the challenge and the result: well, it’s the real thing!