There are a variety of internationally-renowned companies these days. For example, no matter who you are or where you live, you’ve probably heard of HP, Apple, or Microsoft. Many of these internationally-renowned companies started from humble beginnings, with some companies even getting their start in a basement. Take a look at some of these companies that started in a basement, then take a look at some of the ones most well-known worldwide.
Tech and Other Successful Companies That Started in Parents’ Basements Created By: JES
Yankee Candle Company
If you love scented candles, chances are you’ve at least heard of the Yankee Candle Company. Scented candles obviously existed before the Yankee Candle Company, but they were much more of a novelty. Nowadays, it’s common to see them in just about anyone’s home. By putting the maximum amount of fragrance in each candle, Michael Kittredge II created a revolutionary new candle concept. It may have started with him making candles from melted crayons in the basement, but now, it’s a company that sold for $1.75 billion in 2013.
Epic Games
You may not remember them from the name “Epic Games,” but you almost certainly remember them from the name “Fortnite.” This multi-billion dollar company started back in 1991, when Tim Sweeney started designing video games in his parents’ basement. He started with the name Epic MegaGames, then shortened it to Epic Games at a later date. With a valuation of $15 billion and one of the most successful multiplayer games of all time, Epic Games has certainly made an international mark.
Under Armour
Under Armour got its start in 1996, when 24-year-old founder Kevin Plank realized something interesting: his cotton T-shirts would always get soaked with sweat, but his synthetic compression shorts would not. From there, he started working out of his grandmother’s basement in Washington, D.C., trying to design T-shirts made from this fabric. When USA Today ran a front page picture of a quarterback wearing an Under Armour shirt, they exploded in popularity, leading to their current valuation of $3.5 billion.
Qualtrics
If you’ve ever done any academic study, whether as the researcher or as the subject, you’ve probably heard of Qualtrics. Qualtrics got its start in 2002 with two brothers working in their parents’ Utah basement. In fact, Ryan actually convinced his brother Jared to quit his job so Jared could write code and manage the technical nature of the business. By selling the software directly to customers worldwide, Qualtrics quickly grew into its current valuation of $11.1 billion.
FreshBooks
In 2004, invoicing was a relatively niche field with very few providers and even fewer online providers. FreshBooks came on the scene and created an option for individuals looking to make invoicing easier. It didn’t explode in popularity immediately; for the first two years, he was running his business out of his parents’ basement, subsisting off only 10 customers paying $9.99 per month. Today, however, FreshBooks maintains over five million users, invoicing people across the world for more than $8 billion yearly.
Mashable
Most people have some sort of experience with Mashable, because it’s a giant American-focused entertainment conglomerate. However, it got its start as an international brand. 19-year-old Pete Cashmore started a blog from his parents’ basement in northern Scotland in 2005. He wanted to gather an American audience, however, so he used the darkened basement to set his sleep schedule to an “American” one so he could reach out to his target audience. The concept worked; he earned two million monthly readers within about eighteen months, and the company currently has a valuation of $50 million.
Conclusion
Clearly, basements are a very important part of creating many businesses. Who knows — your very own basement may be the initial place that a new franchise starts up. However, that does mean you need to make sure people can create in your basement. Whether you’re hoping to use it as a living space or the place you create your own company, consider making sure your basement is as well-maintained as possible for the best results.