What Was Henry Ford A Success Or Failure

Henry Ford once said: “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently” (“Henry Ford Quotes”). This famous quote by Henry Ford summarizes his entire outlook on life. Henry Ford was not only the father of the automobile, but his upbringing of the Model T and assembly line changed industry, production, and life, as we knew it. Henry Ford was born on July 30, 1863 in Dearborn, Michigan (Henry Ford. 1). He lived on his family farm with his parents William and Mary Litogot Ford, along with his five other siblings who soon came after his own birth (Henry Ford. 3). The Fords owned ninety acres in Dearborn, Michigan where they farmed a variety of crops. During Henry’s childhood, he spent most of his time constructing
Ford loved working on machines and because of his experience working with a variety of farm machines and equipment, he got hired as an apprentice. Henry worked for a company in Detroit as an apprentice at the James Flowers and Brothers Machine Shop. The shop manufactured valves and Henry loved what he was doing (Henry Ford. 3). During his apprenticeship, Ford earned a total of $2.50 a week, which would not even pay for his rent of $3.50. Henry’s solution was working nights as a watchmaker (Henry Ford. 2). Henry continued working at a wide variety of machine shops for the next ten years, and his love for building and repairing things kept growing (Henry Ford
Following the "999" race car victories, a man named Alex Y. Malcomson offered to help Henry Ford establish a new company. In 1903, the Ford Motor Company was officially founded (Ford, Henry 1863-1974). The company was small and capitalized at $28,000. Exchanges of stock were made to get a small building area, motors, and transmissions. Ford's stock was in return for his services. The Ford motor company’s success can be credited not only Henry ford, but also to Ford's assistants--James S. Couzens, C. H. Wills, and John and Horace Dodge. By 1903 over 1,500 firms had tried to enter the competitive automobile industry. However, only a few, such as Ransom Olds, were well established (Henry Ford. 1). Ford started the production of a Model A, which mocked the Oldsmobile, and followed with several different models. Many family’s lives were changed throughout America, and the Ford Motor Company thrived. By 1907 earnings surpasses $1,100,000, and the net worth of the Ford Motor company was a whopping $1,038,822 (Henry Ford.