Companies When They Started VS Now

As time passes, companies undergo transformations, adapting to market demands and embracing new technologies. In this article, we will explore the evolution of several well-known companies, comparing their humble beginnings to their current standing in the business world.

In this article, we will take a closer look at ten notable companies, examining their humble beginnings and the successful entities they have become today.

1. Apple

BEFORE

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Apple Inc., originally called Apple Computer, Inc., is a big company that makes and sells electronics and computer software. They sell popular products like iPhones, iPads, and Mac computers. You can buy their products online or at their Apple Stores. Apple was started by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne in 1976. They used to mainly make computers, but in the 1990s, they struggled. Steve Jobs came back to the company in 1997 and made it successful again with products like the iMac, iPod, and iTunes.

Apple became known for its simple and stylish designs. They changed their name to just Apple in 2007. They also make iOS devices like iPhones, iPods, and iPads. Apple has been very successful and is a very valuable company.

2. Google

BEFORE

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Larry Page and Sergey Brin created Google in 1998 to offer Google Search, the most widely used web-based search engine. Initially called “BackRub,” the search algorithm was developed by Page and Brin, along with Scott Hassan and Alan Steremberg, while they were students at Stanford University. As the search engine gained popularity, the company moved multiple times before settling in Mountain View in 2003.

This period marked rapid growth, leading to its initial public offering in 2004 and becoming one of the world’s largest media companies. Over the years, Google launched various products such as Google News (2002), Gmail (2004), Google Maps (2005), Google Chrome (2008), and Google+ (2011, discontinued in 2019), among others. In 2015, Google became the primary subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., its parent company.

Google formed partnerships with NASA, AOL, Sun Microsystems, News Corporation, Sky UK, and other organizations. In 2005, the company established Google.org as its charitable arm.

The name “Google” originated from a misspelling of “Googol,” which represents the number 1 followed by 100 zeros. It symbolized Google’s mission to provide vast amounts of information.

3. Amazon

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Amazon.com, Inc. is an American company that focuses on e-commerce, cloud computing, and digital streaming. It is considered one of the most influential and valuable brands globally. Jeff Bezos founded Amazon in his garage in Bellevue, Washington, on July 5, 1994. Initially selling books online, it has expanded into various product categories and is known as The Everything Store. Amazon has several subsidiaries, including Amazon Web Services, Zoox, Kuiper Systems, Amazon Lab126, Ring, Twitch, IMDb, MGM Holdings, and Whole Foods Market.

Today, it is the go-to platform for purchasing a wide range of products, including books, electronics, and household items. Additionally, Amazon has expanded into digital streaming, cloud computing, and even grocery delivery, solidifying its dominance in multiple industries.

4. Coca Cola

BEFORE

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Coca-Cola, also known as Coke, is a fizzy drink made by the Coca-Cola Company. It is consumed in more than 200 countries, with people drinking over 1.8 billion servings of Coca-Cola beverages each day. In 2018, Coca-Cola ranked 87th on the Fortune 500 list of the largest US companies by revenue. According to Interbrand’s 2020 study, Coca-Cola was the sixth most valuable brand in the world.

Originally created as a temperance and medicinal beverage in the late 19th century by John Stith Pemberton in Atlanta, Georgia, Coca-Cola’s ownership rights were later sold to Asa Griggs Candler in 1888. Candler’s marketing strategies propelled Coca-Cola to become the leading player in the global soft drink market for the past century.

Under the Coke brand, The Coca-Cola Company has introduced various other cola drinks, including Diet Coke, Caffeine-Free Coca-Cola, Diet Coke Caffeine-Free, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Coca-Cola Cherry, Coca-Cola Vanilla, as well as special versions with lemon, lime, and coffee. From July 1985 to 2009, Coca-Cola was called Coca-Cola Classic to differentiate it from “New Coke.”

5. Twitter

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Twitter is a popular online social media service where users can post messages, pictures, and videos called “tweets.” It was created in 2006 and is owned by a company called X Corp. Outside of the United States, Twitter is operated by Twitter International Unlimited Company, which follows Irish and European Union data protection laws. Users can interact with Twitter through their web browsers, mobile apps, or programmatically using APIs. Elon Musk acquired Twitter in October 2022 for $44 billion, and since then, the platform has faced criticism for hosting hate speech. Musk stepped down as CEO in December 2022, and Linda Yaccarino became the new CEO in June 2023.

6. Twitch

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Twitch is a popular American video live-streaming service owned by Amazon that focuses on streaming video games, esports competitions, music, creative content, and real-life streams. It started in 2011 as a spin-off of Justin. tv and quickly became more popular. In 2014, Amazon acquired Twitch for $970 million, and it has since grown to have over 100 million monthly viewers and 27,000 partner channels. It is known for being the leading live-streaming video service for video games in the US, surpassing YouTube Gaming.

7. Microsoft

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Microsoft is a large computer technology company founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen. Their most popular products include the Windows operating system, Microsoft Office, Xbox, Bing, and Microsoft Azure. They formed a partnership with IBM in 1980, and their Windows operating system became more successful than IBM’s OS/2. Microsoft has a high market share in personal computers and generates significant revenue through software development, manufacturing, licensing, and support.

8. Samsung

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Samsung Group, also known as Samsung, is a large South Korean multinational conglomerate with various businesses operating under the Samsung brand. It was founded in 1938 and started as a trading company before expanding into industries like electronics, construction, shipbuilding, and more.

Samsung is known for its notable affiliates such as Samsung Electronics, Samsung Heavy Industries, and Samsung Engineering. It is the largest chaebol in South Korea and has a significant global brand value.

9. Hennes & Mauritz AB or H&M Group

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H&M is a Swedish multinational clothing company that sells fast-fashion clothes for all genders. It has thousands of stores in different countries and is the second-largest international clothing retailer.

It was founded in 1947 by Erling Persson, initially selling women’s clothing. Over time, it expanded to include menswear and opened stores worldwide, including in the United States.

10. Pepsi

BEFORE

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Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink made by PepsiCo. It was created in 1893 by Caleb Bradham and was originally called Brad’s Drink. It was later renamed Pepsi-Cola in 1898 and then shortened to Pepsi in 1961. The drink was developed to aid digestion and boost energy. Over the years, it went through changes in ownership and recipe.

The Coca-Cola Company had the chance to buy Pepsi but declined multiple times.

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