Soichiro Honda (1906

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Biography

Soichiro Honda was a Japanese engineer and industrialist. In 1948, he established Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and oversaw its expansion from a wooden shack manufacturing bicycle motors to a multinational automobile and motorcycle manufacturer.

In Their Own Words (1)

Many people dream of success. To me success can only be achieved through repeated failure and introspection. In fact, success represents the 1% of your work which results only from the 99% that is called failure.

As quoted in What Creates Jobs? (1989) by Paul Callister; also quoted in The Speed of Trust: The One Thing that Changes Everything (2008) by Stephen Covey , 1989

Timeline

The story of Soichiro Honda, told in moments.

1928 Life

Opened his own auto repair shop at 22 after apprenticing in Tokyo for six years. Raced cars on the side. Crashed a Ford at the 1936 Japan Automobile Race and broke several bones. Didn't stop racing.

What did crashing that Ford teach you about risk? Was auto racing a hobby or a compulsion? How did six years as an apprentice shape your engineering mind?

1948 Event

Founded Honda Motor Co. in a wooden shack, attaching small engines to bicycles. Partnered with Takeo Fujisawa, who handled the business side. Honda handled everything mechanical.

What was it like building a company in a wooden shack? Was Takeo Fujisawa the perfect complement to your obsession? Did attaching engines to bicycles feel like the future?

1963 Event

Honda entered the automobile market with the T360 mini truck and the S500 sports car. Within two decades, the company became one of the world's largest automakers. The Civic and Accord became global bestsellers.

Was entering the automobile market against established giants foolish or brave? How did the Civic become a global bestseller? What drove you to compete with Detroit and Stuttgart?

1991 Death

Died of liver failure in Tokyo at 84. Had stepped down as president in 1973 but never fully retired. The company he built in a shack employed over 200,000 people worldwide.

Does 200,000 employees worldwide feel like the legacy of a shack? Did stepping down in 1973 feel like letting go? What would your blacksmith father think of Honda Motor Co.?

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