We’ve all heard of Dell, and more likely than not, have owned a product from their range, but would you believe us if we told you that the company was funded with just $1000? Unbelievable, but true!
In 1984 at the tender age of 19, Michael Dell used just $1000 to fund the start of a company called PC’s Limited, armed with nothing more than an idea for how he felt computing technology should be not only designed but manufactured and sold. At the time, Michael was a freshman student at the University of Texas and at the end of the year left to give his fledgling business his full focus.
Just a year later, the company introduced the Turbo PC which sold in the US for $795 – customers were offered a list of options and the computers were built to order using specific components. These components were purchased through wholesale allowing the company to offer cheaper prices than their competitors. Proving to be a huge success, the company made more than $73million in their first year of trading.
1987 saw the company expand to the UK and in 1988 they were given a new company name, Dell Computer Corporation. Now worth $90m, Dell attempted to market their computers via superstores, but this proved unsuccessful, their customers were too used to direct sales and the ability to order their computers exactly as they wished.
In 1992 Dell made it’s debut on the Fortune 500 list with Michael becoming the youngest ever CEO leading a company that wins this honour. 1995 saw Dell expand even further to Europe, Asia and Japan. Continuing it’s populartity, in 1996 Dell launched their website generating a massive $100m per day just 6 months after its launch.
Amongst all of the company development Dell were still releasing new and innovative technology and by 2001 it was the number 1 computer systems manufacturer worldwide. Internet sales had now reached $40m per day and Dell introduced built-in WiFi. Expanding even further, Dell began to offer products including printers, televisions and more.
In 2004, Michael Dell appointed Kevin Rollings as the CEO of the company, but after Rollings resigned in 2007 Michael stepped back into his old role. Recent years have seen the company concentrate on solutions and in 2009 Dell aqquired Perot Systems and launch Dell Services to offer customers IT services. Keeping their eye firmly on the ball, Dell also launch Adamo and Latitude, the world’s thinnest laptops in the same year.
2010 saw the company focus on cloud technology and launch their own tablet device, The Streak – all in the same year that Dell are named the greenest company in America by Newsweek. Even more recently Dell have $1billion to developing and advancing their Dell data and solution centres.
Keeping their eye firmly on the ball, Dell also launch Adamo and Latitude, the world’s thinnest laptops as well as focusing on a new range of Dell computer monitors in the same year.