William Durant: From a Producer of Horse-Drawn Carriages to a Manufacturer of World-Class Automobile Brands

William “Billy” Durant was one of the pioneers of the automobile manufacturing industry in the US. He co-founded the General Motors and Chevrolet, two of the most popular automobile brands in the world today.

Durant was born on December 8, 1961 in Boston, Massachusetts. He was a high school dropout so he had to work in his grandfather's lumberyard at an early age. In 1885, he and his friend Josiah Dort founded the Coldwater Cart Company. He moved from selling cigars in Flint, Michigan to selling carriages. His startup capital of $2,000 eventually grew to become a $2 million business with worldwide reach.

By the end of 1890, his Durant-Dort Carriage Company became the leading producer of horse-drawn carriages in the world. The Durant-Dort Carriage Company is also the brain behind the modern system of car dealership. When he became the general manager (and soon, president) of Buick in 1914, Durant brought his success to this horseless automobile company.

In 1908, Durant became an active participant in the incorporation of General Motors. He used proxies and used the proceeds of the stocks he sold to purchase Oldsmobile. Soon, he also acquired Cadillac and Oakland and a few spare parts companies.

It was amazing how Durant rose to become one of the pioneers in the automobile manufacturing industry in the US. Originally, he was skeptic with cars. He looks at cars as stinky and dangerous. He was so disillusioned that he would even prevent his daughter from riding one. When the public outcry for gas-powered horseless carriages grew increasingly popular, the government was forced to regulate its production. Durant used the government's regulations to improve the safety of cars. He used the opportunity to build a successful, world-class company. Starting with Buick, he produced new machines which eventually became the best selling cars in the world.