Our first mower prototype was done as a design challenge and “hobby project”, because at that time we had no grand plan to get into the lawn mower manufacturing business.
In 1977, we were doing contract manufacturing, making tractor cab coolers for another company—that was our main business. The idea to build a riding mower came to us when my dad and I purchased a couple of riding mowers for our own personal use. After a few weeks of using the mowers, we were inspired to make our own design because we thought we could make a mower that would work better on our properties. By that summer we were mowing with our first prototype. All of this work was done as a design challenge and “hobby project”, because at that time we had no grand plan to get into the lawn mower manufacturing business.
The original design was improved upon by building two more prototypes in ’78 and ’79. First production of 25 units happened the next year. Then we lost our contract manufacturing job in 1983 and went into the lawn mower manufacturing business full-time in 1984 to survive. We nearly went broke that year except for the Lord’s help. The company first made profit from lawn mower manufacturing in 1987, 10 years after the first prototype. Forty years later, the slow start and small beginnings in lawn mowers has become the best opportunity we have ever had in the manufacturing business since my parents started manufacturing in 1957.
There could not be a greater contrast between what we saw in 1977 and where we are today. In the beginning, we had no idea we were looking at our best opportunity. In looking at our experience, I think there is an important lesson to be remembered. Quite often opportunities are missed because of the human tendency to look for big opportunities, and to be impatient and dismissive with what appears to be small. An ancient prophecy from biblical text gives the counterintuitive wisdom for those seeking opportunity: “Who despises the day of small things?” Zechariah 4:10. In context, this question may be restated and paraphrased as: “Do not despise small beginnings.” Bigger opportunity often comes for those who will start with what (little) they have and move ahead to claim what they could not see in the beginning.
Some of the thrilling stories we hear and report in Walker Talk often have the component of small, slow beginnings. Some people start a mowing business just to fill in until they can find a “real job”. Then they discover they really enjoy the business of making beautiful places, working outdoors and being their own boss. Ultimately, the story ends with these risk-takers having a much bigger opportunity than they ever dreamed. The other people who are exciting to watch are young people (next generation) who have no choice but to start small and slow, but they are the dreamers who virtually build an opportunity out of nothing. We identify with all of you who started small and slow, for that is where we came from.
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