I am fascinated by the encounter between two generations of entrepreneurs.
The first time Henry Ford met Thomas Edison, Ford was rebuffed. He was an engineer working at one of Edison’s subsidiary companies. He was formally introduced at a dinner where Edison was present. He was introduced as the inventor of a cart that was powered by gasoline powered engine. At the meeting, Edison peppered Ford with questions and Ford outlined the design he had in mind. The conversation ended with Edison apparently stating: “Your car is self-contained–carries its own power plant–no fire, no boiler, no smoke and no steam. You have the thing. Keep at it.” This interaction left a very strong impression on Ford who idealized Edison. Ford returned home with the conviction that he should continue working on his invention.
