Inspirational Quotes by Royal Little (American Businessman)

Royal Little (1896–1989) American Businessman was an influential American businessman and investor celebrated for establishing Textron, Inc., the first major American enterprise to embrace the concept of diversification and conglomeration. He was the nephew of Arthur Dehon Little, the founder of Boston’s Arthur D. Little management consulting firm.

Born in Wakefield, Massachusetts, Little exhibited his entrepreneurial spirit early on, founding his first business venture making shoelaces at 12. After graduating from Harvard University in 1919, he joined a synthetic-fiber company in South Boston. However, in 1923, Little decided to forge his path and founded Special Yarns Corp., investing $10,000 of borrowed funds. Initially focused on textiles, the company experienced only modest success. In 1944, it underwent a name change, becoming Textron, Inc.

By 1952, dissatisfied with the limited returns on capital investment in the textile industry, Little restructured Textron and embarked on an ambitious diversification strategy, expanding into aerospace, automotive, defense, and other sectors. By the time he retired as chairman in 1960, he had acquired 40 firms. Textron oversaw the production of various products, ranging from watchbands, chain saws, and helicopters to radar antennas, snowmobiles, electronic equipment, and roller bearings. As one of the largest conglomerates in the United States, Textron’s success inspired other corporations to diversify their industrial activities.

In addition to his accomplishments at Textron, Little made notable contributions to academia and served on various government advisory committees, providing valuable insights on industrial policy and economic matters. He served as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) trustee. He played a pivotal role in establishing MIT’s Sloan School of Management. Little chronicled his experiences and wisdom in his autobiography, titled How to Lose $100,000,000 and Other Valuable Advice (1979.)

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