Businesses That Started In A Garage

9. Kevin Plank Founded Under Armour In His Grandma’s Basement

At the age of 24, Kevin Plank took the plunge into the business world when he founded the sports apparel company, Under Armour.

The innovative product was designed to eliminate the sweat-soaked t-shirt scenario that football players would face on a daily basis due to the intense nature of their practice and games.

Plank spent years perfecting the product, and it was during this time he was operating out of his Grandma’s basement in Georgetown, Washington D.C.

The company was founded in 1996, and just one year later, Plank had secured his first $100,000 in orders, which led him to set up a factory in Ohio.

The idea was so good and innovative that sporting giants like Nike quickly came out with their own version of the quick-dry apparel, but by this time, Under Armour had secured a dominant position in the market as the orders came flooding in.

Plank still keeps the memory of working in his Grandma’s basement at the forefront of his work even when the company is valued at over $8 billion.