An Idea
A man (Leo) that I knew had an idea for a product that would help farmers get more done with less physical work. Maybe he was basically lazy, I don't know. This man had very little formal education; certainly he did not have a degree in mechanical engineering, no training in hydraulic engineering, or any other university degree. He had not even finished high school. This guy had grown up a farm so he knew about hard work and long days. He had no money of his own or other financial backing. So he used what he had, he used his mind and his physical energy. He was good with his hands and could fix farm machinery so he fixed things during the day and spend all of the rest of his time making drawings and building models of his idea. Leo did all of this for two years working eighteen and twenty hour days. He scrounged through the local junk yard (he was a green sort of guy) for things that he could use for his idea. He would visit with the owner (Abe) of junk yard and get more ideas. Abe was very wise in the ways of business and he believed in Leo and his idea. Abe helped Leo in small ways, extending credit when Leo needed it and making some small loans on occasion (when the local Greeley,CO bank would not).
One of the original "Harsh Hoists" manufactured by Hydraulics Unlimited Mfg Co Inc.
Leo worked very hard on his idea and on earning a living for his family. Leo had married well by that I mean that along with being very beautiful Linnea was also smart and a good money manager. She had to be because they had very little money to manage. They had adopted Leo’s nephew when he was two so their little family had simple needs. Leo moved his fledgling business to a blacksmith shop in a nearby very small farming community. The move gave a little more room, some more equipment and more access to a market both for his repair skills and for his idea. He finally got his idea to point that he had something to sell and a local farmer bought it. Ben liked it so well that bought another one. Leo’s business began to take off on a local basis. Leo had another idea he hired a salesman to travel to other farming communities to sell his idea. Hired is not quite accurate as it was purely a commission deal and the guy paid his own expenses. He was a good salesman and made some sales. Leo decided having a salesman was going to be to slow so he bought a little duplicator and hired some local high school girls to look possible dealers and put out some mailings. With a little success under his belt he started doing direct mailings to farmers all over the United States. His product was light weight, easy to ship, and could be installed by most farmers in their own shops.
Okay let’s fast-forward sixty or so years. The company that he started is still in business employing a hundred or so people in the same small farming community. The community is not so small (Eaton, CO) any more and the company (Hydraulics Unlimited Mfg, Co, Inc.) has been sold and has grown. So what was the effect of an idea, a man with energy and drive, a woman who believed in and supported his dream? Leo’s family grew with addition of two adopted daughters; Linnea adopted another daughter after his passing in 1960. Linnea continued to manage the business with help some other folks. Leo and Linnea’s children were fed, clothed, and educated. Some one hundred other families had employment that paid decent wages allowing them to feed, clothe, and educate their children. Leo and his family were able to live in a nice home, drive fine cars, travel, and go to good schools. All of this was possible because of an idea, hard work and sacrifice, and an economic system with out unreasonable barriers. This is not really all that unique millions of families have benefited from the ideas, dreams, and efforts of countless men and women in this country. Is the system perfect, certainly not? Have there been greedy people who have taken advantage of the system, of course. I believe that if a thorough study was done the positive impact of this system in this country and around the world is far greater than any other system. The system of free enterprise and free market has always worked out to be the most efficient way to feed and clothe the people.
Mary Linnea Farber Harsh and Leo William Harsh
For some very interesting insights into the topic of this post you want to read this book from our bookstore. Daniel Lapin is a rabbi and a business consultant who has written "Thou Shall Prosper" as a commentary on the goodness of modern business.
http://www.aspenleafchristianbooks.com/item/lapin-daniel/thou-shall-prosper-second-edition/601712.html
One of the original "Harsh Hoists" manufactured by Hydraulics Unlimited Mfg Co Inc.
Leo worked very hard on his idea and on earning a living for his family. Leo had married well by that I mean that along with being very beautiful Linnea was also smart and a good money manager. She had to be because they had very little money to manage. They had adopted Leo’s nephew when he was two so their little family had simple needs. Leo moved his fledgling business to a blacksmith shop in a nearby very small farming community. The move gave a little more room, some more equipment and more access to a market both for his repair skills and for his idea. He finally got his idea to point that he had something to sell and a local farmer bought it. Ben liked it so well that bought another one. Leo’s business began to take off on a local basis. Leo had another idea he hired a salesman to travel to other farming communities to sell his idea. Hired is not quite accurate as it was purely a commission deal and the guy paid his own expenses. He was a good salesman and made some sales. Leo decided having a salesman was going to be to slow so he bought a little duplicator and hired some local high school girls to look possible dealers and put out some mailings. With a little success under his belt he started doing direct mailings to farmers all over the United States. His product was light weight, easy to ship, and could be installed by most farmers in their own shops.
Okay let’s fast-forward sixty or so years. The company that he started is still in business employing a hundred or so people in the same small farming community. The community is not so small (Eaton, CO) any more and the company (Hydraulics Unlimited Mfg, Co, Inc.) has been sold and has grown. So what was the effect of an idea, a man with energy and drive, a woman who believed in and supported his dream? Leo’s family grew with addition of two adopted daughters; Linnea adopted another daughter after his passing in 1960. Linnea continued to manage the business with help some other folks. Leo and Linnea’s children were fed, clothed, and educated. Some one hundred other families had employment that paid decent wages allowing them to feed, clothe, and educate their children. Leo and his family were able to live in a nice home, drive fine cars, travel, and go to good schools. All of this was possible because of an idea, hard work and sacrifice, and an economic system with out unreasonable barriers. This is not really all that unique millions of families have benefited from the ideas, dreams, and efforts of countless men and women in this country. Is the system perfect, certainly not? Have there been greedy people who have taken advantage of the system, of course. I believe that if a thorough study was done the positive impact of this system in this country and around the world is far greater than any other system. The system of free enterprise and free market has always worked out to be the most efficient way to feed and clothe the people.
Mary Linnea Farber Harsh and Leo William Harsh
For some very interesting insights into the topic of this post you want to read this book from our bookstore. Daniel Lapin is a rabbi and a business consultant who has written "Thou Shall Prosper" as a commentary on the goodness of modern business.
http://www.aspenleafchristianbooks.com/item/lapin-daniel/thou-shall-prosper-second-edition/601712.html
Posted by Daniel Harsh at 5/10/2011 12:18 PM 
Categories: Business Home_Based, farmers, Values, farming, Faith, Greeley CO, Family, entreprenuer, Trust, Eaton CO, Eaton Colorado
Tags: Idea Inovation Entreprenuer Farm Farming Business
Categories: Business Home_Based, farmers, Values, farming, Faith, Greeley CO, Family, entreprenuer, Trust, Eaton CO, Eaton Colorado
Tags: Idea Inovation Entreprenuer Farm Farming Business
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