welcome to English Avenue your home for powerful stories life-changing books and smart strategies to help you speak English fluently and confidently today you're going to listen to one of the most emotional and inspiring brand success stories in the world do you know how much money Honda makes every single minute more than $25,000 in just one minute they don't just make bikes they don't just make cars they also build private jets robots and even boats but here's the truth this story is not about money this is a story of a man who faced rejection loss war earthquake bankruptcy and humiliation this is a story of a man who had no formal education no rich family and no support yet changed the world soichiro Honda this story will teach you why failure is not your enemy how pain can build your future and how even if the world says you can't you still can so watch this story till the end because every chapter will give you hope motivation and most importantly simple English you can learn and understand easily and if you enjoy the story make sure to subscribe to our channel for more stories like this let's begin chapter 1 the boy who watched wheels soichiro's early life soichiro Honda was born on November 17th 1906 in a small village called Kio in Shizuoka Prefecture Japan he was not born in a city he was born in a very poor and quiet village his family was poor but not just financially they had many emotional struggles too his father Giaki Honda was a blacksmith that means he used to repair things like bicycles kitchen tools and other metal items he was also very smart with his hands his mother Mika Honda was a weaver she made cloth from her hands they were a workingclass family every member of the family worked hard to survive but life was not easy for them so Ichiro had eight siblings yes eight but you know what five of them died when they were very young they were so poor that they couldn't afford medicine so Ichiro saw death very closely he saw pain he saw hunger he saw helplessness he said later in an interview "I was not afraid of failure because I saw things worse than failure when I was a child. " His first love was not a person it was a machine one day a strange machine came to his village something he had never seen before it was a car he had never seen one in real life he was only 8 or 9 years old when he saw that car for the first time the road was dusty the engine was noisy the driver was proud but Soichiro was curious he ran behind the car he looked at the wheels he stared at the moving parts he didn't care about the dust he didn't care about the noise in that moment he fell in love not with the car but with how the car moved he said later "I don't remember the color of the car i don't remember the brand i only remember the smell of oil i only remember the sound of the engine that was enough. " Many people think to become successful you must be top in school but Soichiro was not a good student at all in fact he failed many subjects and sometimes he would skip school just to go to the workshop with his father his teachers didn't think he would achieve anything his classmates didn't take him seriously but what nobody saw was this he was learning with his hands he loved machines he loved engines he loved building things sometimes he would collect old bicycle parts from the street and bring them home he would fix them build new things break them again and learn from his mistakes his brain didn't like textbooks his brain loved nuts bolts wires tools and gears when Suichiro turned 15 years old he did something very bold he saw an advertisement in a newspaper for a mechanic job in Tokyo the capital city he had never been to a big city before he had no money he had no rich uncle in Tokyo but he still applied and guess what he was selected but the company didn't say "We'll train you fully.
" They said "You will be an assistant you will clean you will observe you will not touch the tools for a long time. " But Soichiro said "Okay. " He didn't want a perfect job he wanted a place to learn he worked under Art Shokai a small auto repair shop the owner was impressed because Soichiro worked harder than anyone else he cleaned the floor he observed every step when someone repaired an engine he watched every movement listened to every sound and remembered every detail he stayed up late to learn more he asked questions he read manuals and soon he started getting noticed he was given his first chance to build a racing car engine at age 17 he helped his company win a race by the time he was 22 years old he had big dreams he didn't just want to fix cars he wanted to build parts create new technology and start his own company one day he said "The best learning is not in books it's in failure hands-on experience and your own passion.
" And with that vision Soichiro started taking the first steps toward building his future empire but life was going to test him many many times chapter 2 fire failure and the rise of a dream after working for many years in the repair shop learning everything about machines engines and parts soiro finally opened his own small company he called it Tokai Eastern Sea Precision Machine Company what did his company do it made piston rings an important part inside car engines every car needs piston rings without them the engine will not work properly so Soichiro thought "If I can build piston rings and sell them to big companies my company will grow. " He had no big machines no team of experts he had only a small workshop some basic tools and his hands but what he had more than anything was belief belief in his dream now let's talk about the truth the first time Soiro made piston rings they failed the second time they also failed the third time still failed not one company wanted to buy them even the biggest car company in Japan at that time Toyota rejected his work they said the quality is too poor these piston rings are useless can you imagine after all that hard work he got nothing but did he stop no so Ichiro didn't cry he didn't run away he said something powerful success is 99% failure so he kept working he tested he failed he tested again he went to a technical school in the evening to learn more science he used his own savings to do experiments he even sold his wife's jewelry to keep the business running he tried more than 50 times to get it right and finally one day it worked after years of hard work Toyota finally said "Yes we want your piston rings. " This was like a dream come true so Ichiro was very happy he smiled and thought now my life will change now my business will grow toyota gave him a big contract they said "We will buy your piston rings in large quantity.
" Everything was going well he started building a new factory he hired people he bought more tools it looked like his dreams were becoming real but life had other plans in 1935 just when a factory was getting ready a huge earthquake hit the area boom the building collapsed machines broke walls cracked everything he had built with so much love destroyed people said "Soiro this is a sign stop this business go get a job. " But Soichiro said "No if I stop now then everything I learned will be wasted. " So he started again he collected scrap metal he rebuilt his factory piece by piece he worked day and night fixing everything with his team and just when things were getting better in the early 1940s World War II started and this time something even worse happened bombs were dropped over Japan one of those bombs fell on Soichiro's factory boom everything burned his workshop his tools the building it all turned into ashes the dream he had built twice gone again so stood in front of the burnt building smoke in the air tears in his eyes but inside his heart there was still fire people again told him "You lost everything you can't start again.
" But he replied "Success is not about how high you go it's about how many times you stand up after falling. " After the war ended Japan was in a very bad condition there was no money no fuel and no jobs people had lost everything so Ichiro looked around people were tired people had no transport they were walking miles every day even bicycles were too expensive and then Soichiro got an idea he had an old army generator a machine that creates power he thought "What if I attach this small engine to a bicycle? " and he did it he created the first motorized bicycle in Japan it was cheap simple and fast people loved it and just like that a new company was born Honda Motor Company at this point Soichiro could have named the company anything but he chose to name it Honda after his own name why because he believed in accountability he said "If it fails I will take responsibility if it succeeds the name will remind people that it all started with one man and a big dream.
" The small engine bicycle became a big hit people from all over Japan started buying it within a few years Honda started building better engines bigger bikes and stronger machines they created the famous Honda Cub one of the bestselling bikes in history chapter 3 from motorbikes to cars chasing giants with courage soichiro Honda had now created something that was changing people's lives a simple motorized bicycle it was affordable fast easy to use and perfect for a poor broken Japan after the war people who had no vehicles were now riding motorized bikes going to work taking their children to school doing daily shopping and even delivering food this little invention was not just a machine it was hope and this was just the beginning after the success of the motorbike Soichiro did not sit back and relax he did not say "Now I have made it. " No he said something powerful that shows how he thought the value of life can be measured by how many times your soul has been deeply stirred he wanted to stir the soul of every person in the world he wanted to go beyond Japan he wanted to build something bigger something more powerful something that would compete with the biggest companies in the world he said to himself "Now we will make cars. " At that time making cars was not a joke in Japan there were already giant car companies like Toyota Nissan and Mazda these companies were huge powerful well-funded and already selling cars across the country so Honda had never made a car before he didn't even have proper equipment engineers or big factories like Toyota people laughed at him even some of his employees said "We are bike makers how can we build cars?
" But Honda looked them in the eye and said "We are not here to copy others we are here to create something new. " He didn't care about how big other companies were he didn't care that people called him crazy he believed in taking risks in the early 1960s Honda and his team started working on their first car they worked in small workshops they did not have air conditioning they didn't even have proper floors it was dusty noisy and difficult but they had passion honda worked side by side with the engineers he didn't sit in a glass office he wore a cap rolled up his sleeves and got his hands dirty every screw every wire every bolt he wanted to know how it worked he didn't want to copy cars made by other companies he wanted to build something new something smaller more efficient and cheaper because he wanted normal people not just rich people to own a car in 1963 they released their first car the Honda T360 a small pickup truck with a tiny engine and it wasn't a luxury car or a fast sports car this was not just a truck it was Honda's announcement to the world we are here and we're different it had a 356 cm engine that's smaller than most motorcycle engines today the engine produced 30 horsepower and could reach a top speed of around 100 km per hour 62 mph it was extremely lightweight which made it fuel efficient and affordable price around 400,000 yen in Japan at that time roughly $1,100 back then it was designed mainly for small business owners farmers and delivery work people who needed something practical and cheap but here's the twist the engine was red yes red honda put the engine from a motorcycle into a truck and painted it red to stand out no one had done this before it was strange new and exciting and guess what people loved it it wasn't luxurious but it was reliable cute and fun to drive it was something fresh in the market full of big boring cars more than 100,000 units were sold that's how strong the impact was just a few months after the T360 Honda dropped another surprise a car that looked like it came from the future this was the Honda S500 their first passenger car and it was completely different from what anyone expected it had a 531 cm engine producing 44 horsepower which was very powerful for such a small car it could reach a top speed of 130 km hour 81 mph faster than many bigger cars it had chain- driven rear wheels just like a motorcycle again Honda doing things their way price around $459,000 yen roughly 1,270 back then it had a sleek sporty design a soft convertible top round headlights and a curvy body it looked like a toy but it drove like a dream at a time when Japanese cars were seen as basic and boring the S500 showed the world that Honda was not afraid to be bold this little sports car wasn't just for speed it was for fun freedom and dreamers the result people were amazed honda wasn't copying anyone they were creating their own path a small pickup truck with a motorcycle heart a sports car that felt alive people started asking "Who is this Honda company and what will they do next? " These two cars the T360 and S500 didn't just move on wheels they moved people they introduced the world to Honda's spirit small engines big dreams and the courage to be different now here comes the most important part of the story honda didn't want to stop in Japan he looked across the ocean at the United States of America the land of Ford Chevrolet and Chrysler the land where car companies were kings many Japanese companies were afraid to go to America the market was difficult people in the US liked big cars powerful engines and strong designs japanese cars were seen as small weak and strange but Honda was different he said "If we can make the best product we can enter any market.
" In 1972 Honda released the Honda Civic it was small it was cheap it was fuel efficient and most importantly it was reliable at first glance it didn't look like a big deal it was small it was simple it wasn't flashy or loud but behind that little car was a big idea fuel efficient it used very little petrol people could drive longer and save money reliable it didn't break down often it just kept going and going affordable almost anyone could buy it it was much cheaper than most cars easy to drive simple design smooth to handle great for families students and workers at that time America was going through a fuel crisis petrol gasoline prices were rising people needed smaller cars that used less fuel honda Civic arrived at the perfect time it was like a gift for American families within a short time Honda Civic became a massive success in the US people in the US were shocked they said this little car from Japan is better than many of our big cars soiro Honda had done something incredible he had entered the biggest and most competitive car market in the world and won people's hearts the name Honda was no longer just a Japanese brand it became a global symbol of quality innovation and trust after the Civic came another masterpiece the Honda Accord launched in 1976 the Accord was larger than the Civic but still fuelefficient and smart it became a favorite family car in America Europe and across the world people started saying "If you want a car that lasts for years buy a Honda. " The Accord became one of the bestselling cars in American history the name Accord means harmony peace and agreement honda chose this name because they wanted their car to be in perfect harmony with people and the world comfortable efficient safe something that simply felt right and that's exactly what it became what made the Accord special when the Accord was released it surprised people again just like the Civic did fuel efficient even though it was bigger it still saved fuel spacious and comfortable it had more space inside great for families and longer journeys smooth drive it felt better on the road the engine was strong but quiet strong build it was solid safe and longasting affordable luxury it wasn't too expensive but it felt premium and people loved it people who bought the Accord never stopped talking about it they said things like "It's been 10 years and my Accord still runs like new i've driven it across the country without a single problem my dad had one now I have one too it became a trusted name a car that represented quality trust and smart choices if the Civic was Honda's opening act the Accord was the standing ovation it showed the world that Honda wasn't just lucky they were smart consistent and deeply connected to what people truly needed let me tell you something amazing soichiro Honda didn't act like a typical boss he didn't wear expensive suits he didn't sit in a luxury chair giving orders he worked with his employees not above them he once said "A company is not a machine it is a collection of people if you take care of your people they will take care of your customers he treated every employee with respect whether it was an engineer or a cleaner he believed in learning from mistakes and he never punished people for trying something new at Honda everyone was encouraged to think to innovate to speak up this culture made Honda different from every other company people don't just buy machines they buy what the machine means to them a father buys a bike to take his son to school a young woman buys her first car with her own salary and cries sitting in the driver's seat a man loses his job but keeps his old Honda running while searching for the next opportunity these stories are not about engines and tires these are about dreams honda became a brand of stories of journeys of life and that's how Honda kept winning hearts not with loud marketing but with quiet trust but the path wasn't always smooth honda faced hard times too there were moments of failure models that didn't sell factories that had to be closed but Honda never stopped why because failure was never feared it was respected let's look at one example the launch of the first luxury car the Akira brand in America honda had already become a trusted name for economy cars but now it wanted to step into luxury it was a bold move competing with brands like BMW Mercedes Lexus that was no small thing people said Honda can't do luxury it's for middle class people but Honda answered with action the Akira Legend was launched smooth quiet powerful beautifully designed and it worked akira became America's first successful Japanese luxury brand meanwhile in the world of motorcycles Honda was becoming the king in countries like India people said "If you want a bike that never dies buy a Honda. " Farmers students delivery men everyone trusted Honda bikes models like the CD 100 the Shine and the Unicorn became household names but Honda didn't stop there it wanted to give back to the planet the future was changing pollution was rising so Honda began focusing on green technology it started working on hybrid engines cleaner fuel better batteries and finally electric vehicles while other companies were still thinking Honda had already started doing let's begin at a quiet place in one of Honda's futuristic research labs in Japan it's not noisy there are no roaring engines there are soft footsteps quiet discussions glowing computer screens and eyes full of wonder these are not ordinary workers these are dream builders they are not working on tires or seats they are working on dreams that fly yes Honda was now dreaming beyond roads after becoming a global success in bikes and cars Honda asked a bold question what if we can fly not just with airplanes not just with machines but with hope with technology that touches the sky and just like that a new chapter began honda Aircraft Company you see when Honda started designing a jet the world laughed again who do they think they are they are good with bikes they are good with small cars but jets it's not a toy it's aviation but Honda had never listened to doubters before why start now so the engineers worked day and night for 30 years they didn't stop they tested failed reworked redesigned no shortcuts no rushing and then came the moment the first test flight of the Honda Jet it wasn't just an airplane it was a revolution the Honda Jet had engines placed above the wings a rare design people said it won't fly but it did and it flew better than anyone expected it was faster quieter more fuelefficient more spacious inside and smarter in design than jets twice its price in 2018 Honda Jet became the bestselling light business jet in the world now imagine that a company that began with bicycle repairs a man who failed in school and business had now built a machine that flies in the sky above clouds above doubt above fear this isn't just business this is human achievement but Honda still wasn't done it looked again into the future and asked "What do humans really need in the next 50 years?
" The answer wasn't speed it wasn't power it was care the world is aging people are living longer but they need support love help so Honda turned its eyes towards something new robots not scary ones not cold machines but gentle kind smart robots who could help the elderly support children assist the disabled and thus Honda created something magical the world's most advanced humanoid robot at the time Asimo a little white robot shaped like a child in a space suit but this child could walk talk run climb stairs wave hello carry objects and understand voice commands people cried when they saw it children reached out to touch its hands it wasn't just a robot it was a symbol of hope a vision of a future where machines don't replace us they support us and still Honda was not done it started investing in hydrogen fuel technology dreaming of cars that emit only water not pollution it developed electric vehicles smart navigation AI systems safety features and even self-driving technology it worked on walking assist devices for stroke patients it designed solar energy systems for clean homes and in every one of these dreams there was one common thing respect for life not just human life but the life of this earth our home because Honda believed that technology should serve humanity not control it that progress is only real when it brings peace health and hope let's now look at what makes Honda truly unforgettable is it the vehicles the jet the robot no it's the philosophy so Airo Honda once said "Success represents 1% of your work which results from the 99% that it called failure.
