Henry Ford – Full documentary – PBS America


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Highlights

  • Henry Ford was a rock star industrialist
  • Henry Ford was incredibly stubborn and refused to negotiate with the unions
  • Henry’s son had to step in to find a solution, but died at 49 due to terminal stomach cancer likely caused by stress in some part due to his father
  • Henry Ford died at age 83 due to old age at his wife Clara’s side

More highlights

  • Liked how he was an engineer and tinkerer himself, inventing his Model T car through a lot of trial and error, and he “hated” his investors because they did not do anything but profit from his hard work
  • I like people who do the work themselves, then become successful vs managers or CEOs who do not build the thing, only tell others to build it
  • Famously raised minimum wage to $5 / day which was unheard of at the time, despite his managers and other industry leaders opposing. And gave his workers profit sharing. Wanted all his workers to be able to afford a Ford. Result was he had a lineup of people wanting to work for his factories.
  • Preferred the people who did the work, not the rich society. After he became one of the rich, he did not socialize with them.
  • Was a great showman and knew how to work the media
  • Worked hard, got up at dawn, exercised, did not drink or smoke
  • Did not care for socializing with “elites”

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