Burt and Leo?—?the greatest innovators you’ve probably never heard of.
Innovation.
From its earliest uses as a synonym for rebellion, revolt and heresy to its renaissance in 1939, defined as “an act of intellectual creativity undertaken without any thought given to its possible economic import” by the Austrian economist Joseph Schumpeter.
Since our early ancestors worked out that a circle has many more uses than a square; designers, engineers, philosophers, writers, musicians and 6th graders have strived to innovate — disrupting entire industries with new approaches, products and ideas.
Schumpeter’s definition encapsulates where I believe all innovation should begin — by the removal of quantitative economic measures but with a focus on the intangible outcomes of problems solved, actions inspired and creativity unleashed.
This brings me to what I consider to be two of the most inspiring innovators of modern times, Burt Munro and Leo Fender.
Born 10 years and 10,000kms apart Burt and Leo created a legacy that lives on today through unbeaten world records, timeless products and the collective inspiration of millions.
“I liked developing new items that people needed.”
Leo Fender was born Clarence Leonidas Fender in Anaheim, California on August 10th 1909.
After a youth spent tinkering with car radio spares and a short stint as a delivery driver, book keeper and later an accountant, Leo went on to found the Fender Electric Instrument Manufacturing Company (or simply ‘Fender’).
A privately held company, Fender is estimated to have made over $700 million in revenue in 2011 but Fender’s musical and cultural impact is immeasurable. Leo’s designs have been providing the tools that have created revolutions in popular (and not so popular) music for over 60 years.
Leo’s work began (like all great innovators) in his backyard, with a passion and a workbench.
Having worked on the local music scene for a number of years, building and repairing public address systems as ‘Fender Radio Service’ Leo’s conversations with local musicians and venue owners helped him to identify the potential for a new type of musical instrument — the first ‘solid body’ electric guitar. Demonstrating that, of course, research is the key driver for innovation.
This new product would go on to become the Telecaster electric guitar – a cheap, easy to build, easy to maintain guitar that could supply a multitude of different sounds for a multitude of different musicians and bands.
Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones? A Telecaster devotee since the early 70's.
Bruce Springsteen plays pretty much nothing but his 1952 Esquire (an early version of the Telecaster.)
Even the heavy metal grind of Slipknot and Marilyn Manson? Slipknot guitarist Jim Root and his signature model Jim Root Telecaster or one time Manson lead guitarist John5 and his J5 signature model.
Though Leo’s success with the Telecaster was built on an intimate understanding of his customers needs, it was his approach to innovation that helped him develop those “…new items that people needed.”
Leo built prototype after prototype, testing in the clubs and bars of Southern California, gathering feedback, refining and reengineering until they created what were essentially the tools of the trade for hardworking guitarists.
“You live more in five minutes on a bike like this going flat out than some people live in a lifetime.”
As Leo Fender was busy refining his second guitar model, the wildly popular Stratocaster (synonymous with Buddy Holly, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and many more), over 10,000kms away in a small New Zealand town a motorcycle salesman and mechanic, Herbert James “Burt” Munro, had just taken up permanent residence in his small workshop, determined to self-build a racing motorcycle to compete with the best of the best.
Burt’s approach to innovation shares similarities with Leo’s, though while Leo’s motivations were financial and driven by a desire to fulfil customer needs, Burt’s were emotional and driven purely by a personal passion to be the best in his field.
Using a 1920 Indian Scout motorcycle as a foundation, Burt worked tirelessly for 20 years to achieve his dream of breaking the under-1,000 cc land speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah.
Burt’s bike had a factory top speed of just 90 km/h (55 mph) but the machine he engineered went on to achieve a number of world speed records.
Often making new parts and tools himself instead of having them professionally built, Burt would cast metal engine parts such as barrels, pistons and flywheels, in old tin cans.
Burt achieved his dream with a total of three world records: first in 1962, then in 1966 and finally in 1967. In his inaugural run at Bonneville he set a world record of 288 km/h (178.97 mph).
Burt was inducted to the Motorcycle Museum’s Hall of Fame 2006 and in 2014, 36 years after his death, he was retroactively awarded a further record of 296.2593 km/h (184.087 mph) after his son John noticed a historical calculation error in his recorded time.
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Innovation is hard and the path to true innovation is not always clear but with passion, resourcefulness and vision you too can do great things and perhaps even break a few world records along the way.