From Shed to Skylines: The Role of Sheds in Global Commerce

They say every great business starts with an idea. But let’s be honest—it often starts with a shed or garage (a close cousin of the shed). Yes, the good old backyard shed—the birthplace of empires! Apple? Steve was in a shed. Amazon? Jeff hung out in a garage. Dyson? Yep, a shed.

I was chatting with Matt Creighton a little while back, trying to find some old photos of the second Bleubird Co warehouse, Matt's mum's potting shed (the first being his apartment in the Alps) when the question struck me.

Why do so many businesses' early years revolve around a shed?

Let’s dive into the oddly pivotal role the shed plays in the origin stories of brilliant businesses.

1. Sheds: The Unlikely Incubator for Greatness

Picture this: a shed with a creaky door, questionable lighting, and enough cobwebs to qualify as an arachnid sanctuary. It’s here, amid the chaos of garden tools and forgotten Christmas decorations, that the magic happens. This tiny kingdom becomes a playground for ideas—once you’ve wrestled the spider for your workspace, of course. It’s chaos but once you’re in there, it’s you, your vision, and approximately three square feet of working space. Bliss.

2. A Shed Offers Solitude

Forget trendy office spaces filled with the sounds of espresso machines and water cooler chat. A shed is the ultimate escape. It’s just you, your thoughts, and perhaps a family of mice who think they’ve stumbled into their new headquarters. The only company you’ll have is the draft creeping in through the door and the existential dread of whether that strange whistling noise is a ghost or your faulty power supply. In the shed, genius can flourish—along with the occasional panic attack.

3. The Shed is Your Ultimate Anything Space

Need a place to tinker? Screenprint t-shirts? Store your brilliant (but somewhat questionable) products? The shed has you covered! Sure, it might mean hunching over a makeshift workbench while being judged by a pair of rusty garden shears, but isn’t that where creativity thrives? The shed’s cramped quarters ensure that every inch counts, leading to some truly innovative solutions—like using a lawn chair as a desk.

4. It Forces You to Keep Things Lean

Business gurus preach about staying “lean” in the early days. Well, nothing keeps you leaner than working in a shed the size of a shoe box. Forget fancy office chairs; if you’re lucky, you’ll have a folding chair that pinches when you sit. With every inch of space filled with old paint cans and questionable decisions, you’ll learn fast what’s essential for your business—and what can be tossed (sorry, Grandma’s old garden gnome).

5. The Shed as a Symbol of Humble Beginnings

When you start in a shed, you set yourself up for a legendary “from rags to riches” story. Picture it: years later, you’re being interviewed by a glossy magazine, and they ask, “What’s the secret to your success?” You lean back, smile, and say, “Well, it all started in a shed…” Cue the inspirational music. Everyone loves a good underdog story, especially when it involves a dirt-covered entrepreneur battling against the odds—and that relentless rusted lawnmower.

6. Every Shed Needs an Exit Strategy

Ah, the final lesson the shed imparts: success means outgrowing your surroundings. The shed is a cocoon for your business, but eventually, you’ll need to spread those wings—or cables—into an actual office. Saying goodbye to your beloved shed will be bittersweet, but just think of all the times you spent in there, working late into the night, powered by instant coffee and questionable life choices.

Conclusion: Get Yourself a Shed

So, aspiring mogul, the next time you ponder what you need to kick off your business, skip the fancy logos and sleek websites. What you really need is a shed! It’s a perfect way to avoid those overpriced coworking memberships and gives you a legitimate excuse to ignore the family while you create the next big thing.

I will swap this story line with any DIY or garden centre, you get a great feel good Christmas ad ‘give the gift of opportunity this year, buy a shed’ roll credits and all I want in return is a new shed.?

If there is any DIY or garden centre out there in search of a feel good storyline for your Christmas as this year, here you go, “Give the gift of opportunity this year—buy a shed!” Roll credits. And all I want in return is a new shed…