Benjamin Franklin may be the most famous of all the Founding Fathers. Although he was never elected president, he was an established diplomat and philosopher. He was also a successful businessman, which is fitting since nowadays Franklin is famous for his position on the $100 bill.
In addition to those noteworthy accomplishments, Franklin also had an incredible mind. He was quite innovative and is credited with an assortment of inventions (some of which he didn’t even create). As a businessman and an innovator, Franklin thrived because he did one thing: he made practical improvements to regular problems.
The man
Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston in 1706. He was one of seventeen children born unto his father, Josiah. As a young teenager, he apprenticed as a printer with his brother James. He showed signs of ambition even then but ended up running away before he was 18.
He ended up in Philadelphia and spent a great deal of time in Europe as well. Over the course of the next three decades, he developed successful printing business and became an established pillar in his community. His life is littered with book clubs, conventions and business meetings, at which he brushed with fellow great minds.
Before reaching fifty he retired from business and served as a politician, diplomat, and inventor, refusing nearly all compensation. It was during these years that the following innovations were made.
Flexible catheter
Imagine inserting a rigid glass tube into your urethra and you’ll quickly understand how desperately the world needed a better catheter than the one of Franklin’s day. The idea for the new model came when his brother was in need, and as far as practicality goes, it was near perfect. Its design is still used today.
Franklin Stove
Before Franklin developed the stove that came to bear his name, the only warmth to be had indoors came from a fireplace or the midday sun and neither was efficient for keeping the home warm.
Franklin knew that fire does not radiate heat in only a single direction. In fact, warmth emanates from its flames in every direction. Placing a fire in the corner seriously restricted its potential to warm. It was just plain inefficient!
A portable iron stove was Franklin’s solution. It could be moved from one place to another, unlike a fireplace that was built into a home. What’s more is that the structure allowed heat to move from the center of the room to all of its corners with ease. The transfer of heat became efficient, and the cherry on top was that the iron stove was much safer.
Bifocals
The advent of the iPhone and similar technologies highlight the value of two (or more) in one. Bifocals were based on that same premise. Franklin required eyeglasses for both general nearsightedness and reading. As an avid reader, Franklin would have needed to switch out his glasses with great frequency. It was a waste of time and effort.
But what if he didn’t need to switch?
He created the first pair of bifocals by simply slicing his original lenses in two and attaching them within the same frame. Though his original pair was likely crude, they represented a great advance in convenience for lens wearers. Surely, they saved him many hours over the years.
Greatness
Though Benjamin Franklin is legendary for his breadth of knowledge and role in the founding of the nation, none of his innovations are particularly earth-shattering. They all feel like simple and natural progressions.
Much has been written about (and by) Franklin regarding business, but perhaps one lesson for yours is this: to succeed, you don’t necessarily need to blow minds, you just need to meet needs.