While startups often emerge overnight and disappear just as quickly, a company that has been in existence for over 100 years possesses a unique quality. When the trends pass and the markets evolve, certain companies have survived. These businesses have persisted, adapted, and dominated their markets for centuries.
Business endurance isn’t a chance. It’s faith, patience, and the ability to evolve with the times. Wherever they started out selling soap, making machines, or brewing beer, these companies share a few key traits that allowed them to reach the 100-year milestone—and keep going.
Let’s examine some of these amazing companies and their secrets to success.
Johnson & Johnson – since 1886
Founded in 1886, Johnson & Johnson started with a sole mission: to make surgery safer by producing ready-to-use sterile surgical dressings. Over time, it grew into one of the world’s biggest healthcare companies.
From Band-Aids to baby soap to life-saving medical equipment, Johnson & Johnson has built its reputation for trust and innovation. Despite severe lawsuits and recalls of products over the last few years, the company has been able to maintain its presence on the global scene. Its commitment to research, healthcare solutions, and brand consistency has helped it last more than 135 years.
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Coca-Cola – since 1886
Also founded in 1886, Coca-Cola began as a small Atlanta, Georgia, soda fountain drink. It was created by pharmacist John Pemberton, and it became an overnight sensation because of its unique taste and cunning marketing.
Today, Coca-Cola is a brand known worldwide. Is it the secret to success? The secret to Coca-Cola’s success is its strong branding, global reach, and ongoing product evolution. Coca-Cola has successfully adapted to consumer demands by introducing diet versions, bottled water, and energy drinks. Despite wars, economic downturns, and health scares, Coke remains a ubiquitous brand.
General Electric – since 1892
Thomas Edison founded General Electric (GE) in 1892 by merging his Edison Electric Company with several others. GE has been at the forefront of American innovation, from building electric light bulbs and trains to jet engines and medical imaging machines.
Despite facing numerous challenges over the past two decades, GE remains one of the most respected industrial giants. How does it survive more than a century? It has done so by constantly reinventing itself. GE has shed or spun off numerous divisions, yet it continues to adapt and thrive in the high-tech and energy sectors.
Ford Motor company – since 1903
Founded by Henry Ford in 1903, Ford Motor Company revolutionised the world by making automobiles accessible to the masses. Ford’s introduction of the assembly line revolutionised manufacturing and permanently changed the transportation landscape.
Over the years, Ford has experienced numerous ups and downs, particularly during the 2008 financial crisis, yet it has consistently rebounded. Presently, the company is investing huge sums of money in electric cars and intelligent technology in a bid to stay relevant in a changing marketplace.
IBM – Since 1911
IBM, or International Business Machines Corporation, began in 1911 as the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company (CTR) and eventually its name was changed to IBM in 1924. IBM became a computer hardware and software leader.
Although IBM no longer dominates the personal computer market, the company has shifted its focus to cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), and business services. By constantly evolving and embracing innovation, IBM has stayed relevant in an ever-changing tech world for more than a century.
Levi Strauss & Co. – since 1853
Levi’s is a brand that virtually every American has worn at one point or another. Levi Strauss started the business in 1853 during the California Gold Rush years, manufacturing sturdy pants for miners. Those pants would ultimately become the blue jeans we know and love today.
Levi’s has managed to stay cool for over 170 years by balancing tradition with trend. From cowboys to rock stars to modern influencers, Levi’s jeans have consistently maintained their style. The brand’s timeless appeal and clever marketing have helped it survive fads and economic swings.
UPS – since 1907
The United Parcel Service (UPS) started out in 1907 as a small messenger company in Seattle. It grew into one of the world’s biggest package delivery and logistics companies over time.
What has allowed UPS to stand strong for over a century? UPS has expanded its global reach, made significant investments in technology, and adapted to the evolving nature of e-commerce. Given today’s order clicks for purchases, UPS plays a central role in mail service delivery for both merchants and consumers.
Procter & Gamble – since 1837
Procter & Gamble (P&G) began life in 1837 as a small soap and candle business in Cincinnati. Today, it has ownership of a dozen or so top household brands, including Tide, Pampers, Gillette, and Crest.
P&G is successful in the long term because it can develop and sustain successful brands. It hears consumers, spends big on advertising, and stays current with what’s new. Millions of homes around the world carry P&G’s products.
The secret to their longevity
What do all of these century-old companies have in common? Although they are disparate industries, they do have a couple of robust characteristics:
- Consumers respect and recognise their strong brand identities and logos.
- Ability to Adapt – From adjusting to new technology to evolving consumer preferences, they have managed to stay current.
- Commitment to Quality – P&G has maintained the quality of its products and services, which keeps customers returning repeatedly.
- Global Reach – Most of them have expanded outside the U.S., allowing them to expand even when their local market slowed down.
- Innovation – From the factory floors to artificial intelligence, innovation is at the centre of their success stories.
Lessons for today’s businesses
These stories offer some lessons in an era where most businesses don’t survive even five years, let alone 100.
Change is the only constant. Even the most successful companies must evolve, or they may as well become relics of the past.
Customer loyalty is priceless. When customers believe in your brand, they are loyal for generations.
Resilience matters. There will be recessions, global wars, and scandals, but business leaders who are resilient know how to recover.
These institutions, established over a century ago, remind us that long-term survival depends on stability, neutrality, and adaptability.
While the financial industry grapples with accusations and regulation, the firms that prioritise serving people first and remain independent of politics are the ones that survive.
