The Summer of 1930
In the first summer of the Great Depression, Elton B. Stephens sold magazines door-to-door in order to help pay for his education at Birmingham Southern College in Birmingham, AL. Elton quickly realized something about himself—he could sell. That summer, he made enough money to pay for next year’s tuition. The following summer, Elton B. Stephens assembled and coordinated a team of friends to assist him; and he learned that he was not only a good salesman, but also a good manager.
By 1936, at 25 years old, Elton had graduated from the University of Alabama Law School and was earning more money weekly managing sales people part-time than a starting attorney could make in a month. Eventually, in 1944, Elton set out to pursue his aspirations. He and his wife Alys formed a partnership and began what would become one of the largest privately held companies in the United States.
From the early beginnings of EBSCO, selling has been core to who we are. We seek to understand the needs of our customers and deliver products and services that meet those needs. For us, business is not about making sales and maximizing profit in the short run. Business is about creating value for customers, securing continued and new business, and maximizing profits over the long run.
At EBSCO, we are focused on our future success.
CEO, David Walker explains how empowerment without abandonment and investing for the long term helps EBSCO attract and foster durable businesses who are talent driven, customer centered, growth oriented, and results focused.
