Page 198 - BWA FEB 2013

198 | Business World Magazine | February 2013
1954, Kahn made a living from the selling of
canned food goods, but enrolled in a trade
school to learn the art of tool & die making.
It would take another year, but upon gradu-
ation, he secured $5,000 in capital and with
support from his Aunt Fannie, opened a new
business. Equipped with faith in his capabili-
ties, determination and a healthy measure of
confidence, he named the enterprise "Perfec-
tion Spring Manufacturing Company." Yet,
on the equipment side, he had one coiling
machine and a well-used four-slide machine
which he put in his garage and went to work.
His wife, Barbara, helped run the machines
during the day while Kahn drove around
trying to drum-up clients. Aunt Fannie han-
dled bills, invoices, mail and book-keeping,
but wasn’t too over tasked because the com-
pany didn’t make any money for the first
six months. Kahn wasn’t the kind of man
to give-up without a fight, and he doggedly
pursued business, soon securing his first cus-