Does anyone know who provided the financing for AOC when it started? Did General Thompson use his personal money to pay for the first run of ~15,000 Colt guns, or did he have investors, or both?
As I learn more about the history of the guns and their parent company, I keep wondering how in the heck Mr. Thompson was able to keep this thing afloat. It took nearly 20 years to clear out the original stock, all-the-while completed guns were sitting in warehouses where they cost money to store and preserve, he had lots of advertising expenses, some R&D work to fund, and at least a few traveling salesmen to pay.
I marvel at how the company did not fold by the mid-twenties (very thankful that it did not), and would love to understand how Mr. Thompson kept it all going until he sold out.
Thanks for any insight!
Edited by Rimcrew, 10 July 2019 - 07:25 PM.