Why Failure is More Useful than Success

His refusal to accept this mindset fueled his 5,127 prototypes despite zero commercial interest.

Go to this week’s TL;DR here now.

Key Lessons:

• Advertise the negative (bagless vacuum cleaner).

• Marry someone willing to go into debt with you.

• Do your own manufacturing.

• Have good margins.

• Be unreasonable.

• Be disagreeable.

• Fail often.

Last week on Methods of Prosperity

In 1984, James Dyson licensed his vacuum cleaner prototypes to Amway. Then they accused him of fraud and canceled their agreement. Dyson refunded their money. In 1985, Amway sold the CMS-1000 vacuum cleaner. It used his patented dual-cyclone technology.

Teaming up with Canadian company Iona, later Fantom Technologies, Dyson pursued legal action. The lawsuit revealed Dyson’s strong case for infringement and misappropriation.

That’s why Dyson didn’t expect to be in a compromised position. The defendant’s lawyers forced him to defend his patent’s validity. The suit ended in a settlement in 1991, with Dyson receiving about $1 million.

This experience led Dyson to cease licensing efforts. From that point on he would focus on manufacturing under his own brand.

Part 105: James Dyson (conclusion)

In 2014, psychologists Samuel Hunter & Lily Cushenbery surveyed 200 college students. They were looking for five major personality traits.

1. neuroticism

2. openness

3. extraversion

4. agreeableness

5. conscientiousness.

After completing the survey, the students gathered in a room. That’s where they wrote down original ideas for a marketing campaign. Next, Hunter & Cushenbery arranged the students in groups of three. Then they asked the students to create a plan based on their ideas.

But their findings were counterintuitive.

Hunter & Cushenbery found that there was no correlation between agreeableness and innovative thinking. It was exactly the opposite. Students rated as “less agreeable” outperformed the agreeable students. They were more likely to have their ideas included in the group projects.

Why?

Because “disagreeable” people are willing to argue and fight for their own ideas. We will do this regardless of what others think.

James Dyson engaged in decade-long lawsuits against Amway. He sued Amway for patent infringement. He called their officials “international business villains” after settling. His autobiography Against the Odds violated confidentiality terms, triggering further litigation.

In 1997, Amway sued Dyson for violating the settlement’s confidentiality clause. Dyson claimed they “plagiarized” his invention. A U.S. federal judge issued a preliminary injunction. This injunction barred Dyson from further public statements about the settlement. Dyson appealed the decision.

Dyson’s legal victory in the initial case provided critical funds. Which enabled him to transition from licensing to manufacturing his own vacuums. With royalties from that legal victory, Dyson founded Dyson Ltd. in 1993, opening a research center and factory in the UK. The company has since expanded into a global technology leader. Dyson produces innovative products. Such as bladeless fans, air purifiers, hand dryers, and hair styling tools. Dyson now operates in over 80 countries. Dyson employs thousands of engineers and scientists worldwide.

James Dyson was born on May 2, 1947, in Cromer, Norfolk, England. His father died when he was nine. His father was in hospital from when he was six to when he was nine. James wanted to discover how things work. He would take things apart and try to put them back together again. He tried to build lighting systems. When he was 18, he bought an old car and had to learn how to repair it. But no one taught him how to do these things.

He studied classics at school, Latin Greek and ancient history. But he didn’t set out to be a designer. He was into art. He wondered if there was a career in art. That made him go to art school. Only at the time, he wasn’t aware of design as a thing to study. He discovered that there was this subject called design. In 1965, design was not something anyone talked about.

So he enrolled at the Royal College of Art to study furniture design. But then he switched to architecture for two years. That’s where he became inspired by Buckminster Fuller. Fuller was an American architect, systems theorist, inventor, and futurist. Fuller developed revolutionary ideas about design, technology. Humanity’s relationship with the planet was a concern of Buckminster Fuller. That’s who coined the term “Spaceship Earth”. So James Dyson started working on a Buckminster Fuller type building.

While in college at the Royal College of Art, James Dyson worked for Jeremy Fry. Fry was the founder of the engineering company Rotork. Around age 20–21, Dyson approached Fry for possible financing, which he rejected. He asked Dyson to design a high-speed landing craft. Which became known as the Sea Truck—a versatile, flat-hulled fiberglass boat. Dyson designed it. He was also tasked with traveling around the world to sell it. Fry became a mentor to Dyson. This experience at Rotork was Dyson’s first significant foray into engineering. It also provided him with hands-on experience in both product development and sales.

Kirk-Dyson Designs was the company Dyson co-founded to commercialize the Ballbarrow. It was after they fired him that James went to Fry for support. Fry agreed and invested £25,000 in Dyson’s new venture. Which allowed Dyson to continue developing his cyclonic vacuum cleaner prototypes.

The Dyson DC01 was the first vacuum cleaner sold under the Dyson name, launched in 1993. It was a domestic upright model. The Dyson DC01 introduced the world to Dyson’s patented “Dual Cyclone” technology. Which used centrifugal force to separate dust and debris from the air without the need for a vacuum bag. Traditional vacuums lost suction as their bags filled up. Not the DC01. It could maintain 100% suction power all the time.

The DC01 featured a distinctive industrial design. With exposed bins and tubes, it used a 1,200-watt analog motor. The motor was capable of spinning up to 90,000 rpm, producing 100 air watts of suction power. The DC01 featured a clear dustbin. This went against established opinions and market research. It allowed users to see the vacuum collecting the dirt. Which emphasized the effectiveness of the cyclone system. Dyson designed the DC01 for carpeted floors. That’s why it didn’t have a washable pre-motor filter. Instead, users had to replace the filters every three months. It also offered a choice of standard or HEPA post-motor filtration. Which depended on the model purchased. The DC01 was only the beginning. Dyson built a global reputation for innovation in household appliances. The DC01 established the company as a challenger to established brands.

Beyond appliances, Dyson has invested in fields. This includes robotics, AI, solid-state batteries, and sustainable agriculture through Dyson Farming. He also attempted to develop an electric vehicle. Codenamed N526, Dyson intended it to be a large, seven-seat SUV. Dyson projected a 600-mile range and advanced features. Dyson canceled the project in 2019 after significant investment. Was it too difficult to compete with Tesla?

Another famous failure was Dyson’s washing machine. Known as the CR01 ContraRotator it was not a commercial success. Although it was innovative. It featured two counter-rotating drums to mimic hand washing. Which enabled effective cleaning of clothes. Dyson discontinued the CR01 ContraRotator a few years after its launch. This was due to high production costs and insufficient market demand.

In conclusion, James Dyson has also made innovations in engineering education. He established the James Dyson Foundation in 2002. Which aims to inspire young people to pursue engineering and science careers. It runs the annual James Dyson Award, an international competition celebrating student inventors.

Dyson founded the Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology in 2017. Which offers a new model of engineering education. It combines academic study with salaried work at Dyson. He has also supported major educational institutions and facilities in the UK. This includes the Royal College of Art and Imperial College London.

Dyson has contributed to medical research and facilities. He’s responsible for the Dyson Cancer Centre and the Dyson Centre for Neonatal Care.

Queen Elizabeth II awarded him the title of Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1996. The same queen bestowed the title of Knight Bachelor upon him for his services to business. She also appointed him to the Order of Merit in 2016. That’s a prestigious honor, isn’t it?

As of 2025, Forbes estimates his net worth at $13.3 billion, making him one of the wealthiest individuals in the UK.

James Dyson married Deirdre Dyson, with whom he has three children. She supported him throughout his endeavors. Even when they had to use their house as collateral for his business loans, she didn’t flinch. He continues to lead Dyson’s research and development efforts. Dyson advocates for engineering as a force for societal improvement.

I like you,

– Sean Allen Fenn

PS: You don’t have to follow me on 𝕏, but you can partner with me to bring about serious advancement for each other.

You can now buy the collectors edition of Methods of Prosperity newsletter number 68. It’s available to collect as of June 13, 2025. If you’re so inclined you can permanently own it!

Methods of Prosperity newsletter is intended to share ideas and build relationships. To become a billionaire, one must first be conditioned to think like a billionaire. To that agenda, this newsletter studies remarkable people in history who demonstrated what to do (and what not to do). Let me know how I can help you out. For more information about the author, please visit seanallenfenn.com/faq.

Do you know about my livestream podcast? It’s called Hidden Secrets Revealed Live (HSRL), and I record it live on 𝕏 every Wednesday.