A question arose in my mind at that time. Why were 35 famous multinational companies interested in investing in a multiclient seed study? As I got behind the scenes, it developed that the McKinsey & Company, a leading international consulting firm, had sold the idea of the seed industry as significant investment and growth opportunity to the chief executives of these companies. Some of the names have come and gone since then, but I will mention a few just for old time sake: Sandoz, Ciba Geigy, Dow, Union Carbide, Pfizer, Unilever, Hoechst, Merck, etc. Little did I know these and many more were ultimately to become my clients.

The seed study took about nine months. Again and again, my seed trade friends asked me, "Why was I working for Arthur D. Little Company and couldn’t I go into business writing and selling these studies myself?" One day flying back from Boston, lightening struck and I decided to setup L. William Teweles & Co. in the library of my home and installed a separate telephone line and had some business stationery and calling cards printed; I was off and running.

My first project was the "Global Seed Study" which encompassed not only North America, but Europe, Latin America and Japan. ADL had setup a pretty good pricing schedule, which I followed plus 15 percent. I think all of the subscribers to the ADL study acquired my study and maybe a few more.