--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: First we build people, then we build cars." description: "\"First we build people, then we build cars.\" — Fujio Cho" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b93/fujio-cho-52633_build_first-we-build-people-then-we-build-cars_2655209.jpg" --- # First we build people, then we build cars. ![“First we build people, then we build cars.” quote by Fujio Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b93/fujio-cho-52633_build_first-we-build-people-then-we-build-cars_2655209.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b93/fujio-cho-52633_build_first-we-build-people-then-we-build-cars_2655209.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b93/fujio-cho-52633_build_first-we-build-people-then-we-build-cars_2655209.jpg) > “First we build people, then we build cars.” [Fujio Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fujio-cho/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People must be developed before technology; human capital precedes product creation. **In simple terms:** Build people first, then machines. Key Takeaway Invest in talent development. Themes human resources technology development priorities Mood forward‑looking strategic Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - training programs - leadership - product design Key Concepts Human-centered design skill building Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance tech and talent? - What training yields the best innovation? A Different Perspective Tech can outpace human growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Build](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/build/) [Build Cars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/build-cars-1964780/) [Build People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/build-people-560381/) [Car](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/car/) [Cars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cars/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Build](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-build/) ## Related quotes > [We at BMW do not build cars as consumer objects, just to drive from A to B. We build mobile works of art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-bangle/we-at-bmw-do-not-build-cars-as-consumer-objects-just-to-drive-from-a/) [Chris Bangle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-bangle/) > [I build my cars to go, not to stop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ettore-bugatti/i-build-my-cars-to-go-not-to-stop/) [Ettore Bugatti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ettore-bugatti/) > [Some people build houses others build people; of the two I would rather be of the latter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-people-build-houses-others-build-people-of-the-two-i-would/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You don't build a business --you build people-- and then people build the business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-don-t-build-a-business-you-build-people-and-then-people-build-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you surround yourself with people who are trying to build, who are all willing to build other people up, they build you up!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-roney/if-you-surround-yourself-with-people-who-are-trying-to-build-who-are/) [Blake Roney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-roney/) > [It's my job to build the people who are going to build the company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-schnatter/it-s-my-job-to-build-the-people-who-are-going-to-build-the-company/) [John Schnatter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-schnatter/) > [If we build the people, they'll build the business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brownie-wise/if-we-build-the-people-they-ll-build-the-business/) [Brownie Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brownie-wise/) > [Be around people who build you up not build you down...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serenity-c/be-around-people-who-build-you-up-not-build-you-down/) [Serenity C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serenity-c/) > [My dad would build these cars with the candy paint, big rims and hydraulics and rappers would rent them for their video shoots. Growing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/latto/my-dad-would-build-these-cars-with-the-candy-paint-big-rims-and/) [Latto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/latto/) > [Getting up in front and talking to the people who build my cars is the worst. I get so damn nervous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-earnhardt-jr-2/getting-up-in-front-and-talking-to-the-people-who-build-my-cars-is/) [Dale Earnhardt, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-earnhardt-jr-2/) > [For many people, being asked to solve their own retirement savings problems is like being asked to build their own cars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-thaler/for-many-people-being-asked-to-solve-their-own-retirement-savings/) [Richard Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-thaler/) > [“We build cars, not intellectuals”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-k-liker/we-build-cars-not-intellectuals/) [Jeffrey K. Liker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-k-liker/) > [We should be building houses like we build cars - controlled environment, huge amount of research and development, high levels of quality control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clarke/we-should-be-building-houses-like-we-build-cars-controlled/) [George Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clarke/) > [“Don’t use people to build the church. Use the church to build people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecilia-chan/don-t-use-people-to-build-the-church-use-the-church-to-build-people/) [Cecilia Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecilia-chan/) > [Relationships are about two people working together to build something, not two people getting over on each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enhance-dreams/relationships-are-about-two-people-working-together-to-build/) [Enhance Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enhance-dreams/) ## More by Fujio Cho > [Environmentally friendly cars will soon cease to be an option...they will become a necessity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fujio-cho/environmentally-friendly-cars-will-soon-cease-to-be-an-option-they/) [Fujio Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fujio-cho/) > [Many good American companies have respect for individuals, and practice Kaizen and other TPS {Toyota Production System} tools. But what is important is having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fujio-cho/many-good-american-companies-have-respect-for-individuals-and/) [Fujio Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fujio-cho/) > [Plans are things that change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fujio-cho/plans-are-things-that-change/) [Fujio Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fujio-cho/) > [We get brilliant results from average people managing brilliant processes - while our competitors get average or worse results from brilliant people managing broken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fujio-cho/we-get-brilliant-results-from-average-people-managing-brilliant/) [Fujio Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fujio-cho/) > [We place the highest value on actual implementation and taking action. There are many things one doesn’t understand and therefore, we ask them why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fujio-cho/we-place-the-highest-value-on-actual-implementation-and-taking-action/) [Fujio Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fujio-cho/) > [Go see, ask why, show respect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fujio-cho/go-see-ask-why-show-respect/) [Fujio Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fujio-cho/) [Explore all 7 Fujio Cho quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fujio-cho/) ## More Build quotes > [It's really fun and challenging to build things that have never been built before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mason/it-s-really-fun-and-challenging-to-build-things-that-have-never-been/) [Hilary Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mason/) > [I build on Christ, the rock of ages; on his sure mercies described in his word, and on his promises, all which I know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/i-build-on-christ-the-rock-of-ages-on-his-sure-mercies-described-in/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) > [The way you get wickets is, you've got to build pressure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-arthur/the-way-you-get-wickets-is-you-ve-got-to-build-pressure/) [Mickey Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-arthur/) > [For rich children, it'd be very easy and convenient never to take any steps to build an identity outside of your association with your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-johnson/for-rich-children-it-d-be-very-easy-and-convenient-never-to-take-any/) [Jamie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-johnson/) > [The millennials were raised in a cocoon, their anxious parents afraid to let them go out in the park to play. So should we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/the-millennials-were-raised-in-a-cocoon-their-anxious-parents-afraid/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [You have to build what the market needs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-s-miller/you-have-to-build-what-the-market-needs/) [Jamie S. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-s-miller/) > [I oppose any proposal for the federal government to build and operate a nationwide 5G network.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajit-pai/i-oppose-any-proposal-for-the-federal-government-to-build-and-operate/) [Ajit Pai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajit-pai/) > [“Create with the heart; build with the mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/create-with-the-heart-build-with-the-mind/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [Since, however, it is immaterial whether the work is done by assistants or a machine, I decided to build a machine equivalent to an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/since-however-it-is-immaterial-whether-the-work-is-done-by-assistants/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For 'Inhuman,' it's a 'chess game' series. You have a lot of pieces moving different ways at once, and it's about what they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-soule/for-inhuman-it-s-a-chess-game-series-you-have-a-lot-of-pieces-moving/) [Charles Soule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-soule/) > [What we need to make sure we do as a team is build the quickest car on the grid - if we have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valtteri-bottas/what-we-need-to-make-sure-we-do-as-a-team-is-build-the-quickest-car/) [Valtteri Bottas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valtteri-bottas/) > [Always build. If you start at fever pitch, there's nowhere to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goldman/always-build-if-you-start-at-fever-pitch-there-s-nowhere-to-go/) [Jane Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goldman/) > [I have spent my career helping to build and grow businesses, and if I've learned one thing, it's that being pro-business and pro-consumer are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-phillips/i-have-spent-my-career-helping-to-build-and-grow-businesses-and-if-i/) [Dean Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-phillips/) > [If you can build it, you can unbuild it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-pitts/if-you-can-build-it-you-can-unbuild-it/) [Jake Pitts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-pitts/) > [You don't build your character by doing what everybody else is doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ghosn/you-don-t-build-your-character-by-doing-what-everybody-else-is-doing/) [Carlos Ghosn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ghosn/) [Browse all 1,564 Build quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/build/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "First we build people, then we build cars.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Fujio Cho" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fujio-cho/first-we-build-people-then-we-build-cars/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Build" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fujio-cho/first-we-build-people-then-we-build-cars/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b93/fujio-cho-52633_build_first-we-build-people-then-we-build-cars_2655209.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b93/fujio-cho-52633_build_first-we-build-people-then-we-build-cars_2655209.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b93/fujio-cho-52633_build_first-we-build-people-then-we-build-cars_2655209.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“First we build people, then we build cars.” — Fujio Cho", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Fujio Cho", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fujio-cho/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "First we build people, then we...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fujio-cho/first-we-build-people-then-we-build-cars/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fujio-cho/first-we-build-people-then-we-build-cars/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```