White tempera paint, mixed in a kitchen blender and poured into nail polish bottles, provided the foundation for a global office supply empire. While working as an executive secretary at the Texas Bank and Trust, the inventor developed this makeshift solution to hide typos on her electric typewriter, eventually scaling the product into a multimillion-dollar corporation.
Early Career and Invention
Born in Dallas in 1924, she attended Alamo Heights High School before beginning a secretarial career. In 1951, she encountered persistent frustration with the IBM electric typewriters used at the Texas Bank and Trust. Drawing from her experience painting holiday window displays, she realized that correcting errors with a matching paint base could streamline administrative tasks. She developed her initial prototypes in her home, filling salvaged bottles with her custom white mixture.
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The business began in 1956 under the name Mistake Out Company, with production occurring in her garage. After being terminated from her secretarial position in 1958, she committed to the business full-time, rebranding it as the Liquid Paper Company. By 1968, the firm moved into a major manufacturing facility in Dallas. The operation expanded internationally, establishing a presence in countries including Canada, Belgium, Australia, and England.
Management Philosophy and Sale
Her corporate strategy integrated Christian Science principles and a focus on humanistic management. She implemented extensive employee benefits, including childcare and a retirement program. Despite an acrimonious divorce and legal challenges regarding company control in 1975, she remained central to the organization. She ultimately finalized the sale of Liquid Paper to the Gillette Corporation in 1979 for at least $47.5 million.
Philanthropy and Legacy
Following her death in 1980 from complications following a stroke, her estate supported various philanthropic endeavors. She established the Gihon Foundation and the Bette Clair McMurray Foundation to provide grants for women in the arts and business. These organizations funded think tanks, career guidance for single mothers, and scholarships for mature students. Her son, Michael Nesmith, inherited half of her substantial estate.
Fast facts
- Born: 1924, Dallas
- Died: 1980, Richardson
- Notable Work: Liquid Paper
- Primary Occupation: Entrepreneur
- Education: Alamo Heights High School
- Citizenship: United States
- Religion: Christian Science
Questions readers ask
What inspired the creation of Liquid Paper?
The inventor was inspired by the techniques used to paint window displays, applying similar white paint to correct errors made on an electric typewriter.
What was the Gihon Foundation?
It was a philanthropic organization funded by her estate that supported women in the arts and operated the Council on Ideas think tank.
Achievements
- Educated at Alamo Heights High School
