cker ley ▁began ▁his ▁career ▁in ▁the ▁advert ising ▁industry ▁s elling ▁space ▁for ▁the ▁magazine ▁Better ▁Hom es ▁& ▁Gard ens . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 4 , ▁he ▁approached ▁a ▁wealth y ▁family ▁in ▁W ich ita , ▁Kansas , ▁and ▁asked ▁for ▁their ▁financial ▁assistance ▁in ▁acqu iring ▁bill boards . ▁The ▁family ▁agreed ▁and , ▁as ▁a ▁minor ity ▁share holder ▁in ▁the ▁vent ure , ▁A cker ley ▁purchased ▁bill boards ▁in ▁F res no ▁and ▁B akers field , ▁California . ▁Over ▁the ▁next ▁four ▁years , ▁A cker ley ▁purchased ▁additional ▁bill boards ▁in ▁San ▁Francisco , ▁Oak land , ▁and ▁San ▁Jose , ▁California . ▁ ▁By ▁ 1 9 6 8 , ▁the ▁bill boards ▁in ▁northern ▁California ▁had ▁generated ▁enough ▁income ▁to ▁provide ▁A cker ley ▁with ▁the ▁start - up ▁capital ▁he ▁had ▁lack ed ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁five ▁years ▁earlier . ▁He ▁sold ▁his ▁interest ▁in ▁the ▁vent ure ▁back ▁to ▁his ▁benef act ors ▁and , ▁with ▁a ▁new ▁partner , ▁par lay ed ▁the ▁proceed s ▁toward ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁an ▁out door ▁advert ising ▁company , ▁Golden ▁West ▁Out door ▁Ad vert ising . ▁Golden ▁West , ▁had ▁bill boards ▁in ▁Sac r amento , ▁California , ▁and ▁in ▁Colorado ▁until ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁when ▁A cker ley ▁purchased ▁his ▁partner ' s ▁share ▁in ▁the ▁company ▁then ▁sold ▁the ▁company ▁to ▁G ann ett ▁Company . ▁ ▁With ▁the ▁money ▁gar ner ed