In the summer of 1594 William Shakespeare decided to invest around 50 Pounds to become a shareholder in a newly formed acting company: Lord Chamberlain's Men. This lecture examines the consequences of this decision, unique in English theatrical history. By examining the early modern theatrical marketplace and the artistic development of Shakespeare's writing before and after this moment, it is hoped that this talk shows why 1594 was, by some measure, Shakespeare's most important year.