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For sometime now, we’ve had a special project in the works. We wanted to give our listeners and readers a chance to hear a new Why Didn’t I Think of That?® feature every day, even if they’re away from the radio. And that’s exactly what we’ve done. Today marks the beginning phases of a plan [...]
Nobody thought about putting paint in an aerosol can until Ed Seymour. In 1949, Seymour was looking for a novel way to demonstrate a new aluminum paint. His wife suggested putting it in an aerosol can, like ones recently introduced for insecticides. To his surprise, the sprayer — not the paint — became the star of his demonstration.
While in Hawaii in the 1800′s, James Dole discovered a fruit most people had never seen or heard of before: The pineapple. He began importing the fruit to the mainland and introduced the country to this exotic, sweet treat. The pineapple became a national favorite, and the Dole Food Company became the largest supplier of fruits and vegetables in the world.
He started his first business in college. He sold his second business to Clear Channel. He came within four minutes of winning CBS’s the Amazing Race. He’s led an interesting life, but what Blake Mycoskie is best known for is starting TOMS Shoes, the company that has donated well over a million shoes to needy men, women, and children.
Today it’s as synonymous with sports as cheerleaders or sweatbands. But not too long ago, Gatorade was just a nameless concoction, cooked up to revitalize the University of Florida’s football team: the Gators. The Gators were losing. A lot. One reason for that was the hot Florida weather dehydrating the players. The “Gator-Aid” not only saved the team, but it has been hydrating and refreshing some of the world’s greatest athletes ever since.
Today’s Hall of Fame Spotlight: The Story of Gatorade.
What they do:
Re-hydrating drink for sports players
Inspiration:
Because of the heat, players on the University of Florida’s football team were easily dehydrated. The Gator’s team doctor asked a school medical researcher, Dr. J. Robert Cade, for help.
About the business:
Cade and his researchers concluded that the problem was the mix of fluids and electrolytes that the athletes were losing. They developed a concoction that revitalized the body with water, salts, and minerals to keep the athletes strong during the game. When the Gators won their first Orange Bowl in 1967, they gave much of the credit to Cade's new miracle drink -- "Gatorade." Today, Gatorade is the official sports drink of most major sport teams.
It’s no secret that businesses and corporations are always looking forward. The next big product, the next big innovation, the next quarterly report. And yet, many businesses have histories as rich and fascinating as anything you’d find in a history book. Is there any money to be made in preserving your company’s legacy?
How a flailing Florida football team led to the most popular sports drink of all time.
A couple weeks ago, I covered the story WIN Sports Detergent. A recent article on WIN brought to light a few new details that I thought I’d share with you.
Mark had a problem. He used moisture-wicking running clothes, but when it came to odor, the clothes seemed insusceptible to the charms of washing machines and even the most liberal doses of detergent.
Mark had a problem. He used moisture-wicking running clothes
Today, skateboarding is a 4.8 billion dollar industry. But it wasn’t always that way. Back in Hawk’s high school years, relatively few people knew or cared about the sport. But there was definitely an underground scene, with competitions, and prize money available to those with enough skill. Needless to say, Hawk had enough skill. In fact, he won so many skateboarding competitions that, by the time he was a senior in high school, he bought his own house.
