What they do:
Manufacture WD 40, a substance used for everything from preventing rust to lubricating joints and hinges.
Inspiration:
In 1953, Norm Larsen, founder of the Rocket Chemical Company, set out to create a substance that would repel water and prevent corrosion in rockets. On their 40th attempt, they created what they'd been looking for: Water Displacer - 40th attempt -- now known as WD 40.
About the business:
The product, which first protected the outer skin of the Atlas missiles, worked so well that employees snuck cans out to use at home. When Larsen learned of that, he put the substance in aerosol cans and marketed it to consumers. Eventually, the Rocket Chemical Company was renamed the WD-40 Company. Recent annual sales exceeded $230 million.
Searching for comfort from the heat, Steven Villegas altered a pair of army surplus pants into a legless skirt, optimized for the working man. He called it the “Utilikilt.” His utilitarian man-skirt quickly became a surprise hit with construction workers, bikers, and other unlikely customers. On the latest episode of The Why Didn’t I Think of That? ® Podcast, we put the spotlight on this up-and-coming entrepreneur.
The Why Guys speak with Villegas about his unique product on this week’s Why Didn’t I Think of That? Podcast.
Sure, it only takes one company or product to revolutionize an industry, but selling people something they’ve never seen before isn’t easy. The general public tends to shy away from cutting edge technologies and trends, waiting for them to become more commonplace before adapting them. Your job is to change their minds. But how? Luckily, many before us have made bold, world-changing moves that have dramatically shifted the courses of industries, and made the people behind the companies filthy rich. One such example is Apple Computers.
New Audio Story: How two men “rethought” the home improvement industry and made billions.
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