Action Man

Stan did.

Stan was a Korean War veteran who found his way into the world of licencing and merchandising … Stan was always on the hunt for a new product or an idea. And the advice from the founder of Mattel Toys about their new Barbie doll line particularly impressed him … “Stan, he said you’ve got to sell them the razor then you can sell them a lot of blades.” So Stan set about trying to come up with a toy just like Barbie where you could sell a main product and then a whole lot of accessories. Stan took action by pouring over the Encyclopaedia Britannica figuring he’d find an idea that might potentially work. And he did it. So he arranged a meeting with Hasbro, Mattel’s main competitor, and brought flexible wooden models that he’d purchased at an art supply store and drawings on yellow cardboard. The Hasbro executives were impressed and licenced the brand from Stan.

Today, over 50 years later, Hasbro still make millions of dollars annually selling the product and all its accessories … and it’s in the Toy Hall of Fame … not bad for an idea Stan dreamed up simply looking through an encyclopaedia … GI Joe

GI Joe is a great idea … because taking action can help you figure out how to create a successful business!