Make Your Passion for Fun A Key Part When Seeking New Product Opportunities

Most people lead rather ordinary lives, built aroundrepresent joy to them. It is so much easier to
family, job, church and hobbies. This is fine for most.succeed with a product that screams leisure,
The need to pay the bills leads many to engage inhappiness or fun. The ability to build an exciting new
work that is unfulfilling, boring and stifling. That soproduct opportunity that provides a fun feature and
many people work at energy sapping employmentbenefit to an area of passion is a dream come true
should be a motivating factor in seekingfor these entrepreneur's.My father worked a dead
entrepreneurial opportunity. Sadly, most people areend job. He was intensely unhappy that life had
totally risk averse and eliminate themselves from thepassed him by (his words). He told me as a young
potential rewards available almost exclusively toman, "do something that is fun, not work". Work and
entrepreneurs.The perceived risk taker (thefun mean different things to different people. Some
entrepreneur) is, in actuality, not the real risk taker.people are happiest at work, no matter the type of
The real risk taker is the person willing to work a dullwork: it identifies them. Invariably this type of person
job, for average pay, letting life fly by without everis an entrepreneur. They enjoy the work because
knowing the excitement of being in the fray. Thisthey own the business.Most people, however, would
person leaves life without ever having made a mark.rather make a living from "fun" work. Working as a
Looking back on a journey that did not includegolf pro, sportscaster, artist, writer, personal trainer
excitement, change and risk would seem to reflector coach are just a few jobs that many people
an empty, unfulfilled life lived.Entrepreneurs cravewould describe as fun and rewarding. Most of the
change, excitement, competition and risk,products that I review, and that succeed in the
understanding that these are the defining hurdles tomarketplace, offer features and benefits providing a
be overcome if success is to be achieved. The abilityway to deliver more fun to passions and hobbies.I do
to test oneself against the overwhelming mass ofreview many work-related products, as well. Many of
competitive opportunities available in the marketplacethese have huge potential. The ability to provide an
is a narcotic to serial entrepreneurs. They might notadvance in wellness, technology or e-commerce can
always succeed, but they will always try.Most newbe hugely lucrative. As a capitalist I love these
products are developed from an entrepreneur's lifeprojects. Nevertheless, the real fun and passion I
experience. The hundreds of new product ideas Iview when working with hobby, fun related products
review each year are overwhelmingly skewed tois usually absent from industrial inventions.Novel hobby
hobby: pet, cosmetic, sporting goods and children'sand sport related products are often more easily
products. And overwhelmingly, these offerings can beconceived, easier to patent and trademark and more
described as having a fun component.Would iteasily designed and manufactured than most industrial
surprise you to know that the toy industry is 60%products. The capital required to launch a pet
smaller than the pet product market? It did me!exercise toy can be a fraction of a mechanical tool or
However, I have seen a dynamic at work in manytechnology. Often times, we utilize the inventor of a
product categories that I think explains this surprisingfun product as the branding spokesperson for the
number. I call it "Passion for Fun". Golfers, huntersitem. The passion for fun that the entrepreneur has
(and fisherman) and pet owners are among the mostvested in their product is contagious and transfers to
passionate people I interview. They are intenselygreater sales and believability.When aspiring
immersed in all aspects of their passion. Maybe toyentrepreneurs are seeking a product to create and
manufacturers are not making hot new toys, ormarket we strongly advise that they look around the
parents are spending more money on educationalhouse or garage. What is their true passion? What
products, but I know parents love their children. Theyprovides enjoyment, happiness and a feeling of
just are not passionate about toys.An avidcontentment? When they scrap book, assemble
outdoorsman will buy any and every product thatmodel planes, play chess, golf, swim, or read, is there
might potentially provide them an edge when huntingsomething that they often think would improve the
or fishing. More strikes for a fisherman, closer andexperience. This is the surest way to discover
clearer shots for a hunter, more fish caught andpotential opportunity in an area of great interest. You
more game killed is the goal of every sportsman.can invent that new product, and it will be rewarding
They are passionate about their sport and keen toto you and every user as your entrepreneurial career
know of any product that will increase their successcommences.Geoff Ficke has been a serial
and their fun.Pet owners are every bit as passionateentrepreneur for almost 50 years. As a small boy,
about their animals. Sharing one's home with an animalearning his spending money doing odd jobs in the
is a statement of commitment, sharing and passion inneighborhood, he learned the value of selling himself,
itself. Pet toys, exercisers, top grade foods, andoffering service and value for money.After putting
even vitamin enriched bottled waters are huge sellershimself through the University of Kentucky (B.A.
to pet owners as they pamper their animals. The joyBroadcast Journalism, 1969) and serving in the United
pet owners receive from sharing their lives with aStates Marine Corp, Mr. Ficke commenced a career in
loved pet is highly rewarding. Watching a child playthe cosmetic industry. After rising to National Sales
with a puppy, or kitten, is one of parent's mostManager for Vidal Sassoon Hair Care at age 28, he
valued memories.Golfers share the same commitmentthen launched a number of ventures, including Rubigo
to expanding their enjoyment of every aspect of theCosmetics, Parfums Pierre Wulff Paris, Le Bain
golfing experience. I review more golf productsCouture and Fashion Fragrance.Mr. Ficke and his
every year than any other single category. In everyconsulting firm, Duquesa Marketing, Inc. ( has assisted
instance, the entrepreneur believes they havebusinesses large and small, domestic and international,
developed a product that will improve golfentrepreneurs, inventors and students in new product
performance, lower scores and increase the playdevelopment, capital formation, licensing, marketing,
experience. These entrepreneurs are always golferssales and business plans and successful
with passion, looking to provide an edge through theimplementation of his customized strategies. He is a
unique features contained in their invention.Passion forSenior Fellow at the Page Center for Entrepreneurial
fun entrepreneurs, because of the love they haveStudies, Business School, Miami University, Oxford,
for their hobby or sport, provides products thatOhio.