| Most people lead rather ordinary lives, built around | | | | represent 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 in | | | | happiness or fun. The ability to build an exciting new |
| work that is unfulfilling, boring and stifling. That so | | | | product opportunity that provides a fun feature and |
| many people work at energy sapping employment | | | | benefit to an area of passion is a dream come true |
| should be a motivating factor in seeking | | | | for these entrepreneur's.My father worked a dead |
| entrepreneurial opportunity. Sadly, most people are | | | | end job. He was intensely unhappy that life had |
| totally risk averse and eliminate themselves from the | | | | passed him by (his words). He told me as a young |
| potential rewards available almost exclusively to | | | | man, "do something that is fun, not work". Work and |
| entrepreneurs.The perceived risk taker (the | | | | fun 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 dull | | | | work: it identifies them. Invariably this type of person |
| job, for average pay, letting life fly by without ever | | | | is an entrepreneur. They enjoy the work because |
| knowing the excitement of being in the fray. This | | | | they 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 include | | | | golf pro, sportscaster, artist, writer, personal trainer |
| excitement, change and risk would seem to reflect | | | | or coach are just a few jobs that many people |
| an empty, unfulfilled life lived.Entrepreneurs crave | | | | would 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 to | | | | marketplace, offer features and benefits providing a |
| be overcome if success is to be achieved. The ability | | | | way to deliver more fun to passions and hobbies.I do |
| to test oneself against the overwhelming mass of | | | | review many work-related products, as well. Many of |
| competitive opportunities available in the marketplace | | | | these have huge potential. The ability to provide an |
| is a narcotic to serial entrepreneurs. They might not | | | | advance in wellness, technology or e-commerce can |
| always succeed, but they will always try.Most new | | | | be hugely lucrative. As a capitalist I love these |
| products are developed from an entrepreneur's life | | | | projects. Nevertheless, the real fun and passion I |
| experience. The hundreds of new product ideas I | | | | view when working with hobby, fun related products |
| review each year are overwhelmingly skewed to | | | | is usually absent from industrial inventions.Novel hobby |
| hobby: pet, cosmetic, sporting goods and children's | | | | and sport related products are often more easily |
| products. And overwhelmingly, these offerings can be | | | | conceived, easier to patent and trademark and more |
| described as having a fun component.Would it | | | | easily 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 many | | | | technology. Often times, we utilize the inventor of a |
| product categories that I think explains this surprising | | | | fun product as the branding spokesperson for the |
| number. I call it "Passion for Fun". Golfers, hunters | | | | item. The passion for fun that the entrepreneur has |
| (and fisherman) and pet owners are among the most | | | | vested in their product is contagious and transfers to |
| passionate people I interview. They are intensely | | | | greater sales and believability.When aspiring |
| immersed in all aspects of their passion. Maybe toy | | | | entrepreneurs are seeking a product to create and |
| manufacturers are not making hot new toys, or | | | | market we strongly advise that they look around the |
| parents are spending more money on educational | | | | house or garage. What is their true passion? What |
| products, but I know parents love their children. They | | | | provides enjoyment, happiness and a feeling of |
| just are not passionate about toys.An avid | | | | contentment? When they scrap book, assemble |
| outdoorsman will buy any and every product that | | | | model planes, play chess, golf, swim, or read, is there |
| might potentially provide them an edge when hunting | | | | something that they often think would improve the |
| or fishing. More strikes for a fisherman, closer and | | | | experience. This is the surest way to discover |
| clearer shots for a hunter, more fish caught and | | | | potential 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 to | | | | to you and every user as your entrepreneurial career |
| know of any product that will increase their success | | | | commences.Geoff Ficke has been a serial |
| and their fun.Pet owners are every bit as passionate | | | | entrepreneur for almost 50 years. As a small boy, |
| about their animals. Sharing one's home with an animal | | | | earning his spending money doing odd jobs in the |
| is a statement of commitment, sharing and passion in | | | | neighborhood, he learned the value of selling himself, |
| itself. Pet toys, exercisers, top grade foods, and | | | | offering service and value for money.After putting |
| even vitamin enriched bottled waters are huge sellers | | | | himself through the University of Kentucky (B.A. |
| to pet owners as they pamper their animals. The joy | | | | Broadcast Journalism, 1969) and serving in the United |
| pet owners receive from sharing their lives with a | | | | States Marine Corp, Mr. Ficke commenced a career in |
| loved pet is highly rewarding. Watching a child play | | | | the cosmetic industry. After rising to National Sales |
| with a puppy, or kitten, is one of parent's most | | | | Manager for Vidal Sassoon Hair Care at age 28, he |
| valued memories.Golfers share the same commitment | | | | then launched a number of ventures, including Rubigo |
| to expanding their enjoyment of every aspect of the | | | | Cosmetics, Parfums Pierre Wulff Paris, Le Bain |
| golfing experience. I review more golf products | | | | Couture and Fashion Fragrance.Mr. Ficke and his |
| every year than any other single category. In every | | | | consulting firm, Duquesa Marketing, Inc. ( has assisted |
| instance, the entrepreneur believes they have | | | | businesses large and small, domestic and international, |
| developed a product that will improve golf | | | | entrepreneurs, inventors and students in new product |
| performance, lower scores and increase the play | | | | development, capital formation, licensing, marketing, |
| experience. These entrepreneurs are always golfers | | | | sales and business plans and successful |
| with passion, looking to provide an edge through the | | | | implementation of his customized strategies. He is a |
| unique features contained in their invention.Passion for | | | | Senior Fellow at the Page Center for Entrepreneurial |
| fun entrepreneurs, because of the love they have | | | | Studies, Business School, Miami University, Oxford, |
| for their hobby or sport, provides products that | | | | Ohio. |