Crayola Crayons

In 1903, cousins Edwin Binney and Harold Smith produced their first box of Crayola crayons. The boxes sold for a nickel each and contained eight colours; red, green, yellow, orange, violet, blue, black, and brown. The name Crayola was invented by Edwin's wife Alice by combining craie, the French word for chalk and ola, short for oleaginous meaning oily.Over the years Crayola crayons took on many changes. In 1958 the built-in sharpener was an innovative addition to the ever growing box of new colours.

Crayons were given unforgettable names like; Periwinkle, Purple Pizzazz, Razzle Dazzle Rose, Tickle Me Pink, Fuzzy Wuzzy Brown, Macaroni and Cheese, Tumbleweed, and Razzamatazz. In 1990, eight traditional crayons were replaced with new shades and the retired colours were then enshrined in the Crayola Hall of Fame. Protesters from such groups as CRAYON (Committee to Re-establish All Your Old Norms) and RUMPS (Raw Umber and Maize Preservation Society) helped convince Binney & Smith to bring those colours back out of retirement. In 1991 the eight retired crayons were reinstated. Binney & Smith released a limited 1 million boxes of the retired colours with the 64 crayon box. They were called “The Crayola Eight.”

Cream of Tartar

Cream of tartar is made from a type of sediment called argol that deposits on the inside walls of winemaking casks. McCormick & Company buys their cream of tartar from Italy where wine makers and casks are plentiful. The cream of tartar is retrieved from the empty barrels by tiny little people who are able to crawl through the small openings of empty wine casks where they scrape the residue left behind from fermented wine.

Another name for Cream of Tartar is Potassium Bitartrate. It is also used in the making of tin plate metals, baking soda, and in laxatives and if stored properly, Cream of Tartar has an indefinite shelf life.

Ivory Soap

Harley Procter, the producer of Ivory Soap, was looking for a new formula that could compete with the then popular castile soaps. He consulted his cousin, chemist James Gamble who formulated an appealing white creamy bar. Soon after the production (only one day), the factory worker who ran the master mixer forgot to switch off the machine before taking his lunch break.

The over-mixing caused too much air to be mixed into the soap but, it was dried, cut, and packaged just the same. To their surprise, consumers loved the floating soap and demanded more of it. The fact that the air filled bars lasted only half as long as other soap bars, did not deter customers, they were willing to pay more money for the luxury of a floating soap that would not elude them in bath water.

There has been some controversy over this story with some saying long whipping of soap batches was intentional. Whatever the true story, the fact remains that people were willing to pay for bath soap that lasted half the time of other soaps and the convenience of a soap that floats.

WD-40

WD-40 was invented in 1953 by Norman Larsen who was head chemist and president of the Rocket Chemical Company in San Diego California. He was trying to develop a formula that would displace water and on his fortieth try he found it, hence the name Water Displacement 40 or WD-40. The formula was used to discourage corrosion on nose cones of airplanes and Atlas Missiles and to displace moisture from electrical circuitry.

Rocket Chemical Company engineers found how well WD-40 worked and began sneaking it home for personal use. It didn't take long for word to get around about the multitude of new uses for this amazing new product so, in 1958 WD-40 became available to the public. In 1961 a more pleasant fragrance was added to hide the odor of the petroleum distillates. Now, the "WD-40 Company" (renamed in 1969) produces over a million gallons of their “secret sauce” and distributes it to packers who then add propellant and solvent before packaging.

Wrigley's Spearmint Gum

Did you know that 2.5 billion dollars worth of gum is chewed yearly in America alone? The Great American Chewing Gum Book states that if the yearly amount of chewed sticks of gum in America were laid end to end, it would measure 5 million miles long. This equals in measurement the same length it would take to travel to and from the moon ten times!

In WWII Wrigley's advertisements suggested that war workers should chew at least five sticks of gum per day stating that men felt and worked better when they chewed gum. Soldiers not only chewed gum but found practical uses for it. They used chewed gum as patches for gas tanks, life rafts, jeep and truck tires, and even for fixing airplane parts. It was also considered an essential emergency ration to relieve dry throats during long marches and for relieving tension in battle and since that time, (World War II) all American soldiers are issued gum in their survival kits and K rations.

They perform their tasks at all hours. When many of us are enjoying Bewitched re-runs or unrealistic reality programs they are proceeding with the mission they were called to do. They see the forest and the trees, but may be looked upon as crazy - or dreamers.

Who are these creatures?...they’re today’s entrepreneurs – the risk takers.

More often than not they work more than 37.5 hours a week. They have probably never known the luxury of a paid half-hour lunch and two evenly dispersed fifteen minute breaks. When success comes, most likely after years of toil and worry, they are often looked upon with jealousy. They’re seen as lucky… as a lightning bolt stroke-of-luck overnight success… who have not earned their reward.

But as Let’s Make A Deal’s Monty Hall once said, “Actually, I’m an overnight success. But it took twenty years.”

It seems, in today’s society, there is a creeping belief that we are owed a livelihood; that the government should take care of us; that our working for the week-end should involve minimum work with maximum pay.

Risk-Takers think differently. They know governments owe them one thing – the opportunity to try.

To them, the marketplace is an opportunity for creativity. They know that hard-work and persistence guarantee them nothing more than the chance to try again tomorrow. They know they could be risking all- to gain nothing.

They also know the rewards can be tremendous – both financially and personally.

Many of the things we use and enjoy - things that make our life easier and even fun are the result of an entrepreneur with an idea.

Edwin Binney and C. Harold Smith had an idea in 1903 and are responsible for the Crayola Crayons next to your child on the living-room floor.

Charles Lubin risked his money in 1935 by purchasing three neighbourhood bakeshops which today is Sara Lee and the cheesecake in the frozen food section of your local supermarket.

On a smaller scale, we all know people in our own towns that have risked finances and given up vacation time to pursue a passion. In turn they’ve given us an essential product or service, and created employment for others along the way.

Financial sacrifice, sleepless nights, and bouts of self-doubt are all part of an entrepreneurs life. But so are perseverance and the courage to try again one more day.

So, if you see a Risk-Taker walking down the street, tip your hat to him or her…if they’re smiling…hopefully it’s all the way to the bank.