Just Do It

In April 1975 Gary Dahl was sitting in a bar listening his friends complaining about their pets and came up with an idea of a perfect pet, a rock. A rock would not need to be fed, walked, bathed, or groomed, and it would not die, become sick, or be disobedient. Average guy would not take this kind of spontaneous idea seriously and make it happen. Gary Dahl is not an average person. Pet Rock was born. 

Nobody in their right mind would take this seriously, right?

Pet Rocks are smooth stones from Mexico. They were marketed like live pets, in custom cardboard boxes, complete with straw and breathing holes. The instruction manual was the real product. A 32-page official training manual titled The Care and Training of Your Pet Rock, with instructions on how to properly raise and care for one's new Pet Rock. Needless to say new fad was there. The fad lasted for 6 months and Dahl sold 1.5 million Pet Rocks for $4 each and became a millionaire. Between 1975 and 2017 US dollar experienced average inflation of 3,66% per year between these years. 4$ in the 1975 is worth 18,11$ in 2017. In todays currency the sales measure approximately 27 million US dollars. This off a rock that cost a penny each for Dahl. Talk about ROI. Yes, I love to use my professional business lingo. Return on investment. Makes me feel pretty solid guy. 

The product became available again in 2012 and you can get one from Amazon even now. The set including a walking leash will set you back 12,50$. The customer reviews rate it 4 out of 5.  The picture below courtesy of Amazon. Get yours today. 

 

Can anyone do this? Gary Dahl was an advertising executive at a time so we can assume some marketing knowledge into equitation. Marketing or other skill relevant to your idea. What else does it take? Some faith in your skills and thick skin to endure inevitable - people saying it can't be done and those telling you you're wasting your time. For one thing we can be sure that the good folks at 1975 thought Gary's idea pretty lame but it didn't stop him. 

They say knowledge and information is power. They in this could as well mean Jonas Ridderstrale and Kjell Nordström, two guys with not a single hair on their heads in between them but mass of knowledge of world of business. But don't take my word for it, check them out yourself. 

I find it reassuring that skills are what you need to pay bills in this day and age. And the Pet Rock case in itself gives me a boost - just do it but do it well. It just as might be that we are living a time where nothing is impossible and impossible is nothing, a time of entrepreneurial spirit, a time of those who dare. In other words - good times. 

This is written equally to you as it is to me. Do your homework and put the money where the mouth is and focus on things you excel at. This takes some skill in the first place but if you pack it, go for it. What I love about the Pet Rock is the ROI factor. This opens a whole new avenue of possibilities. If you really wish to be properly self employed it's out there. Making ends meet with zero capital but tons of knowledge and skill. Seize the opportunity. 

In the words of the great Yogi Berra - When you come to a fork in the road, take it.