$475 Million Acquisition: How Starting at 80 Cents Paid Off Big Time

John Osher built a successful business with the SpinBrush electric toothbrush, which was later acquired by Procter & Gamble (PG) for $475 million. Unlike competitors who started at a high price point of around $79 and tried to shave off pennies, Osher's team began with an 80-cent cost floor and worked their way up.

The Try Me window in the packaging allowed customers to test the bristles before buying, reducing advertising spend and making the product more appealing. This approach helped SpinBrush fly off shelves, despite a large company's inventory rules initially stalling its success.

Osher had previously built and sold a toy company, where he learned valuable skills that applied to his work on the SpinBrush. His experience with a spinning lollipop, which he bought from its inventors and developed further, demonstrated his ability to industrialize existing mechanisms.