We all know the constant struggle between the bulls and the bears on Wall Street. Some investors are always convinced that we sit on the edge of a cliff, that the enemies are always ready to storm the castle. Others take a rosier view. I’m with the latter crowd for two reasons. #-ad_banner-#First, I love business, and I love people who leverage their passion to Do Something and build an enterprise that serves a need or even creates one. One day a fellow named Lonnie Johnson was sitting around, thinking about heaven knows what, and he decided to build a… Read More
We all know the constant struggle between the bulls and the bears on Wall Street. Some investors are always convinced that we sit on the edge of a cliff, that the enemies are always ready to storm the castle. Others take a rosier view. I’m with the latter crowd for two reasons. #-ad_banner-#First, I love business, and I love people who leverage their passion to Do Something and build an enterprise that serves a need or even creates one. One day a fellow named Lonnie Johnson was sitting around, thinking about heaven knows what, and he decided to build a better water gun. The SuperSoaker is now a staple of the top 20 toys since its release in 1989. Sales have surpassed a billion dollars. I learned about Johnson — an African American who has some 80 patents to his name — a decade or so ago. He was the subject of a student essay I was helping judge for Black History Month. The SuperSoaker was a game-changer — such to the point that it has become a part of our language. It’s not like the world was clamoring for a better water pistol, but Johnson had an idea, and… Read More