In the late 1980s, a New Zealand engineer named Keith Alexander wanted to buy
a trampoline for his kids. After his wife said trampolines were too dangerous,
Keith set out to design his own — a safer trampoline, without metal springs.
He tinkered with and perfected the design over the course of a decade. But he
was daunted by the challenge of bringing his invention to market — and he
almost gave up. At that point Steve Holmes, a Canadian businessman, bought the
patent to Keith's trampoline, and took a big risk to commercialize it. Today,
Springfree Trampoline generates over $50 million in annual sales and has sold
over 400,000 trampolines. PLUS in our postscript, "How You Built That," how
Cyndi and Chris Hileman created a candle in a planter pot that can later be
used to grow wildflowers.
Read more
In the late 1980s, a New Zealand engineer named Keith Alexander wanted to buy
a trampoline for his kids. After his wife said trampolines were too dangerous,
Keith set out to design his own — a safer trampoline, without metal springs.
He tinkered with and perfected the design over the course of a decade. But he
was daunted by the challenge of bringing his invention to market — and he
almost gave up. At that point Steve Holmes, a Canadian businessman, bought the
patent to Keith's trampoline, and took a big risk to commercialize it. Today,
Springfree Trampoline generates over $50 million in annual sales and has sold
over 400,000 trampolines. PLUS in our postscript, "How You Built That," how
Cyndi and Chris Hileman created a candle in a planter pot that can later be
used to grow wildflowers.
Read less