Carlton Calvin: Razor. The wild rise, collapse, and reinvention of a mobile toy empire.

In this episode of *How I Built This*, host Guy Raz interviews Carlton Calvin, co-founder of Razor, exploring his entrepreneurial journey that transformed a fleeting toy craze into a long-lasting brand. Calvin reveals that he became interested in the toy industry while trying to promote children's books. His first major success was with pogs and slammers, where he made a unique product that quickly captured kids' interest but ended abruptly when the fad fizzled out.

After several ups and downs, Calvin discovered the Razor scooter in a newspaper article about Japan, recognizing it had the potential to become a major hit in the U.S. Calvin then partnered with Gino Tsai and Robert Chen to import and sell Razor scooters in North America. Launched in 2000, the scooters were an instant sensation, selling a million units a month through retailers like Toys R Us.

However, the buzz was short-lived, with sales collapsing in early 2001 as demand dropped dramatically. The episode delves into the challenges of maintaining a brand amid toy crazes and how Calvin, with help from his partners, navigated these turbulent waters. The discussion also touches upon the transition toward electric scooters and the Rise of products like the hoverboard. The episode concludes with reflection on the lessons learned from his successful yet tumultuous career, emphasizing the role of luck and timing in entrepreneurship.