| The late 19th century was a time of massive | | | | analyzed the product, sales potential and the |
| cultural, commercial and lifestyle change in the | | | | virtual absence of competition, Gillette made an |
| United States and Western Europe. Industrialization | | | | inspired decision: he would sell the razors at a loss |
| was in full swing. Railroads were fully formed and | | | | to encourage sales, use of the portable implement |
| providing speedier movement of people, goods | | | | and accelerate word of mouth about his amazing |
| and foodstuffs to consumers and businesses. Men | | | | razor. Sales expanded exponentially almost |
| such as Thomas Edison, John D. Rockefeller, | | | | immediately and the Gillette Safety Razor became |
| Andrew Carnegie and J.P. Morgan were | | | | one of history's most revered brand names. The |
| transforming commerce and innovation. This was | | | | term "loss leader" or losing money on the first |
| a golden age of consumer product invention.The | | | | sale to cement subsequent profits was |
| opportunity to innovate in the areas of personal | | | | born.Gillette quickly realized that his real business |
| hygiene, comfort and safety were being | | | | was not selling the razors, but selling the blades. |
| aggressively addressed for the first time in | | | | Almost immediately he began to give the razors |
| history. The evolvement of a mass consumer | | | | away. To this day, purchasing a new Gillette |
| marketplace was nascent. The confluence of this | | | | shaving system includes a free or deeply |
| new mass market and a slew of new products to | | | | discounted razor, thus insuring years of |
| address perceived needs created a unique | | | | consistent, highly profitable repeat purchases of |
| confluence of opportunities.The daily chore of a | | | | the blades. Product loyalty was insured.The term |
| man shaving facial hair was just such an | | | | "planned obsolescence" classically fits products like |
| opportunity. Today, when viewing the pictures and | | | | Gillette blades. In the 1890's people threw virtually |
| images of this age; we are amused by the highly | | | | nothing away. Everything was used until the useful |
| stylized, gloriously cultivated facial hair seen on | | | | life of a product was thoroughly exhausted. The |
| many male faces. The clean-shaven face is rarely | | | | concept of a product being used and discarded in |
| seen. It would seem as if 1890's men were | | | | favor of a replacement unit was novel. It also |
| striving to grow works of individualized art on | | | | was key to the evolution of a dynamic consumer |
| their faces.The reason so many men cultivated | | | | product market place. We owe much to King |
| beards, moustaches and goatees was the | | | | Gillette and the business model he created. It |
| difficulty inherent, at the time, in the process of | | | | serves us well to this day.King Gillette was an |
| shaving. Water was not always readily available to | | | | unlikely capitalist. Even after he had earned millions |
| soften facial hair and lather soap. Warm water | | | | from his inventions he hypocritically preached a |
| was even rarer. Most men, of even limited | | | | strange anti-capitalist philosophy. However, he |
| means, used the barber to trim facial hair. When | | | | possessed all of the essential characteristics so |
| shaving ones own beard a sharp, steel straight | | | | necessary to be a successful entrepreneur. He |
| razor was essential. Straight razors needed to be | | | | had vision, drive and courage. Failure did not deter |
| regularly sharpened using a strop, and they had to | | | | him. He sought and found a need. He addressed |
| be very sharp. Many men cut and infected | | | | that need, driving down costs and prices to make |
| themselves performing this simple act of personal | | | | his razors and blades affordable to the masses. |
| hygiene. Shaving while travelling on a moving train | | | | He provided a simple solution to a basic human |
| was down right dangerous. The need to address | | | | problem: shaving.King Gillette's lesson for all striving |
| this task was ready to be successfully | | | | entrepreneurs is obvious. Innovation that |
| commercialized.Into this gaping void stumbled a | | | | addresses everyday problems through simple |
| socialist utopian dreamer named King Gillette. | | | | product benefits will always be in demand. Look |
| Gillette was considered an under achiever by his | | | | around your home, hobby or workplace. This is |
| family. His father was a successful innovator and | | | | where you will find potentially lucrative and |
| his mother wrote a famous cookbook, "The | | | | important commercial opportunities.For assistance |
| White House Cook Book", which remained in print | | | | or consultation on commercializing your |
| for almost 100 years. King Gillette had received | | | | opportunity or invention contact the author, Geoff |
| several patents but failed in his efforts to | | | | Ficke, Duquesa Marketing, Inc. at or email Geoff |
| commercialize any of them. He earned his | | | | Ficke has been a serial entrepreneur for almost |
| sustenance from work as a travelling salesman. | | | | 50 years. As a small boy, earning his spending |
| His failures embittered him and he became | | | | money doing odd jobs in the neighborhood, he |
| immersed in socialism and preached a type of | | | | learned the value of selling himself, offering |
| anti-industrialism.This most unlikely of capitalists, | | | | service and value for money.After putting himself |
| however, while working as a salesman for the | | | | through the University of Kentucky (B.A. |
| Crown Cork and Seal Company was encouraged | | | | Broadcast Journalism, 1969) and serving in the |
| by his boss to continue to attempt to invent new | | | | United States Marine Corp, Mr. Ficke commenced |
| products. Specifically, Gillette was encouraged to | | | | a career in the cosmetic industry. After rising to |
| invent products that required subsequent, regular | | | | National Sales Manager for Vidal Sassoon Hair |
| replacement purchases. His passion became the | | | | Care at age 28, he then launched a number of |
| development of a shaving system that was safe, | | | | ventures, including Rubigo Cosmetics, Parfums |
| portable, efficient, cost effective and required the | | | | Pierre Wulff Paris, Le Bain Couture and Fashion |
| buyer to replace the implement on a regular | | | | Fragrance.Geoff Ficke and his consulting firm, |
| basis.King Gillette took his concept for a shaving | | | | Duquesa Marketing, Inc. ( has assisted businesses |
| device, which required an amalgam of metals and | | | | large and small, domestic and international, |
| metallurgical technology, to the Massachusetts | | | | entrepreneurs, inventors and students in new |
| Institute of Technology. Working with engineers at | | | | product development, capital formation, licensing, |
| this honored school enabled Gillette to perfect the | | | | marketing, sales and business plans and successful |
| elements of the safety razor. His patents indicate | | | | implementation of his customized strategies. He is |
| an appliance of elegant simplicity.Gillette formed | | | | a Senior Fellow at the Page Center for |
| the American Safety Razor Company to market | | | | Entrepreneurial Studies, Business School, Miami |
| his invention. Initially, owing to limited capital and a | | | | University, Oxford, Ohio. |
| high cost of production, sales were slow. As he | | | | |