Episode 571: Ronnen Harary: The Bite-Sized Decisions That Built a Billion-Dollar Company From Nothing

What if waiting until you feel ready is the reason you keep missing the opportunity?

A lot of people have ideas, ambition, and opinions, but very few are willing to move before they have the perfect plan. Ronnen Harary built Spin Master by doing the thing so many people avoid: making the first small decision, trusting his gut, asking who could help, and moving fast enough to catch the opportunity while everyone else was still thinking about it. He did not start with decades of experience, unlimited resources, or a perfect roadmap. He started with curiosity, speed, persistence, and a willingness to figure it out in real time.

This matters because opportunity rarely looks polished when it first shows up. Sometimes it looks like a weird grass toy, a product everyone else passed on, or a preschool show created after two brutal years of company losses. Ronnen's story is a reminder that success is built through motion, not overthinking. The people who win are the ones who create momentum, learn fast, build the right partnerships, and keep going long enough for the next big thing to appear.

Ronnen Harary is the co-founder and former CEO of Spin Master, one of the world's largest children's entertainment companies, behind brands including Paw Patrol, Bakugan, Air Hogs, Rubik's Cube, Melissa & Doug, and Toca Boca. He is also the author of No Experience Necessary. In this episode, he breaks down entrepreneurship, instinct, failure, culture, partnerships, decision-making, and why not knowing too much can sometimes be the advantage that gets you moving.

What's discussed:

(02:11) Why Ronnen wrote No Experience Necessary after building one of the biggest toy companies in the world.

(05:48) Why a learning disability does not mean a lack of intelligence.

(13:27) How Spin Master started with two college friends, fertilizer sales, and the decision to go into business for themselves.

(20:46) How one bold Kmart meeting turned into an order for 48,000 pieces and the possibility of half a million more.

(27:02) Why bite-sized decisions, momentum, and asking for help matter more than having the full plan.

(30:11) Why speed to market and fast scaling helped Earth Buddies beat the competition.

(36:56) How Air Hogs became the product everyone passed on before it took Spin Master from $7 million to $35 million in sales.

(48:57) How Paw Patrol was created during Spin Master's lowest point after losses, layoffs, and failed shows.

(01:02:43) Why the ability to say sorry, debate well, and remove ego is critical in business partnerships.

(01:21:17) How overthinking led him to turn down a $100 million Universal movie deal.

 

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Find more from Jen Cohen:

Website: jennifercohen.com

Instagram: @therealjencohen

Books: jennifercohen.com/books

Speaking: jennifercohen.com/speaking-engagements

 

Find more from Ronnen Harary: 

Website: ronnenharary.com

Book: No Experience Necessary

Foundation: Robert Harary Foundation

Initiative: The Toy Movement