"Who will buy it?" I asked the CEO, Essam Khashoggi, and his team.

"Well...ah, McDonald's," Rich Hulme, the VP Operations said.

"OK. Call them," I said.

The next day I got a call from Rich. Sounding almost out of breath, he excitedly said, "Frank, I did what you told me to do. I called Chicago information and asked for McDonalds' corporate headquarters. (This was before the internet.) I called. 'Good afternoon, McDonald's,' the receptionist said. 'Hi. Who's president of McDonald's?' I asked. 'That's Ed Rensi,'she said. 'Transfer me please,' I asked. 'Hi, this is Ed,' he said. I was stunned. But you'd have been proud. I stayed cool. 'Oh, Mr. Rensi, I didn't know I'd get you. I'll be brief. I'm calling because we have an idea for making a biodegradable fast-food package,' I said. 'Call John Smith. Tell him I told you to call him,' he responded. I did. We're meeting next Friday."

Was Rich lucky? Of course, but the harder you work the luckier you get. And with a systematic effort, the luck is predictable. Within three referrals of the CEO's office in a company of 100,000 people, you're 80% likely to end up at a decision maker or key recommender. Concrete Technology Corporation changed its name to Earthshell Packaging.

Morgan Stanley took it public (ERTH) based on the McDonald's relationship.

What's the point? After you get an idea, if it's 80% feasible, see if someone wants it. Don't sit in your basement or your boardroom dreaming or listening to naysayers. Phone people with the problem you solve. Visit them. Get their fingerprints on your idea early and line up their business.

Frank Robinson
Product & Market Development, Inc.
Frank@ProductDevelopment.com 
805-969-3835