Pat Cuartero was a Merrill Lynch analyst. But as he says – he discovered a higher purpose – getting more people in New York City to play with yo-yos. He funded his startup with $8,000 on credit cards and netted $32,000 in the first five months. It was enough to persuade him to leave his “real job” and develop his passion for yo-yos.
Instead of just selling yo-yos, Pat developed YoYoNation – a robust community of enthusiasts. There are blogs, forums, contests, and yes, you must register to be part of the community before you can buy a yo-yo.
He’s projecting $1.6 million in sales by the end of this year. You can get cases, string, bearings, t-shirts and other gear once you’re part of the community. You can start with the standard Duncan Butterfly Yo-Yo for $2.99 or step up to the handmade Oxy Ti titanium model for $549.99.
Anyone remember Tiddlywinks or the Slinky? Probably just waiting for a champion to come along.
What’s your passion and what are you doing to develop it?
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