A Bite of the Action
An imaginative inventor cashes in by adding some pizazz to the plain old toothbrush.
Most children abhor brushing their teeth--until they use Puneet
Nanda's flashy Fire Fly toothbrush. Since its debut in 2000,
the product has captured the hearts of kids and dentists alike with
its blinking LCD handle, which lights up for the requisite 60
seconds kids need to spend brushing.
Nanda's brush with innovation wasn't an
accident--it's something he strives for in his daily life.
"I am on the lookout [for ideas] 24/7," explains Nanda,
who doesn't go anywhere without a pen and notebook for jotting
down ideas--whether he's on a plane or wandering through
Walgreens. The inspiration for the Fire Fly's design came after
he observed his daughter's obsession with blinking
sneakers.
Today, Nanda's Buena Park, California, company, Dr. Fresh, offers a
whole line of oral care products--including mouthwash and
toothpaste, both with flashing caps. "Everything I'm
[producing] has a unique selling point," says Nanda, 38, who
projects more than $30 million in sales for 2006 and has eight new
products ready for launch next year.
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