How I Built This with Guy Raz Carlton Calvin: Razor. The wild rise, collapse, and reinvention of a mobile toy empire.
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Sep 8, 2025 Carlton Calvin, an ex-lawyer turned toy mogul, shares his wild journey from the explosive success of Razor scooters to a near collapse. He reflects on spotting trends that captivated kids, from Pogs to electric-powered scooters. Amidst fluctuating interests, Carlton emphasizes the importance of timing and partnerships in building a lasting brand. He discusses the innovative pivots that saved Razor, showcasing how creativity and a deep understanding of customer desires drove transformation in the mobile toy industry.
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Scorpion Slammer Origin Story
- Carlton discovered scorpion paperweights at a rest stop and imagined them as pog slammers.
- He spent six months in his garage learning to desiccate scorpions and embed them in polyurethane.
From Booth To Big Order
- Carlton landed a $200,000 preorder after showing six prototype slammers at a toy show.
- He used the deposit to scale up a makeshift factory and produced 200,000 units by hand in three months.
Crazes Are A Timing Game
- Carlton treats product timing as everything: spot the craze, ride it high, then prepare for the fall.
- He built his business model around repeatedly finding and exploiting fast-moving cultural fads.