Gillette
Alex Brogan
King Camp Gillette's epiphany arrived in 1895 while struggling with his straight razor. A traveling salesman accustomed to daily annoyances, he envisioned something revolutionary: disposable blades that eliminated the tedious ritual of sharpening. The idea was elegantly simple—thin steel that could be discarded when dull, replaced in seconds rather than maintained for years.
What followed was six years of what Gillette would later call "dark days." Metallurgists dismissed his vision as impossible. The steel couldn't be manufactured thin enough yet strong enough for safe shaving. Engineers shook their heads. Investors stayed away.
Gillette persisted.