With a track record of strong sales and marketing success, his products have achieved in excess of $125 million in wholesale sales in the past several years alone.
Michael’s concentration is new business development and product development from the manufacturing and direct-to-consumer marketing perspective.
Michael has developed and consulted on numerous and varied consumer products from household goods and hardware to skin-care and novelty products. He has worked directly on the creation and acquisition and/or marketing of successful products within the infomercial arena including the Boogie Bass novelty singing fish (2000, #1 short-form product), the DermaFresh skin-care products, the Trikke (Time for kids magazine “Best Invention”), the Smart Tape digital tape measure (2003 “Best Product” award, Electronic Retailing Association), the Edgemaster, the GripWrench, the Over Easy Flip
Pan, and many more.
In 2006 michael signed a publishing deal with McGraw-Hill for “Operators Are Standing By – A Guide to Successful TV Marketing ”, a how-to guide that inspires and instructs on developing a product from concept to consumer marketing. Available April 2007
Michael is also part of the adjunct faculty at New York University (NYU).
Course: Mastering Product and Service Development. A core curriculum course in the NYU Marketing Certificate Program.
In addition, in 1996 Michael founded In The Bag, a novelty bag manufacturing company started with the concept of paper lunch bags featuring licensed properties from Warner Bros., Marvel, Nickelodeon and the NBA. In the Bag achieved sales in excess of one million units in its first year of business. And, with the success, expanded the company, adding a toy division; Creative Zone, in 1997. This division was established as a manufacturer and distributor of various children’s products utilizing all major retail channels. Products included the “Dancing Baby” toy line, the first pop culture phenomenon to cross over from internet to TV (the Ally McBeal show), and various lush toys integrated with licensed music.
Prior to the Creative Zone, Michael spearheaded the turnaround of what became the nation’s second-largest contract sweater manufacturer, specializing in children’s sweaters for the mass market.
Michael resides in New York City with his wife and three children, and he is very involved with the community and various charitable organizations. |
