Alan Adler
San Francisco, CA USA
"We live in an age of available resources for anybody who wants to pursue a subject."
Career Roadmap
Alan's work combines: Engineering, Science, and Building Things
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
After creating Aerobie, I tried to find freelance sales representatives. It was incredibly difficult. No one wanted to carry a toy from an unknown company. I got rejected many times but I just kept at it. I eventually got Aerobie on a couple of TV broadcasts, which I was able to play at the New York Toy Fair. By the end of the fair, I had gained sales reps across half of the country!
Here's the path I took:
High School
Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be a Mechanical Engineer & Inventor:
Bachelor's Degree: Physics, General
Learn more about different paths to this career
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life took a while to figure out
1.
I was born in Detroit, Michigan, and moved with my family to Los Angeles, California, when I was six years old.
2.
I loved building things and doing science experiments as a kid, so I naturally gravitated towards electronic engineering as I got older.
3.
After high school, I started working in the electronics industry.
4.
In addition to science, electronics, and engineering, I had also always been passionate about sailing, which led to me studying aerodynamics as a hobby.
5.
I decided to use what I learned about aerodynamics to make aerodynamic toys.
6.
I designed a Frisbee-like flying ring and licensed it to Parker Brothers—they sold over a million units and then gave the rights back to me.
7.
In attempt to improve the design so the ring would fly straighter, I created Aerobie and then built a company around it; the Aerobie later set a Guinness World Record for farthest thrown object!
8.
About a year after we started selling the Aerobie flying ring, I left my job in electronics to devote my time to the company.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Peers:
We won't sell a product from an unknown company.
How I responded:
After creating Aerobie, I tried to find freelance sales representatives. It was incredibly difficult. No one wanted to carry a toy from an unknown company. I got rejected many times but I just kept at it. I eventually got Aerobie on a couple of TV broadcasts, which I was able to play at the New York Toy Fair. By the end of the fair, I had gained sales reps across half of the country!