Thread by @nealtaparia

11 companies built around a single product:

1. Crocs (2002)

Everyone called Crocs "ugly."

Doctors & chefs loved them because they were comfortable & easy to clean.

Now they sell 150 million pairs annually. Sometimes, being "ugly" pays off.

2. LEGO (1932)

Started making wooden toys during the Great Depression.

Switched to plastic bricks in 1949. One simple idea: Every brick must fit with every other brick.

That commitment to compatibility still drives them today.

3. Spanx (2000)

Sara Blakely cut the feet off her pantyhose to create seamless underwear.

She wrote her own patent to save $3000.

That resourcefulness turned into a billion-dollar revolution in shapewear.

4. Play-Doh (1956)

Started as a wallpaper cleaner company about to go bankrupt.

Then a teacher used it in her classroom as modeling clay.

That pivot to children's toys saved the company and created a cultural icon.

5. Tupperware (1946)

Earl Tupper created airtight containers from plastic waste.

But they didn't sell in stores - until a woman named Brownie Wise suggested home parties.

That sales innovation created the modern direct-selling industry.

6. WD-40 (1953)

The name tells the story: It took 40 attempts to get the formula right.

Scientists created it to prevent Atlas rockets from rusting.

Now most people use it to stop squeaky hinges.

Over 70 years later, they still use the exact same formula.

7. Sriracha (1980)

David Tran fled Vietnam with nothing but a hot sauce recipe.

He never advertised. Never changed the recipe. Never raised prices.

The sauce grew purely through word of mouth into a global phenomenon.

8. Red Bull (1987)

Found a Thai energy drink used by truckers to stay awake.

Modified it for Western tastes.

Spent 20 years perfecting ONE drink while others launched dozens of flavors.

9. Duracell (1924)

Started making mercury batteries for military equipment.

For 100 years, they've had one mission: Make batteries that last longer.

That singular focus made them a household name.

10. Carmex (1937)

Alfred Woelbing made the first batch in his kitchen to treat cold sores.

The recipe was so perfect, they never changed it.

87 years later, it's still made exactly the same way.

11. White Claw (2016)

Saw an opportunity: Health-conscious drinkers wanted something lighter than beer.

Created hard seltzer when no one knew what it was.

Now every major beverage company is trying to copy them.

Success isn't about doing everything.

It's about doing ONE thing better than anyone else.

You don't need a list of products or a suite of services to be successful.

You can do more with less.

A bit about me:

I built 2 multimillion-dollar businesses without investment, selling my first for $60M after starting it in high school.

Now, I'm building a multi-million dollar gaming startup—and writing on X about how to do more with less.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this:

1. Follow me @nealtaparia to learn how to be a work-less, do-more entrepreneur
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