Three Questions

A.J. Khubani knows a good idea when he hears one.

But even with 27 years of experience marketing successful products such as Windshield Wonder and Bottle Top, the TeleBrands founder and CEO can’t always predict the next big hit. “It was kind of dumb,” he recalls of passing on the Snuggie pitch. “A blanket with sleeves: What’s the big deal?”

Khubani began the company in the early 1980s when he placed an ad selling generic versions of the Sony Walkman cassette player in the National Enquirer. He broke even, but when he launched an “As Seen on TV” infomercial for Amber Vision sunglasses in 1987, he sold 15 million pairs.

Now TeleBrands sells popular products such as PedEgg, a round compact that files off foot calluses, in most major retail chains throughout the United States and in more than 100 countries.

We sat down with Khubani while he was in town taking product pitches at a Lake Erie Monsters game.

1. How do you know a good idea?
   The best ones are the simple ideas — simple solutions to everyday problems. Products should be simple to understand, like this Windshield Wonder, for example: It’s a device for cleaning the inside of your windshield. … It’s a stick with a microfiber cloth on the end, and that’s it. We’ve sold 8 million of these already.
2. What’s the craziest idea you’ve heard lately?
   This woman came in with this umbrella … with a shower curtain around the outside of it. The shower curtain was opaque, so I don’t know how you could see where you were going.
3. What’s a great “As Seen On TV” product to grab this summer?
   Bark Off. … This is a training aid to help your dog stop barking. It’s bark activated, sending out an ultrasonic signal that dogs find irritating.