How I Built This with Guy Raz Carlton Calvin: Razor. The wild rise, collapse, and reinvention of a mobile toy empire.
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Sep 8, 2025 Carlton Calvin, an ex-lawyer turned toy mogul, shares his wild journey from the explosive success of Razor scooters to a near collapse. He reflects on spotting trends that captivated kids, from Pogs to electric-powered scooters. Amidst fluctuating interests, Carlton emphasizes the importance of timing and partnerships in building a lasting brand. He discusses the innovative pivots that saved Razor, showcasing how creativity and a deep understanding of customer desires drove transformation in the mobile toy industry.
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How Razor Entered America
- Carlton read about scooters in Tokyo and pursued the product, first planning miniatures then the full-sized ride-on.
- He partnered with Gino Tsai and Robert Chen and secured retail deals to launch Razor in the U.S.
Design Made The Scooter Mainstream
- Razor's design combined light aircraft aluminum, polyurethane wheels, and foldability to broaden appeal across ages.
- That product design and adult adoption helped the scooter transcend a mere fad into a cultural phenomenon.
When The Market Fully Saturated
- Carlton and competitors together saturated the market so every kid who wanted a scooter got one.
- That market saturation caused sales to collapse almost overnight in early 2001.