How Paw Patrol saved Spin Master: Ronnen Harary on instinct and risk
Key points
Key takeaways from the Not Another CEO interview with Spin Master co-founder Ronnen Harary, chairman of the toymaker behind Paw Patrol (September ️2026):
The power of not knowing. Spin Master launched the Air Hogs flying toy after Hasbro and Mattel had both turned it down, generating hundreds of millions of dollars in sales over 15 years. What the incumbents knew, Harary argues, nearly stopped the product from existing.
Instinct over accumulated wisdom. Reflecting on turning down a Universal $100 million live-action Bakugan film, Harary calls it one of the worst decisions of his career, one he made on conventional wisdom rather than instinct.
Bet on yourself before responsibilities multiply. In his book No Experience Required, Harary argues your 20s are the unique window for meaningful risk: once kids, career and mortgages stack up, the bar to jump gets far higher; it is riskier not to bet on yourself, and passion delevers risk.
A 32-year co-founder partnership. The trio, Ronnen, Anton and Ben, have run Spin Master together for three decades on weekly meetingsthat act as a clearing house for issues, low egos, no blame and no idea ownership. He never cancels them; the meetings everyone wants to cancel are the best, so he pulls in whoever can add to the debate and lets them run overtime.
Paw Patrol was born from failure. After Bakugan took sales to $1bn, a run of flops cut Spin Master back to $450m; a brief for a preschool take on Bakugan's transformation play pattern came back from Bob the Builder creator Keith Chapman as Robbie and the Rescue Pups. The show, later renamed Paw Patrol, has since generated more than $15bn in retail sales.
Commitment compounds. With Paw Patrol, Spin Master set itself Paw for five, then Paw for 10, then Paw forever; a new season every year, specials, themes and films nobody expected a toy company to make.
Timing is a competitive advantage. Spin Master's first IPO attempt collapsed when Morgan Stanley's stock halved during their September ️2008 board meeting,and sales soon halved to $500m; going public years later brought the transparency that unlocked licences such as Monster Jam and Gabby's Dollhouse.
Workaholism is the most acceptable form of addiction. Harary's biggest sacrifice was his health: burnt out every three or four months and pushing through; his advice to his younger self: put yourself first, because you will actually perform better in the business.
Read more: Not Another CEO
