The product moved from the cleaning aisle into schools and department stores. The material had barely changed, but everything surrounding it had. It received a new name, audience, packaging, and promise. Instead of helping adults remove something from a wall, Play-Doh allowed children to create whatever they could imagine.

Looking back, those toys did not give me a straight career path. They gave me a way of thinking. Finger paint taught me that color changes how something feels. Notebooks taught me that a blank page can become a world. G.I. Joe introduced me to story, service, and communication. Tinkertoys taught me to build with what was available. The electronics kit taught me to trace the signal. The ZX81 taught me that details matter. The cassette recorder taught me to press record and mak