The recent release of Unfrosted, which was directed by Jerry Seinfeld, had an underwhelming debut on Netflix and has even been declared “one of the decade’s worst movies.”
But with a star-studded cast that includes Seinfeld, Jim Gaffigan, and Amy Schumer, plus America’s love of the Pop-Tart—$3 billion sold in 2022—the movie has the potential to become a cult classic.
And although it may leave viewers wishing for the 93 minutes back that they spent watching the film, the true history of the toaster pastry can teach a valuable lesson about the perseverance of serial entrepreneurs and the strategic decisions that can create a competitive advantage.
In my teaching, research, and work with student entrepreneurs over the past 15 years, I have learned that entrepreneurial ideas don’t have to be “new to the world” to achieve success.
In 1876, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, a well-known physician and author, took over …