The Secrets of Success

As a teacher and a mother, Victoria found herself catching colds all the time. In her spare time, Victoria took to her kitchen to wage war on the common cold. Within six months she had created the prototype for Airborne, her all-natural cold fighter. Her friends and family started using it and Victoria says no one was getting sick. So she and her husband set up shop in their home and began to market Airborne. The accounting office was in the dining room, one of the bedrooms was the marketing office and the bathroom was shipping and receiving! The orders started pouring in and in the first year, Victoria made $25,000—the same as her teaching salary.

That was just the beginning. Airborne made $21 million this past year and is the number one natural cold remedy in the United States—but they still only have five employees. "One of the keys to our success is that I'm used to operating on a shoestring budget," says Victoria. "Once a teacher, always a teacher. Now I can be in the classroom and enjoy being with the children, without worrying about money."

Airborne's low-budget commercials may make you laugh, but the product has its own celebrity following, like Sarah Jessica Parker and Kevin Costner. And, celebrity event planner Colin Cowie says he's obsessed with Airborne. "When I travel, I'd rather leave my credit cards at home than leave my Airborne at home." Plus, Colin says it's fabulous for curing hangovers!