1. Put Feet on the Ground

Shortly after Pasin became CEO, he recognized one of Radio Flyer's greatest weaknesses: It had no system to see how customers were using its products. The company began working with market research firms to find out. Product designers were sent to homes, zoos, and playgrounds around the country to see firsthand the ways kids were riding the wagons, tricycles, and other items Radio Flyer makes, and, in 2011, a Play Lab with a "test track sidewalk" was installed at the company's headquarters in Chicago. "We'll videotape how they ride the product," Pasin says. "We'll say to Mom, 'OK, take this wagon and put it into your trunk,' and then we watch: Is it clumsy? Is it awkward? We spend a huge amount of time observing the ergonomics of our products because people are riding them." Observation has paid off: While watching toddlers ride their toys, Pasin's team came up with the idea for a scooter with a wider deck that would offer a less wobbly ride. "We went from not having a product in this category to becoming the No. 1 brand and product in scooters for little kids," he says.