Passion offsets risk, ‘Paw Patrol’ co-founder and author Ronnen Harary tells School of Business and Economics students

Brandeis Stories

Passion offsets risk, 'Paw Patrol' co-founder and author Ronnen Harary tells School of Business and Economics students

By Steve Foskett
October 26, 2026 • Business

Ronnen Harary, co-founder of the successful children's entertainment company Spin Master, had a motivating message for the young entrepreneurs who gathered for his visit to the School of Business and Economics: now is the time to take risks and make big bets - on yourselves.

Harary, who co-created the Paw Patrol children's toy and media franchise, and through Spin Master has acquired legacy toy brands like Rubik's Cube and Etch A Sketch, is on a national college tour to promote his new book, "No Experience Necessary," share advice with a younger generation of entrepreneurs, and hear pitches from students.

Before the 60-second pitch sessions, Harary spoke to students in Lee Hall about his journey in business, and reflected on the combination of persistence, risk, and encouragement.

Born in South Africa and raised in Toronto, Harary talked about how he started his first businesses with his childhood friend, Anton Rabie, selling fertilizer door-to-door, and developing an advertisement-supported photo poster business called Campus Faces when they attended Western University together.

At university, Harary, Rabie, and fellow Western student Ben Varadi started selling the Earth Buddy, which Harary described as a "cross between a chia pet and a pet rock" on the streets of Toronto. They grew the business, eventually found a distributor, and started developing other products that became Spin Master, which today has around 3,000 employees at 29 offices around the world.

He credited a good part of his success, particularly in the early days of Spin Master, to having business partners. Both Rabie and Varadi remain with Harary at the helm of the company they built. He said at various times in the company's history they have been able to get a good sense of the zeitgeist that guided their decisions.

"Opportunity is free to those who can spot it," he said.

Harary engaged with students at different points in his talk, which was moderated by Aldo Musacchio, Carl Shapiro Professor of International Finance. Harary asked them about their business plans and ideas for growth and distribution. He said their youth and passion is an advantage that allows them to take more risks.

"Risk is connected to what you have to lose, and in your 20s, you don't have much to lose," he said.