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Self-proclaimed infomercial King Kevin Harrington, the idea pitch guru behind 500 products over the last 30 years, launched his entrepreneurial life selling newspapers on a street corner.

Harrington was 10 years old back then, in 1967 in Cincinnati. He would go on to start a driveway-sealing business by the time he was 15. After that Harrington dabbled in the heating and air-conditioning business and in franchise development. And in his 30s, Harrington ran a bar and restaurant in St. Petersburg with some buddies.

Infomercials, though, is where Harrington, who lives on St. Pete Beach and is chairman of Clearwater-based As Seen on TV, conquered his throne. Harrington produced his first infomercial in 1984. The infomercial concept, an extended TV commercial that now hawks everything from arched back stretchers to Zumba fitness DVDs, was then an unproven novelty.