Posted by 
Suzanne Somers’ ThighMaster: The Secret Behind Her Viral Success and Multimillion-Dollar Fortune
• Suzanne Somers is remembered for her iconic role on Three’s Company and her numerous bestselling books, but her true legacy was the ThighMaster exercise equipment.
• Her viral success with ThighMaster started from a pair of luxurious shoes and a compliment from her husband about her legs, which inspired the product’s memorable tagline: “You just put it between your knees and squeeze.”
• The product sold 10 million units right out of the gate and continues to be successful without subsequent advertising.
• It earned Somers a staggering $299,250,000 in revenue, with a personal investment of only $19.95 per device.
• The successful launch of the ThighMaster taught Somers the importance of passion for one’s offering and proper alignment with their product.
The late Suzanne Somers, known for her iconic role on Three’s Company and her numerous bestselling books, believed her true legacy would be tied to the ThighMaster, the exercise equipment she passionately promoted in the 90s.
In an interview with Entrepreneur, Somers revealed the surprising inspiration behind the ThighMaster commercials. It all began with a pair of extravagant shoes and a compliment from her husband about her legs. That moment sparked the idea for a marketing campaign that would sell a staggering 10 million ThighMasters right out of the gate. Even today, the product remains successful without any advertising.
“I’ve written 27 books on health. I’ve done years of television series and given lectures. But the ThighMaster is what I’m best known for,” Somers shared. She attributed its success to the catchy tagline, “You just put it between your knees and squeeze,” and the perfect alignment of product, timing, spokesperson, and market demand.
The financial impact of the ThighMaster was recovered on Somers, too. When asked about her earnings from the product on the Hollywood Raw podcast, she humorously revealed, “I grew up poor. And I live a good life… $19.95 x 10 million, so do the math. We’re probably at 15 million now.” Indeed, a quick calculation showed that Somers had made a staggering $299,250,000 from the device.
However, Somers didn’t shy away from acknowledging the challenges that came with success. She opened up about her partners’ mismanagement of funds and their subsequent buyout, which resulted in Somers owning the product outright.
Reflecting on her ThighMaster success, Somers emphasized the importance of passion and alignment with the product sold. She noted that anyone could succeed with genuine enthusiasm for their offering. For her, it was about maintaining great legs for her beloved Manolo Blahnik shoes.
Suzanne Somers may be remembered for her roles and writings, but her legacy will forever be tied to the ThighMaster and its incredible impact on her career and personal wealth.
