The Lost World's Found Riches

Like legions of five-year-olds before him, Don Lessem was captivated by the first dinosaur he encountered--the terrifying T. Rex at New York's American Museum of Natural History. But unlike other awestruck kids, Lessem turned his singular saurian passion into a thriving business. At age 45, he now reigns as "Dino Don"--magazine columnist, author, consultant to movie companies, and producer of megabucks museum exhibits. And his customer base, he happily predicts, will never become extinct. "A new generation of kids who are in love with dinosaurs emerges every three years," he says.

A master of synergy, Lessem exploits his own reptile rapture through a widening web of media and marketing ventures. He figures Dinosaur Productions Inc. will gross about $1 million in 1997, and revenues could double in 1998. At the core of his business is his Dino Don "Dinosaur Days" column in Highlights For Children, a monthly magazine with nearly 3 million in circulation.