E. Joseph Cossman

E. Joseph Cossman – Life, Business Career, and Famous Quotes

Learn about E. Joseph Cossman — American inventor, entrepreneur, and pioneer of mail-order marketing. Explore his life, business philosophy, bestselling books, and memorable quotes.

Introduction

E. Joseph Cossman (born Eli Joseph Cossman, April 13, 1918 – December 7, 2002) was a dynamic American businessman, inventor, and author who built a reputation by turning modest novelty ideas into mass-market successes. He is perhaps best known as a co-creator of the ant farm and for advancing the methodical systems of mail-order advertising, direct marketing, and entrepreneurial teaching. His story is inspiring for anyone interested in turning small ideas into scalable ventures.

Early Life and Family

Eli Joseph Cossman was born on April 13, 1918, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.

Little is publicly documented about his childhood or early family life beyond the fact that he entered entrepreneurial activity at a fairly young age. Before World War II, he worked as a door-to-door salesman, honing his skills in personal persuasion and understanding consumer behavior.

During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army from 1941 to 1945.

Entry into Entrepreneurship & Mail-Order Innovation

After his military service, Cossman co-founded E. Joseph Cossman & Co. in 1946 with his brother-in-law, Milton Levine. mail-order novelty items, where Cossman’s genius lay in marketing, copywriting, testing offers, fulfillment, list management, and scaling.

One of their early successes came from selling soap and small goods to European markets via classified ads, turning relatively small investments into substantial profits.

Cossman developed a marketing philosophy rooted in:

• Testing small classified ads before scaling

• Measuring response rates

• Refining offers and copy iteratively

• Controlling costs and risk by staged inventory

• Treating fulfillment and customer service as part of the marketing proposition

Because of these systematic methods, he is often regarded as one of the early masters of direct-response marketing and mail-order methodology.

The Ant Farm, Other Products & Business Pivot

A signature product associated with Cossman is the ant farm, developed in partnership with Milton Levine. Levine focused more on the physical toy design and production, while Cossman drove marketing, distribution, and scaling via his mail-order networks.

Another novelty he marketed was the spud gun, along with various gimmicks (e.g. scented fishing lures) and novelty items.

In 1965, Milton Levine bought out Cossman’s share of the company. The enterprise was later renamed Uncle Milton Industries, which continued to market the ant farm (as “Uncle Milton’s Ant Farm”) under Levine’s stewardship.

After that point, Cossman shifted focus toward books, seminars, and marketing consulting.

Teaching, Writing & Legacy

Following his exit from the novelty business, Cossman became a prolific writer and lecturer on entrepreneurship and marketing. His published works include:

• How I Made $1,000,000 in Mail Order (1964)

• Making It!: Wealth-building Secrets from Two Great Entrepreneurial Minds (1994), co-written with his son William A. Cohen

• Other titles, such as How to Get $50,000 Worth of Services Free Each Year from the U.S. Government, The Virile Male, and lecture series on business success

He also ran seminars, delivered direct-marketing training, and used infomercials to promote his courses—positioning himself as a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs.

Cossman founded or was associated with marketing institutions such as Cossman International, Inc. and the American Institute of Marketing in Los Angeles.

His approach to marketing—treating each advertising element as a test, emphasizing metrics over hunches, and scaling only on proof—has influenced generations of direct marketers and small-business operators.

Personality & Business Philosophy

From accounts of his life and work, these traits and principles characterize E. Joseph Cossman:

• Pragmatism over brilliance: He prioritized measurable results and iterative improvement rather than flashy big bets.

• Tester’s mindset: He believed in running small experiments (ads) to validate ideas before scaling.

• Frugality and risk control: He avoided overcommitting to inventory until proof justified it.

• Salesmanship & copywriting: He understood that product success depended heavily on clear, compelling messaging.

• Mentorship and teaching: Not content to keep all lessons to himself, he chose to author books and teach others.

• Partnership orientation: His collaboration with Levine (product side) shows he knew his strengths and where to complement them.

Famous Quotes by E. Joseph Cossman

Here are a few attributed quotations that capture his mindset and entrepreneurial spirit:

“Obstacles are things a person sees when he takes his eyes off his goal.”

“You can make a million dollars with a bad product—if you get the marketing right.” (paraphrased, often cited in entrepreneurial collections)

“Every advertisement is a test; measure what works and repeat it.” (reflecting his marketing philosophy)

“Don’t try to scale your business before your product and marketing have been proven.” (a principle consistent in his writings)

Because Cossman was less famous for pithy aphorisms than for his business systems, many of his quotable lines circulate in the marketing community rather than in mainstream quote compendia.

Lessons from E. Joseph Cossman

• Start small & test first. Before expanding, validate demand through small-scale experiments.

• Let data—not ego—drive decisions. Use numbers, response rates, and metrics to guide scaling.

• Fulfillment and service are part of the product. Customers’ experience after purchase is key to reputation and repeat business.

• Know your strengths; partner for the rest. He focused on marketing and distribution, leaving product creation to collaborators.

• Teach to amplify. By sharing knowledge, he extended influence and built lasting legacy.

• Novelty wins—but only with sound execution. A creative product idea must be matched by good marketing systems to succeed.

Conclusion

E. Joseph Cossman’s life demonstrates how a sharp marketing mind and disciplined systems can transform seemingly trivial novelties into million-dollar successes. Though he is less well-known than some public business figures, his influence on mail-order, direct marketing, and entrepreneurial pedagogy continues through the methods, books, and strategies he left behind.