Q&A: Toy Inventor Russell Hornsby

Toy inventor and king of all plush rodents, Russell Hornsby found a way to make it big during the recession. The CEO of Cepia, a seven-year-old outfit in St. Louis, launched his line of Zhu Zhu Pets in fall 2009, just as parents were feeling the pinch most. But the toy hamsters, in high demand since hitting the shelves, were priced to go easy on the wallet — good thing, as kids can’t get enough of them.