Launched in 1982 in Florida by Lowell 'Bud' Paxson and Roy Speer, the Home Shopping Network (HSN) pioneered the concept of people being able to shop in their skivvies from the comfort of their couches. This shop-at-home brain child first came to Paxson in 1977 while he was managing a radio station and a liquidity problem arose with one of his advertisers, which resulted in the company being paid in electric can openers.

Since the kitchen appliance bartering system isn't always the most gainful way to run a business, the radio station was left with a significant amount of fund-raising to...