My cat buddy, Rusty, who lives down the street, is having difficulty getting his humans onboard with the cat toilet seat that he’s developing. This is having a negative effect on Rusty’s enthusiasm for the project. So, I started to think about how a family’s emotional support plays into the success or failure of a business venture.
Take a look at me. Most people reading this blog are probably thinking that I’m a gimmick. I’m a dog that can use a keyboard and mouse. So, what’s so unusual about that? However, again, while I may sleep 22 hours a day, I take it all in.
Developing an idea and delivering it to market can be a long and costly road with many bumps along the way. Even though these setbacks may be minor, they can often question one’s decision to take on this endeavor in the first place.
Let me tell you, animals have an increased sense of what physically and mentally ails a human being. Some of us dogs can detect a cancerous tumor in a person’s body. Both cats and dogs can sense the stress and tension one accumulates in the daily grind that we call life.
While I didn’t come up with the idea for CoolZips® zipper pulls, I do sit at my human’s feet while she searches the internet for critical information to take us to the next step. This is something subtle that I do, because I know it has a calming influence. And then, while my humans question why I just stepped all over the sample products that were on the floor that they were staring at for five hours like catatonic zombies, I realize that it will never dawn on them that this was somehow calculated on my part to get them to take a break and then come back with a clear head and a fresh outlook. To me, this is part of the process. This is what I bring to the table. This is what I have to offer to help our product achieve success.
So, if your family is not offering the emotional support that you need, then do something to draw them in. Ask them for their ideas to help solve a problem that you’ve been dealing with for days without resolution. Or take a few minutes break and cuddle with your pet; we’ll help to relieve your stress so that you can move forward and we’ll get a soothing massage; it’s a win-win solution.
Remember, at times, we all get overwhelmed. For god sakes, I wish my tail would stay still for a freaking two seconds! And if, for some reason, Rusty’s family is viewing this blog, pick Rusty up and stroke his fur and calm him down. After all, this may be just what he needs to renew his enthusiasm and get him back on the road to getting his product to market.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Monday, March 17, 2008
Manufacturing Crossroads
Do you stay in the United States? Or do you go overseas? This decision always seems to cause a dilemma. But I’m not talking about where to get that Portuguese Waterdog, Australian Sheepdog, or Chinese Foo Dog (even though I am in the market for a mate). No, the question I’m posing is, where do you go to get your product manufactured?
With the current state of the US and world economies, this is a situation that seems to question our national allegiance. Hey, I’m an American Foxhound: if I were cut I’d probably bleed red, white, and blue. However, sometimes, to help with your country’s economic growth, it does not always mean that the right path is the clearest one.
For us, this was a major decision. We originally came up with 10 styles of CoolZips® zipper pulls that would define our product line and that we wanted to have manufactured and mass-produced here in the United States. We received estimates from a few US companies to produce the tooling that was needed for each of the unique charms. The price was $3,000.00 for each charm for a total of $30,000.00. The quote we received for the tooling from a company in China, who could also take care of the entire manufacturing process, was $300.00 for each charm for a total of $3,000.00.
However, we did have concerns, such as:
So, even though we would have preferred to keep the manufacturing process here in the United States, we did not have $30,000.00 for this startup venture. Therefore, it came down to either we don’t pursue CoolZips, because the cost for us would put our product’s target piece price too high and make it too expensive to sell, or we go to China to have our product made.
In the bigger picture, our decision to manufacture overseas turned out to be the right path for us. Because we did go ahead and manufacture CoolZips in China, we are now on our way to creating income for many other individuals across the United States (from companies who print our sales sheets, provide shipping materials, US Postal Service, web site provider, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, banking institutions, sales representatives, accountants, to retail store owners across the country).
So, don’t make critical decisions in haste. The United States offers excellent manufacturing solutions and financial benefits to manufacture and produce your product here. However, for some, this path may be different. After all, what if my true love actually ends up being an English Foxhound?
With the current state of the US and world economies, this is a situation that seems to question our national allegiance. Hey, I’m an American Foxhound: if I were cut I’d probably bleed red, white, and blue. However, sometimes, to help with your country’s economic growth, it does not always mean that the right path is the clearest one.
For us, this was a major decision. We originally came up with 10 styles of CoolZips® zipper pulls that would define our product line and that we wanted to have manufactured and mass-produced here in the United States. We received estimates from a few US companies to produce the tooling that was needed for each of the unique charms. The price was $3,000.00 for each charm for a total of $30,000.00. The quote we received for the tooling from a company in China, who could also take care of the entire manufacturing process, was $300.00 for each charm for a total of $3,000.00.
However, we did have concerns, such as:
- How will we communicate when we don’t speak Chinese?
- How do we find a company, let alone the right company, in such a large country over six thousand miles away?
- How do we manage lead content in our product and make sure that it is safe?
Just so you know, CoolZips have been lead tested for your child’s safety. All components used to manufacture CoolZips have been lead tested by a certified laboratory in the United States and meet lead safety requirements.
So, even though we would have preferred to keep the manufacturing process here in the United States, we did not have $30,000.00 for this startup venture. Therefore, it came down to either we don’t pursue CoolZips, because the cost for us would put our product’s target piece price too high and make it too expensive to sell, or we go to China to have our product made.
In the bigger picture, our decision to manufacture overseas turned out to be the right path for us. Because we did go ahead and manufacture CoolZips in China, we are now on our way to creating income for many other individuals across the United States (from companies who print our sales sheets, provide shipping materials, US Postal Service, web site provider, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, banking institutions, sales representatives, accountants, to retail store owners across the country).
So, don’t make critical decisions in haste. The United States offers excellent manufacturing solutions and financial benefits to manufacture and produce your product here. However, for some, this path may be different. After all, what if my true love actually ends up being an English Foxhound?
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