Money is everywhere. How do some see the diamonds where others cannot? On July 27th, 1981 Bill Gates walked through airport security with a bunch of floppy disks rubber banded together. During inspection he warns the airport staff to be careful with it because it’s worth millions of dollars. I’m paraphrasing here but he had just purchased an early version of what would become Microsoft’s operating system for $50,000. In my journey into entrepreneurship I’ve learned how to start a business from scratch and create goods and services to generate revenue. This revenue gives me freedom to explore anything I want. I focused on what I think would sell.
Unlike Bill Gates, I’m not a specialist in any particular field but I am definitely a consumer. I pay close attention as I explore different things and I love just jumping right in. Purchasing all the gear and equipment is very fun for me and I love surrounding myself with brilliant ideas. It’s when I am looking for something that’s very specific for a niche that the capitalist cogs start turning in my mind. I research things that are close to what I want, but do not meet my standard. One example is a lead-off from the last article about the ultralight niche market.
I found something that people from the ultralight community will really want. It’s not a new or novel idea. There are multiple versions already in existence and some have even failed. The product I’m describing is a tripod that uses trekking poles for legs. I’ve looked at all the versions and there are none being sold in my market of choice, Amazon. After some tinkering, I discovered I could make one with a weight of 0.85 ounces. That would make it the lightest tripod adapter in the world. I added a Joby 1k ballhead and a Manfrotto Cell Phone Clamp Pro and total came in at a crazy light 4.3 ounces. Imagine that, by combining my trekking poles, a friend’s trekking pole or branch, my cell phone, I could have a four-foot tripod that I could take full landscape pictures with friends at just a quarter-pound. No more awkward big-face group selfie shots. Backpackers, campers, outdoorsman, and hunters can all benefit from an ultralight tripod. Some of the lightest tripods I could find weighed in at 1.8 ounces with the Joby Gorillapod 325 and it’s great if you could find something to attach it to but it only measures up to six inches in tripod height. Long story short, I think it will sell.
What are some of the pieces that had to fall into place for this idea to be born? I happen to already manufacture a product using a 3-D printer and am familiar some basic 3-D design programs. My only prior experience is three years of drafting and computer-aided drafting classes in high school (Thank you to my teacher, Dave Dickie). Making a prototype is as easy as pressing print and seeing what happens. Another piece is that I recently got into backpacking. I carefully reviewed the trip in my mind and thought about all the equipment I used. It was the photos that were shared after the trip that I thought that a tripod would come in really handy. But tripods are extremely heavy so I discovered a problem people were trying to solve. I happened to watch a whole of bunch of backpacking gear videos on YouTube. All of these influencers are bringing cameras and recording things on trail. I’m sure they would be in need of this item and wouldn’t mind talking about it and spreading the word. Marketing done. I’ve obtained a trademark and copyright for my business logo and NFT project so obtaining a copyright for the design was on difficult at all because I know how to do it. I’ve already created and launched several products so I feel comfortable outsourcing certain parts of the project to family that are flirting with the idea like my sister. I decided to pay her for product photos and marketing video. There are obvious small hoops and obstacles to get past to bring it to market but what’s important to remember is that I found the idea pursuing things I like to do.
I’ve primed my brain to look for opportunity. I always believed that when I pray for money, God isn’t going to send me lottery numbers. He’s going to carefully place opportunities in my path that will take extensive work and effort. I believe He will leave the choice in my hands and I can choose to keep my mind open to the signs or ignore them. I cannot reap before I sow. Sometimes coincidence and timing are too uncanny to ignore. I’ve been brooding for months over another product that I could 3-D print myself and own the whole manufacturing operation in my home. One backpacking trip and a spending spree later, I found something I really wanted and decided to make it myself. Now, I’m going to go test it out and revise it. One advantage I have over other makers in this digital graveyard of 3-D models is that I have practical experience in creating products people need. I also have the ability to scale the idea to meet demand if I do happen to hit a home run. It’s simple problem-solving but first I have to get started. The goal is to have it ready by next Spring in 2023. I’m looking forward to sharing this old idea to a whole new world.