The Idea: Create Better Sailing Gear
I grew up on the small island of Jamestown,Rhode Island. Most of my time growing up went into sailing practicing and competitions.
Photo Credit: Kenneth Legler In the photo Natalie Salk (15 Years Old) & Katrina Salk (17 Years Old)
Over time, I realized that women in the sailing industry were under-served and I wanted to change that.
Photo Credit: Kenneth Legler Pictured Above Natalie Salk (22 Years old) & Amelia Quinn (22 Years Old)
I set out to make better sailing gear.
Photo Credit: Kenneth Legler Picture above Natalie Salk (21 Years Old) & behind the sail Amelia Quinn (21 Years Old)
MY PROCESS
Step 1:
Find A Mentor
Image from www.amazon.com Book by Roger Ball and Heidi Overhill
I looked at who was going to be teaching at Georgia Tech my incoming semester, Fall 2015, which is how I found Roger Ball and his book above.
I met with Roger once I got to school and told him my vision.
Step 2:
Tell the world what YOU want
Step 3:
Listen to Advice
The first exercise:
Complete a Brand Brainstorm
Write down at least 15 answers to these questions
What do you do?
Who do you serve? Who is your customer?
What is your tag line?
What products do you want to offer?
What are your keywords?
What is your name?
Other Questions to consider:
What are you colors? - note: this will change over time
Who are your competitors?
Step 4:
Assemble a Team of Advisers:
- Types of people you might want -
Someone who has done this before
Industry insiders
Lawyer
Money person
GOOD HONEST PEOPLE
note: these people might change over time
TELL THE WORLD WHAT YOU WANT!!!!
Step 5:
Market Research!
Where is the opportunity?
Screen Shot from www.westcoastsailing.com
I narrowed down my product offering to:
Gloves
Spray Top
Spray Bottom
Factors that went into this decision:
1) Market Need
2) General Price to make this item
3) Time to develop the products
Important note: At the time I was making educated best guesses
Step 6:
Creating an Online Community for Feedback
I asked people what they wanted and started designing around that
surveys I sent out to my community
The Design Process
Designing The Outerwear
People that you will need:
Fashion Designer
Model
Flats
Technical Drawing style that Fashion designers use
I looked for a sample maker to help me make my prototypes for my spray tops and bottoms.
I found her sitting next to me on an airplane
Create Prototypes for Promotional Images! Make it look real!
I took my prototypes to Outdoor Retailer, in Salt Lake City Utah, the largest outdoor gear conference in the USA, to meet manufacturers and make connections.
I have finalized my designs and I am contacting manufacturers to manufacture the top and bottom.
How to work with Manufacturers:
0) FIND THE RIGHT ONE - the hard part
1) Get them to give you time of day
2) Send them designs
3) They make and send you a prototype
4) Iterate on this process until you feel ready to launch the product
5) PAY THEM and they make it
How I made the Gloves
Slightly different process
I started by using a template and looking at different ideas.
My customers dictated the direction towards grip gloves.
I found my manufactures at Alibaba.com
The manufacturer sent me samples and from those samples I selected what I wanted, I paid them and they shipped me the product.
Don't forget to haggle.
This whole process took me 6 months.
Logo Development
People you will need: Professional Graphic Designer
It took me two tries to find a graphic designer that would work with me at a price I could afford. The graphic designer I ended up using found me via social media because she was interested in my mission; to make the best performance sailing gear for women on the market.
Logo vs. Wordmark
Business
What kind of business do you need?
Sole Properitership, LLC, S Corp, ect...
What state do you want to form in?
Delaware, Nevada, your home state
How do I do it?
I met with a lawyer and he told me to use mycorporation.com
How to I get a bank account?
You need file articles of formation first and become a company in state.
Do I need insurance?
I have NO IDEA.
Do I need business licenses?
Depends on what you are doing.
What regulations do I need to be aware of?
Soft goods need to be labeled properly when they are imported and when they reach consumers hands.
Remember all of this costs money!
Lots of caring people like friends and family give terrible advice and will treat you like a child.
They say its risky... but you can control the level of risk, it just takes patience and hard work.
Do not be afraid to ask for and receive help.
