Designers starting businesses

I get what youre saying. Time really is the most valuable asset a person has. That is also a big reason why I want to do my own thing. Because working 9-5 for the rest of your life will never let you choose how you spend your time. Starting from zero is hard but can be much more rewarding afterwards. Im experiencing all that “non-design” stuff taking away most of the time right now. But I think its worth it. Its interesting to learn “the system” and working on your own gig so much more inspiring!

Find the best partners who are in different field from you (assuming you’re the designer), such as marketing, operation… Each is a full time job. Let them do the things they are good at, and let you have the time to create and get the stuff in production.

Have everyone put their life saving into it, so you all have the same goal: do everything possible to make it work, otherwise, it’s so easy to just let the project slide into abyss.

In our “manufacturing” business, we launched 4.5 years ago, profitable after the first year. The company’s revenue almost doubled in 2010, we are in the sustainable field, the lighting industry is in a huge upheaval (read: change), all ingredients for startups.

Find a field that’s has been asleep for a hundred years, find ways to make ten thousand widgets (that you feel good about), don’t compete in the glamourous filed (like another tablet computer), make your own “tablet” in whatever field you choose.

Go as fast as you can, create the next insanely great thing, and don’t look back.

Scott

Well this thread is just a little gem…

As a freelancer I have been sketching and sketching figuring out some ideas I’ve had for a while that I’d love to bring to market and I have purposely designed around getting it manufactured cheaply… start small was my mantra.

As far as what people were saying about being scared of doing things other than design work… as a business owner (I’m back freelancing but I ran a small shop with an old colleague for a while) I think typically designers enjoy discovering new things, learning new lessons and generally exploring… that’s what starting a new business is all about and it can be incredibly exciting, the thought of failure drove me day in and day out but I never lost focus of my family and never got arrogant about what I had learnt… there is always something else to learn.

For me I don’t see freelancing as a long term solution… I guess, eventually, my rate will be undercut by more eager and, dare I say, more savvy designers than me, I need to build something for the future and I see getting into manufacturing as a way of setting myself up for my twilight years. I would NEVER go back to working for someone else :wink:

Have everyone put their life saving into it, so you all have the same goal> : do everything possible to make it work, otherwise, it’s so easy to just let the project slide into abyss.

This is the absolute God’s Truth. I’ve been down this path myself with two other partners and it did not turn out pretty…

I need to build something for the future and I see getting into manufacturing as a way of setting myself up for my twilight years. I would NEVER go back to working for someone else

It’s darned hard to sell a consultancy when you get up there in years. But if you build “Loafer Heavy Industries” or Vode… you’re putting money in the bank. MAKE, MAKE, MAKE!!! My late father, the consummate industrial supply sales manager, would have said, “SELL, SELL, SELL!”

It took me a few years (at age 58) to realize this as well. Still kicking myself for having realized it “late”. It reminds me of when I was a kid and could never find anything “fun” to do during summer vacation… only to discover it two weeks before school started in the fall.

this thread is just a little gem…

Isn’t it… …

Fancy being a mentor ?
I could do with one :slight_smile:

Of course, every situation / business idea is different. But sure, happy to share my experience if that helps.

Scott

I agree with what you are saying but I would like to put a fine edge on time.

Being in business for myself, I would say I got to choose when I spent my time. If I wanted to start at 4 am and bang out a good day by noon, that was my choice. That actually did happen a lot, I prefer the quiet of mornings, I tend to be most productive then (witness: it is the afternoon now and I am wasting time on the intrawebs). My employees were all freelance (great for simple book keeping and taxes) so when they worked was also open. But i really didn’t get to choose how I spent my time. If projects were thinning, I had to gear up with sales. At the end of the year, accounting dominated. With different project types I could only be doing research or only concept work or only CAD. What I did really wasn’t a choice, it was what was needed at the time. For example, doing CAD for more than a couple of weeks straight would put me in a foul mood. And if that was all the projects I had, I did the CAD and the CAD only. No variety of tasks.

With 9-5, you definately don’t get to choose when you spend time. It’s 9-5. Period. But I have found by picking the right job, I can influence how I spend my time. No sales and accounting BS. Heavy on research and project management but with the ability to add in a bit of concept work, CAD and other tactical jobs. This gives me a nice variety of tasks that keep my interest. I get to choose how I spend my time, I am not a slave to things I don’t want to do.

But I do think you should go out and try any and all of the options discussed in this thread. Otherwise you may not ever find out what really floats your boat. Running your own thing or being 9-5, neither are “better”. It is only what is best for you.

I’ve been on my own in the bicycle industry for about 5 years. My ID background (dominated by a form-follows-function approach) has led me to seek solutions rather than just seek AESTHETIC solutions. The products I come up with are too marketable for the tiny segment I’m currently in. I have about a dozen products that could be sold, but the challenge is always coming up with capital to develop them. I’ve become more forward about trying to make connections; the amounts I’m looking for are pretty modest. I just can’t find the cash. And what’s so frustrating is seeing money out there that goes to obviously doomed ideas.

I know you’re thinking, " Dude, maybe your ideas stink and you just don’t know it." I’m open to that idea, but the things I currently do are very well received, sometimes copied, and I’m always looking for what’s wrong with my design, not just what’s right. Plus, I think my friends are mean enough to point out how bad an idea may be (;

If anybody knows of improved methods for seeking financing, maybe that can be part of the discussion.

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Not saying your ideas aren’t great, but let’s see some. Also to note there’s a difference between a good idea and a good business. Success in business is more than a good idea or design.

R

I had posted a similar topic in the furniture section but this is the info inwas looking for, too. I’m researching starting a furniture business and was looking to chat with people who have insight in that particular industry.

I’m trying to do all the due diligence with product and market research but I’d love to chat with anyone who has had ezperience launching a furniture businessnwhere they design and manufacture the pieces…

I listened to this today and thought it was very good… Mike Monteiro | F*ck You. Pay Me.


[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/22053820[/vimeo]

Very good video to watch. This is exactly the reason why I am happy to be marrying a lawyer. I almost made some of these mistakes, however she set me straight. I think one of the big misconceptions is that a contract involves a lawyer, which usually means a lot of money. However, to actually get one drafted up should not take long and will not be a huge investment.

I can’t think of a good way to say it without sounding like someone with bad ideas who’s afraid to show them, instead rather choosing to bitch about how the world is doing him wrong, but … I can’t post up anything that I’m planning on selling.

Instead, go here to see what I do currently: http://bystickel.com/ The devil is in the details.

Apologies for the hijack. If there are methods that people can share for secure ways to seek angel investing, I’m sure folks would like to hear them.



87, doing #3 right now and am learning so much more than I would have just doing design work. You’ll need plenty of nerves… depending on the product/project, the rewards can be more tangible - longer lasting. To answer your question “what was the biggest motivator,” well, no one that we spoke with (when trying to initially license the product) was crazy enough to do it!

http://www.heladisc.com
http://www.nklinedesign.com

Option #3 is pretty much the route I’ve chosen. Maybe that will lead to designing for others? I know that Marc Newson was a madman in his back yard sanding giant blocks of foam before he was the designer of the Lockheed Lounge, so maybe it’s best to do something irrational. To have “products” all you have to have finished are two items. Pre-sales online could even finance production runs once you’re established. Kauffman Mercantile Co. is doing this right now for a design they’re commissioning from Duluth Pack Co. I could have spent several thousand dollars on school and worked full time this fall, but instead I saved the money I would have put toward tuition and invested in a couple of my designs. It’s been an amazing learning experience so far. Here’s a bit of what I’ve gleaned from the experience:

Start with the the mediums with the lowest barrier to entry. Starting with injection molding is extremely risky, due to the high tooling costs, substantial time investment to go from concept to production drawings, and the large minimum quantities required by most companies. Also to factor in would be whether you are a fan of off-shoring production or not, but that’s a fairly personal topic. Start with what you can manufacture locally in small quantities. Non-synthetic materials tend to be the easiest to begin with.

If you’re designing ceramics for instance, it’s quite possible to have a prototype thrown on a wheel, test clay bodies and glazes, create slugs from the prototype, make dozens of plaster molds, then slip cast a small army of items, fire them, glaze and fire, package, and sell for under a couple of thousand dollars for very large runs. For under 100 pieces, you could be at $4/unit for an item that sells for $25. Plenty of profit left for an investor, though with an initial investment well below $750, 2 weeks pay for the lowest-paying professions. Choose mediums that are manufactured locally, and you can keep initial investments low while parlaying the profits of the first short run into several larger runs when they succeed.

Textiles, manufactured woods (mdf, ply), ceramics, sheet metal, sand-cast aluminum, cnc-machined aluminum, and rotational molding for plastics all have reasonably low barriers to entry for designer/entrepreneurs.

It’s good to read this Nate.

Some would argue that, based on volume, what you are doing is “craft” work.

It sounds like old’s cool industrial design to me… … .

Good advice Nate.

Fortunately the barrier to entry has gotten much lower in some areas thanks to CNC and laser cutting technologies,
creating possibilites for fast small volume runs and rapid prototyping.

Im thinking of creating offshore product development firm. I’m stil looking for partners from the western side of the world.

This is a great story. Thank you for sharing. Working WITH someone else to produce your idea is key even though this sometimes requires design compromises. But unless you have have enough $ to create your own unique thing you’ll essentially be making jewelry…

Working with someone requires semi-custom design, bc your partner has mfg limitations for your design, most likely. Its ok, one realizes that the definition of a ‘designer’ is more one of an ‘opportunist’, where opportunities, however small, are captured. Reiterating existing products, changes of shape, color audience, this I believe is the frontier of independent designers who lack $$$ yet. Becoming your own hero with a completely unique design isnt required in life. Get what you want, money, a home, family, some fun. Thats good.

I relate to your struggle. Lots of designs, not lots of $. Guess its just how it goes. Maybe though, adjust your design philosophy to include ‘small product alterations for targeted audiences’ as design rather than ‘original masterpieces?’ Im considering this.