Michael - I don’t know your career arc too well, but I know you’ve had your hands on a lot of amazing designs and projects. If that’s still keeping you excited and challenged, then that’s awesome. I’m redesigning a bunch of the pet products now, and having a blast, but actual design time for my brand is maybe only 20% overall. I love the freedom of working solo, and managing my own time, and building a long term asset, but as far as staying excited about creative projects, I’m missing out. I tend to go work on my vintage car to get some hands-on-materials time these days!
As you’ve worked with some big brands (I think), I wonder if your instinct is to go out big with a new brand of your own? It may be hard to think small once you’ve worked big, but how about making a fun side project with the goal of only earning $10k next year? Low pressure, new things to try out, low risk.
With shopify, Amazon FBA, kickstarter, and Wordpress, it has never ever been easier to start a company. And if the product is designed for mfg, then local factories could be utilized as well (opposed to the can-do-anything of China factories, which also come with high MOQ’s)
That’s my 2 cents, based only on a bunch of assumptions… happy to chat anytime if you want to bounce ideas!