SUCCESS
Take one company
Old dog...
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no business-owning experience
to speak of, I then had to look
at how to get this product to
market. It was somewhat of a
learning curve to say the least.”
As the project progressed,
Bob found himself flung into
realms that would leave even
some of the most tech-savvy
of younger generations feeling
out of their depth.
“The prototype worked well
enough, but it wasn’t polished.
We needed something that was
closer to the final product, and
we needed dyes and moulds, so I
turned to a 3D printing company.”
“The technology is amazing
and I think it is the next
big thing. I even read about
NASA sending a 3D printer
for astronauts to make and fix
parts of the International Space
Station, though I’d be concerned
as an astronaut if parts were
falling off!” he chuckled.
Despite his advanced years,
Bob has kept up with technology
and firmly encourages others to
make the most of the advantages
we have today.
“My background is in sales and
marketing, but if I’d had this idea
20 years ago and wanted to get
it to market, it would have been
a different story. Today I can
just go onto the internet, set up
an e-commerce website and I’m
away. Back then, I would have had
to use contacts I knew, travel the
country going to sales meetings,
and pitching the idea to different
executives and buyers, and
attending trade show after trade
show. Whilst those techniques still
have a valid use today, the internet
has made my product accessible
to far more people in a short space
of time than would have been
possible if I had another lifetime to
spend on the road selling.”
Prototype in hand, and with
a manufacturer ready to go, the
Easy Lock still needed a source
of funding to get it out of the
kitchen and into production. To
raise funds for the product, Bob
turned to a fairly new source that
has gained a lot of traction lately,
especially since the recession,
when a lot of consumers lost their
trust in the banking industry.
“I’d encourage anyone with
an idea to use crowdfunding
as a source of raising revenue.
I say that, not just because
it means you don’t have to
jump through the hoops of the
banks, but because it gives you
an invaluable product testing
platform,” explains the now
semi-retired grandfather, who
says his family see him as “mad”
but are very proud of him for
his new venture. “We wanted
to raise £10,000 to launch the
product, and in the end we
exceeded that target. That was
great, but the real value was
that it told us “Yes there is a
market for what you want to
do, and it is a good idea.” If the
crowdfunding had been a failure
and we’d not raised nearly
enough money, then it would
have been a clear indication
that the product wasn’t a go-er
and it would have been shelved.
Thankfully the people of
Indigogo were 100% behind it!”
The Easy-Lock has an obvious
market in the travel industry,
especially in countries where
security may not be of the high
standards we expect in the UK.
Ever since Madeline McCann’s
disappearance from Praia Da
Luz in 2003, safety
when on holiday has been
at the forefront of many
people’s minds.
“The beauty of the device
is that it will fit 99% of doors,
it’s lightweight and it’s easy
to take with you when you’re
travelling. When it is fitted,
you know you are safe and
you control access to the
room, yet it is simple enough
for even a child to unlock in
case of an emergency and a
need to get out of the room.”
Although the one-sizefits-all device fits inside the
average handbag with ease, it
is rigidly strong and prevents
anyone from forcing the
door open, no matter how
much pressure is applied.
Additionally, it allows the user
to unlatch the door and open
it slightly to see who is calling,
whilst still providing security.
With rave reviews, Bob is
hoping he can lock in a bright
future for the product, though
money isn’t his main concern.
“Whilst it would be
great for it to be successful
financially, after all that is why
most people go into business,
it is nice to know that my
product is out there, keeping
people safe and enhancing
people’s lives. The experience
of it all has also been of
significant value to me as a
person,” he smiled.
Who says you can’t teach an
old dog new tricks?
The real
value of
crowdfunding
was that it
told us there
is a market
for what
we wanted
to do
Why is it
so easy to
get into a
room that
should be
secure, and
how safe am
I and my
valuables
really?
Contact:
www.the-easy-lock.com
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