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carinas
  • 8
Posted: In:
  • 8
Rain Boot Sneakers

I am thinking of starting my own brand of footwear with my first product being a runner-type waterproof sneaker. I believe there is an underserved niche in the market currently for waterproof, comfortable, everyday shoes. Though rain boots are waterproof, they are rarely comfortable and often end up being the chunky kind of galoshes that remind us of stepping into puddles when we were young. This shoe would be far from that. It would be sleek, lightweight, and waterproof. My target market would be middle-class to upper-class adult women in the United States. My shoes would retail for probably a bit more than the average rain boot, in the mid-market range. After releasing this initial product, I could see myself expanding ...Read more

I am thinking of starting my own brand of footwear with my first product being a runner-type waterproof sneaker. I believe there is an underserved niche in the market currently for waterproof, comfortable, everyday shoes. Though rain boots are waterproof, they are rarely comfortable and often end up being the chunky kind of galoshes that remind us of stepping into puddles when we were young. This shoe would be far from that. It would be sleek, lightweight, and waterproof.

My target market would be middle-class to upper-class adult women in the United States. My shoes would retail for probably a bit more than the average rain boot, in the mid-market range. After releasing this initial product, I could see myself expanding beyond waterproof runners to other comfortable types of footwear, like a comfortable heel, a lightweight winter boot, etc.

One risk I do see is my lack of product and manufacturing knowledge. I have never worked in retail, but I do bring business experience to the table. As a former management consultant and current MBA, I have worked with retail clients, and my target market is very much similar to myself, so I feel that I can understand my customer quite well.

I am looking for feedback on my idea as well as someone who can partner with me, particularly someone with retail and/or fashion design experience.

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physical products
sweston
  • 31
Posted: In:
  • 31
Sourdough Crackers

This would be a tasty form of cracker that would be totally new to the baking space: crackers made with sourdough discard. I use it all the time because I have a sourdough starter used to make bread, and this is my favorite way to get rid of discard. The only other ingredients are herbs, butter, and flour, so this is a really efficient way to get rid of product. All my friends find it extremely tasty. I am now thinking of selling these crackers and have heard from friends that they would buy these. Here are the pros and cons of starting this business as I see it: Pros:  First to market Consumer appeal Efficient and sustainable Cheap ingredients Cons: Lots of work and labor involved Hard hours ...Read more

This would be a tasty form of cracker that would be totally new to the baking space: crackers made with sourdough discard. I use it all the time because I have a sourdough starter used to make bread, and this is my favorite way to get rid of discard. The only other ingredients are herbs, butter, and flour, so this is a really efficient way to get rid of product. All my friends find it extremely tasty.

I am now thinking of selling these crackers and have heard from friends that they would buy these. Here are the pros and cons of starting this business as I see it:

Pros: 

  • First to market
  • Consumer appeal
  • Efficient and sustainable
  • Cheap ingredients

Cons:

  • Lots of work and labor involved
  • Hard hours as a baker
  • Seems like a lot of work from a marketing/sales perspective
  • It would be hard to maintain a consistent recipe if I’m making in larger batches

I am looking for advice on:

  • Financial viability, especially from home baking to more commercial baking
  • What would be a reasonable timeline to scale baking?
  • Advice with renting commercial kitchen space
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physical products
danielstevens
  • 25
Posted: In:
  • 25
Doctor-Recommended Backpack

I’m an orthopedic doctor who sees many patients for back pain. Oftentimes, they carry heavy backpacks or purses, which make the problem even worse. I’m thinking about designing a doctor-recommended backpack: designed to more evenly distribute weight and release tension from areas of the back that are weaker to areas that are more strong. Would you be interested in purchasing something like this? Are you a product or industrial designer/engineer who could partner with me on this?

I’m an orthopedic doctor who sees many patients for back pain. Oftentimes, they carry heavy backpacks or purses, which make the problem even worse. I’m thinking about designing a doctor-recommended backpack: designed to more evenly distribute weight and release tension from areas of the back that are weaker to areas that are more strong. Would you be interested in purchasing something like this? Are you a product or industrial designer/engineer who could partner with me on this?

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physical products