Was starting a product business a mistake?

PHOTO CREDIT: @pimnykeprint for the wedding photos of the Screw and Screwdriver Rings!

[packaday]

"I want to be smart. (And hot.) But mostly smart." would be an INCREDIBLE t-shirt

[MonkeyZest]

"Handeling uncertainty and discomfort is a skill that I can grow." I need this embroidered on a pillow to cry into and grow stronger with.

[DraconianEmpath]

I'm not sure where else to put this...
I just got the coat hinger set I ordered from the kickstarter. when I was ordering it I was thinking "eh, it's a little pricey but you gotta splurge a bit sometimes". let me tell you, maybe it is a splurge item, but sometimes you get what you pay for. this is one of those times. it is totally worth it.
The coat hinger shelf is *really* nice. Some assembly required is a feature: the components feel excited to be put together. It's texturally pleasing to handle. The folding hangers themselves work exactly like I imagined they would. They really do help open up what would otherwise be a cramped space, and the resulting finished piece in use feels elegant. I am now excited to put laundry away. 10/10, would hinge again.

Edit, in case this wasn't clear already: it would still be worth it at a higher price, imo. charge what you need to so you can keep making cool things!

[kenprzywara]

Coat hingers arrived last week, my daughter LOVES them. She lives in a van, and she tossed every old hanger out the back door. She couldn't be happier! Perfect fit for a vanlifer.

[vipperk]

This might be lost in the sea of comments but I was there for the silly robots, house boat(kicking myself that I forgot it's name), brain tumour, Tesla truck (that out did the official one imo) and now this. It's been a hell of a ride but I am so proud that you're one of the few YouTubers who care about the consumer. I hope your investments get returned 10 fold in the years to come.

[mikekollross]

Adam Savage said if you arent a little uncomfortable with what you are charging, you are probably not charging enough. As a small business owner selling items I make, Ive taken that adbice to heart

[arcadiaexeter]

As someone who abruptly opened a bookstore 4 months ago with no experience in running a for profit business, this video helped me so much just hearing that I'm not the only one that constantly wants to run and hide. You rock and keep kicking ass.

[VelcorHF]

Here is a counter point, instead of selling other people’s stuff, which usually sucks, you are selling stuff you made and invented. That blows my mind. You have come so far, have ideas that are quirky but effective and are super inspirational to my niece.

[Yunwi]

The folding hangers you need to market towards semi-truck drivers. My Dad is a truck driver & does like to have coats and shirts hanging. The "closet" takes up alot of room & he had to use it for important things like food, water, & others stuff. With the folding hanger system he could put it anywhere in the truck and still have plenty of room.

[ivywells]

"Thank you for your engagement" is such a beautiful response to a bad-faith comment.

[lutilda]

Theory on why the puzzle sells so well: because buying 2 of them makea far too much sense. ❤😂

I bought it as a gift for a friend (she loved it). But shes a very crafty person and I knew she would be too tempted to put together the puzzle once and then want to draw or paint on its beautiful white surface. So I got her two- one to paint and one to keep white. 😊

[PeterDavoust]

Thank you for being so upfront and honest about the process of starting your business. I'm a small business owner and your experience is so relatable to me - the excitement about creating new products, the existential terror when people don't like something you've made, and the stress about making it all work financially. My business has been running for a year and a half now and I've been losing money on it since it launched. It's stressful and unnerving and sometimes I wonder if I'm doing the right thing. But the truth is, like you, I absolutely love it. I don't regret it at all. And it's all worth it when I see people's faces light up when they see the absurd books that I publish. I think this is such a common small business experience, and I'm comforted by connecting with other small business owners, because even if there are no simple solutions, at least we all get it. The Yetch store and the products you produce are amazing, and I hope your business takes off soon! And, in the meantime, if you need any silly D&D campaigns or graphic novels about pigeons.... Shrimp Cult Press has you covered!

[KwanLowe]

I have a multitool with your words: "Don't be lazy. Do the thing. Do it properly." engraved on the side. These are the truest words in all of time and space and I take them to heart. It's the reason I ordered your product..

[viscash]

Simone - You could easily do "standard" merch like t-shirts. Quotes like "I want to be smart. (And hot.) But mostly smart." and variations of it are GOLD. You come up with a lot of catchy quotes and phrases. You probably dont want to lower yourself to t-shirts, but think of it as easy to fund your product ideas. These days you can order and ship t-shirts remotely one-by-one without bulk orders or manufacturing. A t-shirt with on the back and a small "Yetch Store" at the bottom promote yourself girl !!!

[MatchaMakesThings]

I've loved the products, i just cant justify the prices for me. NOT saying they aren't worth it, because they almost certainly are. I'm sure there will be a product from Yetch that i need, but so far they are nice to have impulse buys.

Keep it up Simon. We believe in you. There this is an amazing journey you are on. It is inspirational for everyone who is watching you do it. Thank you for sharing it with the world, and opening yourself up to the scrutiny and taking the risk.

[joshuadoliveiro]

you gotta push your Yetch store MORE than you ever have. so much potential in other countries, farther than you realise. Never stop dreaming big.

[todddammit]

You should be adding in products that help pad your bottom line. Merch like shirts, hats, socks, posters, and the like can be printed on demand—Lower profits but zero storage and order fulfillment costs. You could expand your line for the hangers with more options beyond the hooks. Do 3 different wood shelving sets from small to big that each incorporate that hanger rod that's close to the wall. These are relatively low R&D; No special molds, castings, electronics, or specialty parts. You could hire out a woodshop to mass produce them. Have you considered offering custom engravings on the rings for an upcharge? Easy to do with a laser engraver and would be great for gifts or couples.

[Vitz]

I actually have the PERFECT use-case for your folding hangers that you couldn't just "turn the hook sideways". I plan on hollowing out the wall behind my front door (only opens 90 degrees) to make cubbies for hanging jackets, umbrellas, etc. A sideways hanger wouldn't fit between the studs.

[FilamentFriday]

Having both a YouTube channel and products myself I can tell you the one thing you’re missing is a business manager. You have the ideas, design, engineering, manufacturing but your missing the person who handles all the stuff you hate. They set the prices, handles the customers, work on inventory control, cash flow, all the nasty stuff inventors/engineers typically aren’t good at.
I added that person and my business became profitable within 6 months.

[John-Adams-Can]

Most people do not understand the engineering and experience it takes to make even one product but when you have to design for one million units per year, you are on a whole new level. I designed some of the machinery that builds the Ford F150 and they need to make 1, 000, 000 of the exact same thing over and over without fail. The secret is K.I.S.S. You need to put elegance into everything you do. When you do that Simone, everything comes together and people buy your product. That is why Ford makes a million F150s and why it is worth the time you are putting into yours. Well done from an experienced mechanical engineer.