Editing The Pen Addict 236/transcript (section)

== Pilot Friction ==


'''Myke Hurley:''' There were just so many fundamental problems from a business perspective with the Everlast notebook, right? Like, one of them you guys mentioned, which was the Pilot Friction, right? Like, they're dependent on the friction, which is a terrible pen. And if the friction goes out of stock... I know people like the friction, and if you like the friction, more power to you. I hate that pen. You agree with me, right, that it's not good? You don't find it good?

'''Brad Dowdy:''' It has actually improved since they launched it. I actually kind of enjoy it now, so I do not hate the friction.

'''Myke Hurley:''' I haven't tried one in many years, so maybe I should give it a go again. But I know... Yeah. Whatever it is, I don't like it enough to dedicate my life to just using that one line of pens, right? Sure. If I use the Everlast notebook. But the problem is, as you said, right? If Pilot change anything, or even stop making the pen, they can't make their notebooks anymore. But maybe that won't be a problem after you've made, like, a million dollars in Kickstarter or whatever. It's up to whatever stupid amount it's up to now. But the other problem is, if you're selling a notebook that's meant to last people for life, you cannot get any repeat customers, in theory.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Right.

'''Myke Hurley:''' You can only sell to people once. And that feels like, especially for selling notebooks, a bad move. Like, actually what you want is to build a product that's so good that people buy lots of them, because they use one a month, right? Right. Right. Like, that's the more sensible business approach, rather than, we're going to sell you one notebook that's not even that expensive, and then that's the last notebook you're ever going to buy. And I know the idea, you know, their hope would be that, you know, someone buys one for their work, and someone buys one for home. But you could still do buying for work and home, and replacing them every few months, right?

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Yeah, this is the as-seen-on-TV version of a stationary product. This is... It's a one-shot deal.

'''Myke Hurley:''' Yep. Like, the world of Kickstarter now is in those two kind of realms, I think, which is, like, the stuff that we like, which is, like, indie people who need some help, like, they're makers, you know, like, people like you guys, people like Studio Neat, you know, like, and all the pens and stuff that we talk about, like, that we love on this show. But then you have the as-seen-on-TV stuff, and, like, you can look at things like the Fidget Cube, which I did back, because I actually do want that. But, like, that is exactly that, right? Like, it's like a big, flashy, hey, look at this, I made this product. Like, it's, you know, hey, Fidget Family, which I can't stand. That's how they address their- Really? Every one of their updates. Hey, Fidget Family. No, no, not in your family. Yeah. We are not, we don't, we're not in a community. I just gave you money for a product. Like, I don't care about the company. Like, and then, like, they tried to, like, make T-shirts, and they wanted to have people, I think it was T-shirts, and they were having people choose on a design. And you could either choose the design of the Fidget Cube, right? Like a T-shirt or the Fidget Cube. It was some merchandise. Or their company logo. Like, who cares about the company? Who cares? Like, anyway, like, this is just this weird world of Kickstarter, and this Everlast lives in that side of it. Right. Which I think is why, maybe why, like, my God goes up immediately when I see things like that. You know, because I like this, I like the hipster Kickstarter. Yeah. But, yeah, that product is just, it's full of problems, and it's just terrible. Like, just, you know, not for me.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' I mean, the only problem that they don't have is their bank account. I mean, it's insane. It's like half a million dollars.

'''Myke Hurley:''' Yeah.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' But, like, I couldn't sleep at night. Like, it's not a product I believe in, so the money doesn't matter.

'''Myke Hurley:''' Do you think that they think it's good, though?

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Absolutely.

'''Myke Hurley:''' Right. Like, you don't think that they're trying to, I mean, because I don't think this is a scam. No, no, no, no, no. This is a bad product, and it has a bad business model.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' They actually did something better this time, as opposed to the first one, where they actually made a paper, you know, an air quote paper, right? It's a polyester. Right? So, they actually did something inventive with this. It still requires the friction. I just have, I have just a bigger problem with that first, yeah, with the app and the scanning. And, like, that doesn't even register with me anymore.

'''Myke Hurley:''' Like, I would say, like, if you like the Pilot Friction, if that is a pen that you like, and maybe you should get this. You know, like, maybe that this would be a good notebook for you, right? Like, if they really find a way to truly make it come off. Because, like, I even find with the friction that, like, it still leaves a mark there, right? You know, like, if this appeals to you, then go for it. Like, this isn't, like, a scribble pen. Like, this isn't a scam. This is a real product. But it's just a real product that I cannot get on board with. Because I just, it just doesn't excite me at all.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Yeah, I'm just jaded seeing that first project.

'''Myke Hurley:''' Yeah, yeah, for sure.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' And that really clouds my judgment of the second one. Even though this is actually a more legitimate project than the first one.

'''Myke Hurley:''' I love that. Wake MP in the chat room is calling me out for saying, like, because I make company logo t-shirts. But I would say people do care about our company. Yeah. Maybe a little bit more than they care about the company behind the Fidget Cube. That's all I'm going to say.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Yeah. Yeah, there's additional meaning there. You know, there's a...

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Gosh, I don't know how you put it, you know. It's more personal.

'''Myke Hurley:''' There is, yeah. Because this is a relationship built up over a long period of time, rather than the 15 days that Kickstarter has been going. Right.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Anywho. Anywho, let's get on to something cool. I want to hear about this.