Editing The Pen Addict 251/transcript (section)

== Business Expansion ==


'''Brad Dowdy:''' So we have some, we have some businessy stuff in here to get to. We have some fun stuff to get into.

'''Myke Hurley:''' As a car led asked, how many projects are in line for knock this year? Looking at like new products, business expansion, maybe more retail stuff. What's on the horizon for your lovely little company?

'''Brad Dowdy:''' So I'm going to go with a lot. So that's the short answer. A lot is on the horizon. We have been running behind as we generally do, but just for different reasons, um, as always, but we're finally getting to a place where we can see the future and we're trying to map it out. So the first thing is the Lanier people were looking for a Lanier update. We should be receiving our first shipments of the Lanier in the next week or two, which means they should start shipping out mid to late April, and then they will continue to ship probably sometime into early March. It's going to just going to take a few weeks to get everything out. It's not going to be like a one big batch of, of processing because they're just large items, big boxes, lots of things going into that. There might be a chance we can deliver some at the Atlanta pen show. I don't want to guarantee that, but we'll see how delivery is going, um, on that. So the, the, the Lanier was a big project to get done. And it's on its last little bit here. And then those will be available from knock directly. Once the campaign is completely shipped. Yep. So along with that was our A5 sidebound notebook, which is our first sidebound notebook. I mean, it's, it's my product. So of course I'm going to rave about it, but I love this stinking notebook. It's the, it's a great size. I love our paper. Um, it's my favorite paper to use just on a normal for normal everyday use. And the A5 format is excellent. We'll have some of this first batch left over, I'm assuming. So we'll sell those till we sell out. We printed a special Kickstarter run. So everyone was able to order them through the Kickstarter. If we have extras, we'll sell them at pen shows and maybe online, depending on how many extras we have. And if that goes well, we'll produce a new run for those. But they were basically for the Kickstarter project. What we've been working on since winter 2016 are our notebook covers that everyone's been wanting us to make for years. You know, it started with like the Hobonichi A6 size. Um, then people want A5 size and A5 slim size, which is the traveler's notebook sizes. We're into the final stages of finalizing everything about that project. I think I'm confident enough at this point to say it's going to happen. Although I don't have final pricing yet, which I should have this week, but I've been through like four prototype phases. We've been testing these for months and months. And if all goes as planned, which in manufacturing is never a guarantee, we're looking at a fall release for A5 notebook cover cases, A6 notebook cover cases, and A5 slim notebook cover cases. That's going to be our huge release of the year. Completely new product line, completely new colors, completely new format. Um, this has been something people have been asking for for years, but the way our business runs, you know, it just takes a while to do those kinds of things. And we're finally at the point where it's time. So this is going to be a really cool release. Like I've been carrying the A5 slim traveler style for months and it's my favorite case that I'm carrying right now. I just use the heck out of that thing. Along with that, we're going to do a few styles that fit the A5 slim, um, which is your traveler's format. So a lot of people will use the traveler's inserts that they like. They're also from Keep A Notebook. There's lots of people that make traveler size inserts. We're going to do that as well. Um, we're going to make our dot grid pattern. Um, we're going to do a calendar pattern and then we'll probably do a blank pattern. Those are not finalized yet, so don't hold me to that.

'''Myke Hurley:''' Boy.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Um, we're going big, Myke. This is a big project for us. It's taken a long time to come to fruition. Um, you know, I think my first A6 prototype that I've carried was like two years ago, you know, and it was slow and it never really fit in the schedule. And we had to get all these other things going for retail. And, you know, we had to, I mean, we're always planning for that next thing. We just never know when it's going to fit into the product pipeline. Yeah. Well, this year it's ready for the next step of the products for the bigger cases. Um, so yeah, that's going to be our big release for the year. The Lanier this spring, which was last fall's Kickstarter. And then for our larger notebook format covers to be our cases, I should say cases because they will all zip, which is a big thing with the traveler's notebook size. Like I wanted a zip case for that instead of just the leather flap. So, but you can use all your travelers inserts and things like that. So, I'd say give me about a month, kind of let me get through the Atlanta pen show, the shipping of the Lanier and the Chicago pen show. And then I'll start releasing pictures and the name and the size and the format. And you can learn more about them, but they will not be ready before. I don't see any way they're ready before September, October timeframe. Um, just because there's a lot to do. I mean, it takes a lot. But yeah, you know, it's a big, this is a big production for us. So, um, we're putting it on the line with these, but I mean, we love them. I'm, I, you know, like Jeff and I always talk about, we make things that we want to carry. So sometimes it takes work to tweak and finalize and everything. So it's going to be good. I am, Jeff and I are really excited about it. And it's just going to take some time to put the details, um, to finalize the details to where I'm able to just, like totally share like the pictures and, you know, all the formats and the new colors. Like we just picked colors like two days ago. So, um, you know, we have another final round of prototyping to do. I'm still waiting on the pricing, but we're far enough along to where we've put too much into it for it to not happen. It's definitely going to happen. So it's going to be a thing. So how's that for the, how's that for the answering the question? And I'm not even done. Like, like I'm not even near that gets us to the end of this year. Right. Yeah. Like, and then we're already planning for 2018 is already planning. Cause we have to, this is how we're running the business now. It's fun. Jeff and I are getting to design more and make less. Yep. Um, while we're keeping our quality and pricing the same and having it still made in the USA, it's, it's all lining up Myke to be really, really good. Really good. The, everything's been going very well so far. Um, we'll keep, you know, ramping up new products as the years go on. You know, we definitely want to get into bigger bags, you know, messengers and backpack size stuff. So that's, you know, years worth of work to put out a product that we're want to put the knock name on. So we take it seriously. You know, that's why, you know, people have been clamoring for these cases for years and it just takes time, you know, for us to do it right. We're just not going to throw something against the wall and see how it's, see if it sticks and then, you know, revisit it and redesign it, you know, every two or three months. Cause that's not how this business works for us. You know, we're going to hopefully put the time in upfront and do it right and then have a great product to sell to everyone after that. So yeah, that's awesome. We're, we're, we're excited. We're really, really pleased with how things are going right now. Yeah. So it's, it's crazy good. Crazy good.

'''Myke Hurley:''' Woo. I know. Yeah. Let me ask this question. Give you a couple of seconds. Yeah. Go for it. Michelle asks, are there any retailers who would tune a nib before shipping? Not custom tuning, just basic flow and consistency.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' So this is a great question. And I replied to Michelle on Twitter because I wanted to get a little bit of feedback from some of the companies that I thought did this. So the first one that came to mind is nibs.com, which is classic fountain pens, which is where I bought a couple of Nakaias from. And they don't have every pen brand. Like Michelle was worried about buying a Kaweco and having a bum nib, which is a thing. That's one of Kaweco's kind of gotchas. There's sometimes have nibs with baby's bottoms and they don't do super, super well with that. But so classic fountain pens does. They basically have a section on the form when you order. Tell me how you like to write. What do you want done to the nib? And they'll test everything. Get it all set for you before you go. So I thought Goulet pens might. And I know they can't do that for every nib, but I was thinking that they did on a special request. If you had that question, they would do it. But I understand that it's just kind of like they're shipping way too many things. But they won't make adjustments, but I think they will test it to be sure if you ask kind of thing. But I think their volume is just so high, like that would be, that would take up a lot of time.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' So if you're looking to purchase like, you know, retail brands like Kaweco as opposed to manufactured brands like Edison or Franklin Kristoff, those are always going to be tuned and tweaked before they leave the door just because that's built into their process. It's built into their pricing. If you're looking to buy something like Lamy, Kaweco, even Pelican, maybe from anyone, they're probably not. I mean, I know a lot of pens will test them from the factory. Like I've gotten Pilot pens with like blue ink, like a faint hint of blue ink because they will test them before they go, which is maybe why I've never had a problem with a Pilot nib out the gate. So the best thing you can do is ask and ask if they will test it for you. Some will, some won't. It's just kind of, you know, no guarantee unless you're going to nibs.com where it's part of their service that they offer. So that's a really good question because you always want to get, we talk about it, how, you know, sometimes you get nibs that, you know, aren't the best or out of alignment. And, you know, it just happens with some companies. Is there a way to avoid that? I think you're just going to have to email who you're dealing with on a regular basis and see if they will do that for you. So there's that. It's a tough thing. That's also good why you can go to a pen show and test them out ahead of time if you're able to get to one. That's another feature.

'''Myke Hurley:''' I've fallen down the nibs.com, the Kaya hole.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' That's a bad place to be, dude.

'''Myke Hurley:''' I'm close to having the money together. I know. I know. I'm not far off now. I've been saving.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' I fell down an eBay rabbit hole last week on vintage pens, but I didn't last long. I was like, nope, that's a mistake. Like that stuff needs to be bought in person online and, you know, talk with the person who's selling a pen. I could buy in the Kaya in person. Yeah, that's a tough thing. That's a tough thing. I understand that. I understand that. I love this next question.

'''Myke Hurley:''' What's the story behind the pen addict logo, asked James.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' The story goes as this.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' There's no story.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' It's our friend, Myke's good friend, Forgotten Towel, Frank. Myke went to him. The original. Okay, here's a good story. Yeah.

'''Myke Hurley:''' What's the original? What was the original logo? I don't even remember it now.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' So, you don't remember this? No. Because this is an amazing. This is where the story's at, Myke. Because someone really famous did our original logo.

'''Myke Hurley:''' Oh, you're thinking about the podcast logo, right? Like, I'm just thinking about your logo. Oh, no.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Like, I don't remember your original logo.

'''Myke Hurley:''' I remember our original logo.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' My current logo came from the podcast art. Yep. So, that's from a gentleman named Frank, Forgotten Towel, online. Yep. Who said, we need a logo for the pen addict. Frank said, okay, let me think about it. He sends an email with the logo. And we both go, oh, my God, we're done. Like, there was no, Myke and I had no input behind that. And I said, can I use it for the blog? Because it's kind of amazing. And that's how the logo began. There was no, there was, I had zero input on that logo. Other than probably the color. Like, we said, well, let's make it the orange of the pen addict thing. Whatever we're going to do. And then Frank goes, how about this? There wasn't even, like, a choice. There wasn't, there weren't, like, five choices. And we picked this one. He goes, how about this? And we go, yep.