Kona Day 1 - Trouble With Travels

I used to travel for a living, up to 60% of the time, dealing with insane Shanghai taxi drivers, treating thirteen hour flights like an average commute, and late-night New Delhi scammers.  I've been very lucky to only rarely lose my bags (I'm knocking on the table top as I write this, and I hope you are too). So I figured a trip to Kona, Hawaii, one of the fifty United States, but an island nonetheless, would be a piece of cake.  Well, getting there was. Even though I picked a somewhat budget fare that sent me to Honolulu, then island hopping to Maui before I actually landed in Kona, it was tiring, but not a killer.  When I saw my team's paddle bag come off the belt, I exhaled a sigh of relief.  It was in a snowboard bag, which was bad enough, but at least they arrived. I'd heard stories of teams traveling overseas to races and either receiving shattered paddles or not receiving them at all!  At least we got ours. What would we do without them?  Several of us had even bought paddles specifically for this race! But where was my bag? Long story short, after asking, walking, filling out forms, and waiting for a different airline to arrive, it rolled itself out. Another sigh of relief (my uniforms + two other teammate's uni's were in there, along with Camelbacks, etc).  But finally, it was the case of the disappearing rental car reservation. Again, I used to do this ALL the time. I made the reservation online and left the confirmation email in my inbox so I could easily refer to it when I landed. Sometimes I'd put the company and confirmation number in my calendar as a backup. But why should I this time?  I'd never needed to do it before! But when come time to take the shuttle, I couldn't find it.  Looked everywhere - other accounts, trash, all possible folders, but nothing.  That, along with a dying phone battery (thanks, Apple) made it that much more difficult.  I tried one company (dragging 2 teammates with, whom I'd promised rides to -- bless their patience!), a miss.  Dead phone, so I tethered myself to an electrical outlet and started searching the interweb for companies I COULD have rented from, calling their 1-800 numbers, but no joy. After maybe forty-five minutes of this, I decided to bite the bullet and just make a reservation where I could. Ugh. Quite the day.  But it is beautiful here, the scenery, the paddlers, the community. A great feeling. More on that tomorrow. 

Start Up, Part III

It's not all about me. But it kind of is.

As you've read through Start Up Part I and Part II, I've laid out a framework of key questions to ask as one takes a business from a local business to a potentially global one. These are only examples of the questions I asked as I went about starting my own apparel business, the Ozone Paddling Company, building performance and lifestyle product for paddlers of the world, among them disciplines of dragon boating and outrigger canoeing. I can speak to this because the paddling community here in Portland and across the country touches me nearly every day.  Also, though, as my career taught me, to create product that spoke directly to the consumer. It's not just about business, though, but it's what I LIKE to do. It allows me to be creative, to strategize, to plan, to learn.

Along with the questions about the international market, it was vital to ask questions about the immediate one: the Unites States.

I had to learn about the apparel creation process. In my career, I was very footwear focused, but I was also part of a machine that had an expansive infrastructure in place. I didn't need to know how a t-shirt was made. I just had to provide a business case and a direction and POOF! - someone made it!  Then, tees I briefed could sell up to 10,000 units per design. Now, I'm hoping to hit one hundred -- that's how niche this category is. It emphasizes, in my mind, though, the importance of branding and image.

What do i expect?  I expect growth. At what rate?  Hard to say. I believe that this will be better measured after the initial launch (which is taking place this week) I know the estimated market size figures. I know the size of my immediate reach. One thing i can not quantify is that secondary group: my friends who have shown undying support for me and my endeavor and who have promised to forward anything they receive to everyone they know.

What have I learned so far?  That people like my both my idea of working with this group, but also my t-shirt designs. Once I finalize my supply chain, I expect my performance apparel to be equally impressive. I have insight into the sport that no other major brand has addressed.  This, and I listen to my friends and my team mates, both from my club's Premier Mixed team, Wasabi Burn, to the 2010 US National team, what they like, don't like, want, etc.

What have been some challenges?   Planning too long. I always knew what I wanted to do and had a vision of how to do it. But the planning process can suck you in until it's perfect. And in actuality, the circumstances will never be as perfect as they are in your mind. Sometimes it's time to jump off the cliff.

The thing that pushed me in this case was that I had reserved my Facebook page very early on in the process (as well as Twitter), just to have it when needed, but I hadn't done anything with it yet. Well, one day in early January, I noticed that a couple friends had already 'liked' the page. I was shocked!  I didn't think it was visible!  But it clearly was. So, within 24 hours, I built it, put up product shots and added the commerce tab, and off it went!  Within the ensuing 4 days, over 30 people had 'liked' the site, and i had over 1,000 site hits, with an estimated 200 separate visits.  A pretty good start, if I do say so myself.

As the Ozone Paddling brand officially launches this week, during Chinese Lunar New Year of the Rabbit, I am excited, but I am also particularly aware that I am lucky that I am able to continue to do something that I love to do. I like being part of the global paddling community. And anyone who reads this and hasn't been out on the water in some form or another, please write me. It will change your life forever. Maybe that's why I do this. Why I love it.

Start Up, Part II

After covering off some of the basics in creating an international business (Start Up, Part I), it's time to look at the 'How.'

Do you have any contacts?  Is there anyone you know that can either connect you to the consumer or that can assist in part of the distribution or supply chain?  Friends, relatives, or other people that share your passion can offer help and insight. 

How will you provide the product or service?  By mail?  Digitally?  Will product need to be produced locally, or can it be made centrally and shipped internationally? 

In this case, a 'where' raises one other question: focus. For example, you might think that China is the largest untapped market for your business, so you'll jump right in. However, can you speak Chinese?  Will they use what you offer?  Can you reach even those who speak English (and, chances are that they'll have higher disposable income anyway, so you might be on the right track)?  But a market like China could be TOO big. It might be best to focus. Maybe, through your research, you have found that Hungary, for example, has a specific demographic that is very similar to your core and it is growing. Focus. And the learn Hungarian. 

Next, how do you reach them?  Direct email? Facebook? Twitter? Tumblr?  If these are affective (and sometimes they are not), then go to town. For its impact on current events, Twitter is great because it was used to organize political demonstrations in Iran, Tibet and China. But personally, I don't care to read every little thing that pop's into people's brains (except for ESPN's Bill Simmons' feed -- fabulous!).  

Connection and communication is the real trick.  And, how do you keep them abreast of updates on your business, so that it's relevant to them and not lost in the constant noise that's being fed to us, particularly via Facebook's new profile setting (see my post, 'The Death of Facebook'). 

The most important thing in reaching that international audience, though, is having the ability to speak to them, whether it's common language, common interest or common experience. Can you take what excites you most about your business and convey it to your international audience so that they GET it? 

Once these questions are answered, it's time for the next phase: going into business. Start-Up, Part III  is coming soon...

Start Up, Part 1

Building a business from the ground up is a challenge in and of itself. It requires a demand for a product or service and, except for possibly the tech sector, these smaller start-ups target niche consumer segments, which are often localized, i.e., where the entrepreneur resides. How does one take that fledgling idea and see if it can resonate internationally?

First, check its relevance and reach. Is there a need for this in Shangai, Munich, and (/or) Johannesburg? If not, what would? Does the business need to then be refined or expanded? So, do lots of people do it? Or just some, but you know who those people are?

Next, are you involved in the community. I’ve known people who have created small apparel brands, were very involved in the community of their target market, but had never been exposed to the apparel industry before, so things like process and pricing were completely foreign to them. They might be able to build product that has a demand, but without enough research, there will most likely be significant associated costs, and the learning curve is steep. So, know your market and know your business.

Does it have longevity? Is it the current equiviland of the 8-track, or is it the running shoe? Is it recession proof, or will people only purchase when things are good? In the sports industry, it was argued that even if the economy was tanking, runners would keep running, basketball players would keep balling, etc. It was a mental release for them, an escape, particularly to deal with stress that could come with a poor economy. And when things were going well, they would buy more running shoes!

Are there global institutions also focused around what they are doing? Are others in the world working towards similar goals?

Answers to these questions will provide some next steps in strategy and business plan formulation.

Stay tuned for parts II and III, coming out over the next week.