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Just got my Big Break! Jesse James plugging my biz!

Determined2012

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What a neat idea!

This puts the appliance flippers to shame.

Record players are very in right now. Especially in the hipster locals of Chicago.

Can you give an address of where to get one? Ive been looking into this for a couple weeks, only place I found was Best Buy... With modern turn table style.

I want a more vintage one...

Thanks!
 
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BD64

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Your products look top notch. Well done. Subbed and looking forward to updates.
 

Natida

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Wow what a great business idea, what a success and most of all congrats on your guts to approach Jesse James and get him 'on board'.
Would love to read about your progress by now.

P.S. did you call your brand Henning by now? It's actually a pretty cool brand name. ;-)
 
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Shea

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Hey guys,

Quick end of 2018 update.

Overall it was an unbelievable year. I learned so much about funnels, email sales copy, text message marketing, celebrity influencers and I was able to get a system roughed out.

So much to be grateful for. After all, gratitude is the bedrock of all spiritual energy to take on entrepreneurial challenges.

My restoration business has taken off since being socially proofed by Jesse James. However, sales started slumping after the Jesse James buzz wore off. So I began running instagram ads... wow! game changer!

unnamed-15.jpg

It took me 7 months to get my email list to 300 people.

With $1500 of shotgunning instagram ads I grew it 800 people in one month! then 1000 the next month, 1200 the next, and it's directly correlating into 6x sales. Now when I send out emails with a new record player, I have around 30 guys calling ready to pounce. This gives me more leverage when negotiating (which I really don't need to negotiate now)because demand is far higher than supply. My customers now have to race to be first as I sell at a first come first serve basis. I also started collecting phone numbers and sending text alerts when I drop a finished record console, great success in gettin people's attention. Also word of mouth is spreading through the wealthy guy network here in ATX, which is what I hope will ultimately happen so I don't need a marketing budget at all. Productocracy is the goal 2019!

Zach Braff even slid into my DM's from an instagram ad!
unnamed-3.jpg

This was the final piece of the puzzle to complete my system. Now I can sell them as fast as I can get them and I've been aggressively buying up more record players. But to keep my product rare I've capped my self to 3-4 units per month.

However, going into 2019. I have plans on building my own brand and full custom units.

We are almost there on the first high end custom record console.



I decided not to use my name as the brand because Philip Morley uses his name to and I didn't want to confuse people with two names on the unit.

So I ended up using the website squadhelp to crowdsource a brand name. After consulting Jesse James, I decided on a name that still had German heritage and sounded cool. Trademarked and domain bought.

atx brand take 3.jpg

I've been reading up on how to build a luxury brand and it's been unreal. Everything I learned from marketing videos and college is all BS for luxury.

41j6eGmXOAL._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

This book really blew my mind on how to do this, which basically says do the complete opposite of what every sleazy marketer tells you to do.

Some key mind blowing points to luxury brands:

- Do not pander to your customers
- No discounts
- Do not compare your product to other products
- Have flaws
- Do not respond to raising demand
- Make it difficult for customers to buy
- Dominate the customer
- Presumed price should always seem higher than actual price
- RAISE prices as time goes on to INCREASE demand
- Do not sell, communicate value
- Cultivate closeness to the arts

I hope my journey will help other people out there on their own path. Have a great holiday season and let's all crush it going into 2019!
 
Last edited:

AllenCrawley

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Scot

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@amp0193 since you sell high dollar items, I think @Shea could learn a lot from your methods. Have you seen this thread yet?
 
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Danny Sullivan

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Great progress! Really glad this is working so well for you.

Just to give you a heads up for your brandname and it's german heritage. If it's supposed to be the german equivalent of something like "soundhouse" i think you'd be better off by naming it accordingly : Tonhaus.
Tonenhaus could (from a german standpoint) easily be misread as Tonnenhaus... Tonnen means something like trash can in german... which i don't think would be favourable. But then Tonhaus itself could be associated with ceramics (ton means sound and clay in german :) )

While the german word Ton (sound, tone) is the Toyota, the german word Klang (tone, sonority) is the Ferrari. Don't know how this would sound in your head though... Klanghaus. Might be to complex for what you're trying to achieve (or sound like clashing cars *klang*)

Tonwelt (Soundworld)
Klangwelt(en) (Sonority world(s))
Tonhaus (Soundhouse)
Klanghaus (Sonority house?) - there's a german company which does meditation instruments (gongs etc)

Your products where named Musikschrank, Musiktruhe, Musikkommode or Musikbox in germany around that time.

If you'd like to have some other words on your mind translated into german words i'd be more than glad to help.

Best of luck!
 
Last edited:

NaPal

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Fantastic work @Shea ! Keep going! You can change the world.
 

NicholasCato

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Hey guys,

Quick end of 2018 update.

Overall it was an unbelievable year. I learned so much about funnels, email sales copy, text message marketing, celebrity influencers and I was able to get a system roughed out.

So much to be grateful for. After all, gratitude is the bedrock of all spiritual energy to take on entrepreneurial challenges.

My restoration business has taken off since being socially proofed by Jesse James. However, sales started slumping after the Jesse James buzz wore off. So I began running instagram ads... wow! game changer!

View attachment 22999

It took me 7 months to get my email list to 300 people.

With $1500 of shotgunning instagram ads I grew it 800 people in one month! then 1000 the next month, 1200 the next, and it's directly correlating into 6x sales. Now when I send out emails with a new record player, I have around 30 guys calling ready to pounce. This gives me more leverage when negotiating (which I really don't need to negotiate now)because demand is far higher than supply. My customers now have to race to be first as I sell at a first come first serve basis. I also started collecting phone numbers and sending text alerts when I drop a finished record console, great success in gettin people's attention. Also word of mouth is spreading through the wealthy guy network here in ATX, which is what I hope will ultimately happen so I don't need a marketing budget at all. Productocracy is the goal 2019!

Zach Braff even slid into my DM's from an instagram ad!
View attachment 22995

This was the final piece of the puzzle to complete my system. Now I can sell them as fast as I can get them and I've been aggressively buying up more record players. But to keep my product rare I've capped my self to 3-4 units per month.

However, going into 2019. I have plans on building my own brand and full custom units.

We are almost there on the first high end custom record console.



I decided not to use my name as the brand because Philip Morley uses his name to and I didn't want to confuse people with two names on the unit.

So I ended up using the website squadhelp to crowdsource a brand name. After consulting Jesse James, I decided on a name that still had German heritage and sounded cool. Trademarked and domain bought.

View attachment 22997

I've been reading up on how to build a luxury brand and it's been unreal. Everything I learned from marketing videos and college is all BS for luxury.

View attachment 22998

This book really blew my mind on how to do this, which basically says do the complete opposite of what every sleazy marketer tells you to do.

Some key mind blowing points to luxury brands:

- Do not pander to your customers
- No discounts
- Do not compare your product to other products
- Have flaws
- Do not respond to raising demand
- Make it difficult for customers to buy
- Dominate the customer
- Presumed price should always seem higher than actual price
- RAISE prices as time goes on to INCREASE demand
- Do not sell, communicate value
- Cultivate closeness to the arts

I hope my journey will help other people out there on their own path. Have a great holiday season and let's all crush it going into 2019!

Wow what a year you had! Huge props man looking to forward to updates
 
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klix

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Great progress! Really glad this is working so well for you.

Just to give you a heads up for your brandname and it's german heritage. If it's supposed to be the german equivalent of something like "soundhouse" i think you'd be better off by naming it accordingly : Tonhaus.
Tonenhaus could (from a german standpoint) easily be misread as Tonnenhaus... Tonnen means something like trash can in german... which i don't think would be favourable. But then Tonhaus itself could be associated with ceramics (ton means sound and clay in german :) )

While the german word Ton (sound, tone) is the Toyota, the german word Klang (tone, sonority) is the Ferrari. Don't know how this would sound in your head though... Klanghaus. Might be to complex for what you're trying to achieve (or sound like clashing cars *klang*)

Tonwelt (Soundworld)
Klangwelt(en) (Sonority world(s))
Tonhaus (Soundhouse)
Klanghaus (Sonority house?) - there's a german company which does meditation instruments (gongs etc)

Your products where named Musikschrank, Musiktruhe, Musikkommode or Musikbox in germany around that time.

If you'd like to have some other words on your mind translated into german words i'd be more than glad to help.

Best of luck!

You didn't read rule # 1?

They're gonna have a cabinet called trash house, and they're gonna like it!

#4 all the way baby!
 

amp0193

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@amp0193 since you sell high dollar items, I think @Shea could learn a lot from your methods. Have you seen this thread yet?

My items are high dollar, but I wouldn't call them luxury. Luxury-tier is double my price point.

Not to say that some of those strategies bullet pointed above don't apply to me. I've done several of those and they've worked. It's tough to stick to the "no discounts" thing though. Hard to see a big pile of cash walking away in the short-term. I think I could probably benefit from that policy though.
 

amp0193

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@Shea

Text messaging works great for high ticket items. It gives that personal touch. I require a phone number to reach check-out, and then I'm able to text all the abandoned carts.

I may switch my website livechat software, to just a "text us" number instead.
 
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Shea

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You didn't read rule # 1?

They're gonna have a cabinet called trash house, and they're gonna like it!

#4 all the way baby!


Yep!

After learning my brand name means trash can house just as I spent $1,000 on getting it hand marquetry-ed into wood. I freaked out for a bit.

So I had to do what any good entrepreneur would do, innovate a story to fit.

" Tonnen and Tonen are different, and the difference between greatness and garbage is in the details"

Screen Shot 2019-01-14 at 9.14.47 AM.png
 
Last edited:

GPM

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As an English speaker, I absolutely LOVE that name!

I am a big fan of Ultrasone and Sennheizer and to me your name speaks to the same vein as those.

Keep it upscale and classy. Check our the price point on other luxury goods. Grab a few "Robb Report" magazines and check out their website for an idea of what the world of the wealthy looks like. The sky is the limit!
 

The-J

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Dope. Stuff looks real cool. No wonder you're getting success: your shit is cool and your hustle is impeccable.

Is that all? Is that the secret sauce? Sell good shit and hustle? Hmmm... take note people!
 
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B. Cole

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Don’t know how I didn’t see this before - badass man!

Makes me wanna jump back in the shop!

- smack myself, focus! -
 

minivanman

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Very happy for you. The piece you have pictured is very close to the piece we have in our living room..... but I wish we would have known about you 18 months ago, your things look so much better than anyone else.

How about this.... an old time tv with a new tv in it? I've been wanting one like that. Actually, don't tell me if you make it, we don't have any room for it but man would I love one. ;)
 

Eskil

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Holy shit this is crazy awesome. Congrats both on going through with an idea that most other people would have thought was "silly", and on top of that landing that Jesse James attention, and endorsement! Following this thread... ;)
 
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Jonathan Hoch

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I didn’t know until this thread that I NEED this in my life. And I love your reactionary story to the name. Fantastic!
 

klix

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Do you have plans to have these manufactured? Right now you're still a craftsman and business growth is tied with your time.
 

Shea

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Do you have plans to have these manufactured? Right now you're still a craftsman and business growth is tied with your time.

Right now I'm focusing on building the most exciting and craziest record consoles the world has ever seen. It's a break even proposition currently. However, this gets me excited in the morning, not trying to ram product to customers the first chance I get. My gut tells me this will build the brand and later I'll be able to sell a $40 T-shirt to the audience that I attract.

The Jesse James model.
 
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Niptuck MD

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Ah the nostalgia i love it. Who doesnt love Jesse James also? The man is a MONSTER (no pin intended) in the manufacturing and creative world of metal and all things metal
 

JWM

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Well done mate! This is really inspirational. Like you, I am a maker, I need to use my hands. However if I were to try to build a business with those skills I would need to find a maximum level of quality for those products and pump them out for the business to be viable (this is my reason for going fastlane, so I don't have to rely on my passions and lose interest in them, I can just do them without them generating income at my own pace). Most people aren't willing to pay a reasonable price.

It seems you have found a perfect niche where you can still apply your craft to a high level and demand a high asking price per unit because your audience are willing to pay for premium product. Great job.
 

Shea

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Sup Fastlane.

Been awhile

Big things going one right now. We finally finished my brand of custom record konsoles. Just finished the website this week.

Now it's time to promote and sell more of these bad boys.

www.Tonenhaus.com

25358

Other than that, my record player restoration business is going amazing. We can't keep up with the demand.

I have 2 guys working for me right now. Loving the challenges and ups and downs.

Had one stolen a few weeks ago by a deranged shipping provider. Also struggling on with keeping "creatives" that I contract out to stay on time and get things done. Managing people is a whole new ball game.

Even crazier is, I managed to pitch Jesse on a new E-commerce idea!!! I met with him a few times and he wants to invest. Basically going to scale what I've learned selling high-end goods online.

I'm not going to say too much about it right now, but hopefully I can later on if anyone is still following this.
 
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amp0193

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I'm not going to say too much about it right now, but hopefully I can later on if anyone is still following this.

Website looks amazing. I wish your video had some sound!

Awesome news about Jesse. Sounds like things are really moving, and you're thinking BIG!

Managing Creative types are the worst. I love the work my main guy does... but it's always a toss-up on when I'm going to get the work delivered. Getting timelines or updates are damn near impossible.
 

Shea

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Website looks amazing. I wish your video had some sound!

Awesome news about Jesse. Sounds like things are really moving, and you're thinking BIG!

Managing Creative types are the worst. I love the work my main guy does... but it's always a toss-up on when I'm going to get the work delivered. Getting timelines or updates are damn near impossible.

Sound is coming soon! Progress not perfection! haha
 

dru-man

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Solid thread, man - nice work! "the luxury strategy" just moved to the top of of my reading list. Will be watching your progress.
 
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amp0193

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@Shea

I kind of love how you don't have a price listed anywhere on the site.

You have to email to get the exclusive info.

Generating desire by making it seem hard to get.

I've never bought a piece of audio equipment in my life, nor do I own any vinyl... but you're really making me want one of these cabinets!


I love the color scheme too, and how there's that subtle "pop" of alien green throughout, that matches the colors of the lights on the konsole. The website is just the one landing page.... but it's so damn cohesive!
 

Ravens_Shadow

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The website is on point. Makes me want to use green on mine!

Great progress!
 

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