Hey folks! Like every entrepreneur on the planet, I have a design concept I would like to prototype or potentially put into full production. The concept is a design variation of a specialised sports bag offering a better user experience and more functionality. I knew this was going to be an expensive process, even although no prior experience in this area. These things surely need a lot of careful care, attention, planning, and a lot of trials and errors. Going through a specialised design company and being offered expertise in each stage of the design process is of course invaluable. However, my dilemma is that a few very approximate quotes have come back from the design companies with figures in the region of between 6-8k. Tax on top of that, ordering the initial batch after the prototype is completed, as well as a large pre-launch marketing campaign, you're looking at 12-14k to complete the whole process and provide something of real value. I'm prepared to take that calculated leap of faith, and grind over the next 6 months to obtain the capital, but.....is there a cheaper more direct way to do this? I have contacted several UK manufacturers directly who have said they would work with me if I ordered 3-500 units. However, I need to see a working prototype to confirm the product is worthy of putting into production. I also don't think the manufacturers could produce a prototype just from the technical drawings I have. Certainly not to the very highest standard I need. i.e uncover many problems and offer viable solutions as we go through the design process. I need a more polished finished article. Something that will really make people stand up and acknowledge has real value and potential and take seriously. I really want to offer this product with the very highest quality, not just something that is just "ok" and might sell.
If anyone has any experience in this process or has gone through it themselves I would greatly appreciate any input and possible advice.
Thanks in advance.
If anyone has any experience in this process or has gone through it themselves I would greatly appreciate any input and possible advice.
Thanks in advance.
Dislike ads? Become a Fastlane member:
Subscribe today and surround yourself with winners and millionaire mentors, not those broke friends who only want to drink beer and play video games. :-)
Access Restricted: Unlock 1,000,000+ Posts
Stop Peeking Through the Keyhole.
Open the Door.
You hit a wall because the best advice isn't free—it's earned. Since 2007, MJ DeMarco has been active here daily (99.9% active rate), building a war room for entrepreneurs who refuse to settle for mediocrity.
- Active Daily: Life-changing content posted dozens of times every day. No dead threads.
- MJ's Inner Circle: Direct access to the author of The Millionaire Fastlane.
- Vetted Network: Connect with founders scaling to 7 and 8 figures.
- Proven Roadmaps: Strategy over motivation. Execution over "hustle porn."
"SCALED TO 6-FIGURE MONTHS"
"Tips and advice here saved me from huge mistakes, others allowed me to scale my business to 6-figure months."— User MitchC
"INSANE QUALITY OF PEOPLE"
"The number of high quality people I've met from this forum has been insane. All of it predicated on building real value."— User Richard Peck
"You are the average of the five people you surround yourself with."
Are you surrounding yourself with success?
