Booster Campaign, Diamond Clothing Co., Supply Requisition

[DiamondDave]

Gents,

I have been presented with an opportunity to finally get some good horse hides in from Italy, specifically "Vicenza" This is a breakout moment for me, but I would like to order quite a bit to keep me going for quite a while. All of that said, I have started a "Booster" campaign to try and raise some funds... we will see how this goes.

From the FB posting:

"For the booster T-shirt project, we have used the shape of the ubiquitous M-42 Talon zipper slider and modified it a bit. With the front and rear images of something so quintessentially WWII we hope it will be a big hit. Grab yours today!"

Booster Campaign Page:

https://www.booster.com/diamondclothing

 

[pawine]

Re: Booster Campaign, Diamond Clothing Co., Supply Requisiti

Ordered, good luck. I have a Vincenza jacket from another maker and it's a really great hide that your customers will love. I'm going to have to order something from you one of these days, I'm a fan of the work you're doing. As a business owner myself I am happy to support your growth.

 

[DiamondDave]

Re: Booster Campaign, Diamond Clothing Co., Supply Requisiti

Ordered, good luck. I have a Vincenza jacket from another maker and it's a really great hide that your customers will love. I'm going to have to order something from you one of these days, I'm a fan of the work you're doing. As a business owner myself I am happy to support your growth.

Thanks mate! I am hoping this will launch to the next level for sure.

 

[Skip]

Re: Booster Campaign, Diamond Clothing Co., Supply Requisiti

Dave you sending to Australia, cause I'll be in it

 

[DiamondDave]

Re: Booster Campaign, Diamond Clothing Co., Supply Requisiti

Dave you sending to Australia, cause I'll be in it

Worldwide! Thanks for your support!

 

[dujardin]

Re: Booster Campaign, Diamond Clothing Co., Supply Requisiti

hellooo Dave

good luck

i share it on FB


what will be shipping cost to Belgium ????
do you think it's possible to send this in a single envelop (as a letter) ?

 

[DiamondDave]

Re: Booster Campaign, Diamond Clothing Co., Supply Requisiti

Well crap! THERE is a glitch in this plan.... they don't offer international shipping at all on these bloody "Booster" campaigns. This especially SUCKS, because I realize that so many of my customers and allies are overseas.

I see over on FL, where some have speculated why I don't run this with jackets, and since I cannot reply on there, (I can log in, but not allowed to post anywhere but the sale page) I will do it here.

Basically, I was trying to do something a bit different. If I do jackets, on say a kickstarter, type of thing, then I run the very real risk of over-promising and not being able to deliver. I do not wish to be catapulted into a two year wait list, not unlike my friend and mentor has. The thought behind this was to sell a cheaper product that could be mass produced off site and delivered quickly, giving people a sense of helping, as well as ownership in the project. Maybe that was naive and silly, but I really do feel strongly about the love that I have for what I do, and want to be doing it long into the future. But that said, everyone needs a "boost" now and again, and it seemed a natural ally in the struggle... oops!

So the question becomes, adopt a "Gustin" type model and do special editions, with of course a good sized discount, or sell other products to fill in the losses of having to order large quantities of horsehide or a combination of both?

Kickstarter... anyone have any thoughts? If I were independently wealthy, or knew someone that was, this might be a different deal!

DD

 

[bretron]

Re: Booster Campaign, Diamond Clothing Co., Supply Requisiti

Dave,

Very sorry to hear of your current snag. But man, I say go for a kickstarter! Been trying to determine my next purchase anyway; give me the incentive bro haha

 

[DiamondDave]

Re: Booster Campaign, Diamond Clothing Co., Supply Requisiti

Dave,

Very sorry to hear of your current snag. But man, I say go for a kickstarter! Been trying to determine my next purchase anyway; give me the incentive bro haha

Lol. Copy that. One vote for kickstarter. I am starting to think that my social network just isn't big enough for this Booster thing. Especially only in the U.S., where I am virtually unknown.

 

[bretron]

Re: Booster Campaign, Diamond Clothing Co., Supply Requisiti

Offer that civvy aviator while you're at it

 

[Nickb123]

Re: Booster Campaign, Diamond Clothing Co., Supply Requisiti

Some of those ideas plugged on the FL do sound like a more profitable approach. I like the idea of the t-shirt though, and I opted for one. However it goes, good luck to you.

 

[a2jacketpatches]

Re: Booster Campaign, Diamond Clothing Co., Supply Requisiti

As long as I've been making patches, I never really kept good records of materials, rent, and cost of all the little factors needed to run this operation. Kinda being forced to get it all together this year going back about three years. Just about completed 2014 and realizing that about 3/4 of the revenue brought in by the operation is spent on the cost of running it. I'm so busy juggling everything all the time that I've been under the illusion of making money. To my surprise, it's not much better money than the last full time job I had. For me, it seems like I sell a patch for 100- and spend 50- on a hide, razor blades, and some glue. Next order at 200- I get that extra sewing machine and parts I need. My next thing is mold making equipment to reproduce the embossing dies for my wings instead of hand crafting a new one every time they break. When I painted portraits and murals 20 years ago, there was another group of costs to overcome. Bottom line Dave, creating art is a labor of love and I'm not sure there's a way to bypass the materials issue. What does progress is the speed and ease of production and I am able to juggle even more at the same time. As we all know, there's never enough time in the day.

I have a lot of 33% off sales, that's usually because I've gotta drop a grand on one thing or another and the cycle continues. Always a struggle but still the best job I ever had and I can deal with the boss. good luck.

 

[PADDY_M]

Re: Booster Campaign, Diamond Clothing Co., Supply Requisiti

You're always very enterprising Dave & an inspiration to others who have thought about taking the next step from a hobby to a business! Good Luck with this latest venture chum!

Best, Paddy.