Series brought to you by Elizabeth Robertson, guest blogger. Continue along with Laura and Jason, co-founders/wife-husband of Hipstik, as they discuss going from idea to product and the challenges they have had to overcome. If you missed our first in the series, you can find it here.
How do you go from idea to tangible product?
Jason - From idea, Laura spent a lot of time researching whether or not Hipstik tights were a viable product that women would want. She sent out a survey to over one-hundred women.
Laura - When I read through the results, I saw that a lot of women said, ‘I hate tights.’ Some could take that information and say, ‘Oh, this is probably not a product that anyone would want,’ but digging deeper I heard, ‘I hate the status quo. I hate how tights exist and are sold to me today.’ If people are saying, ‘I don’t want it,’ dig deeper into why they don’t want it. Don’t automatically conclude that there is little to no space for your product. You may be opening up a whole new idea!
How long did it take?
Laura - It took us a year to go from idea to product. It doesn’t happen overnight. Both Jason and I have a background in marketing and have launched many other products for clients so we were able to do most things very efficiently ourselves while others will likely have to hire out.
What challenges have you had to overcome?
Jason - Manufacturing was the first one.
Laura - There are only a couple manufacturers left in the US. I wanted to go back to my roots and be the one to bring hosiery back to North Carolina. I wanted to say, ‘I accomplished that.’ I also wanted control over quality and a relationship with my manufacturer. I didn’t want miles and miles between us. I wanted to know who makes our tights. Our manufacturer employs mostly women. Women supporting and empowering other women is important to me.
Laura - Another challenge has been messaging. Women don’t like tights because this product has not existed before now.
Jason - It's all about overcoming that perception.
What is the biggest misconception about tights?
Jason - That you have to sacrifice comfort for style.
Laura - There is a better way. A way to wear tights and be comfortable. Hipstiks is the way.
What have women been saying about Hipstik since your launch?
Laura - The response has been amazing. Women put them on and say, ‘Wow! I’ve always wanted these.’ Real customer reviews come in daily and I still have to pinch myself that women are this happy with what we've done.
Coming up with a great idea is the first step in building a company, but to become a successful entrepreneur, you have to be able to put your ideas into action and overcome challenges. In part three of our mini-series, Laura and Jason encourage us to do more than dream.
Read on! Go here for Origins Part 3 of 3.
