Biz Builder Mike

You can't sail Today's boat on Yesterdays wind - Michael Noel

The Story of the Million Dollar UFO: How the Flynova Pro Raised Over $1M

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Ever imagine that it would be fun to play with a miniature UFO? The Flynova Pro is a toy that’s so out of this world, you’ll think it was from, well, out of this world. The Flynova Pro needs to be seen to be believed: It flies through the air with the greatest of ease; it spins like a dancer on the highest trapeze; it returns to your hand, making playtime a breeze. This innovative toy is fun for all ages, and we were delighted to get some time to sit down with the Flynova team to learn more about their crowdfunding campaign and to find out a bit more about how the Flynova Pro was created.

Tell us about the Flynova team.

We are a group of toy designers, engineers, and dreamers who believe that life should have a perfect balance between work and fun. Our team has over ten years of experience in the toy industry, and we participated in the research and development of more than 100 toys before launching the FlyNova brand. The products we produce bring joy and relaxation to the world. At Flynova, we create the perfect toys for everyone.

How did you come up with the idea?

Flynova’s founder loves handspinners, and he’s also interested in UFOs. One day, when he was playing with a hand spinner, he thought to himself, “Is it possible to combine a hand spinner with a UFO?” He made a flying spinner with ingenious hidden drive mechanisms and gave it a sparkling light effect. It ultimately became the first generation of Flynova. This year, we launched the second generation of Flynova, the Flynova Pro. It has a magic controller, upgraded motors, spherical structure settings, and comprehensive innovations so that everyone can feel the power of magic.

What makes the Flynova Pro different?

The Flynova Pro is a completely reimagined version of the original Flynova. It’s packed with new features, including an upgraded motor for longer, faster flying. The enhanced spherical design means the Flynova Pro can move at a higher speed, while a sturdier build promises improved safety and durability. And with 30 minutes of flying time, we’ve tripled the battery life of the original Flynova. So you can fly better, faster, and longer than ever before. And the all-new magic controller adds a whole new layer of possibility, letting you add hours of fun, learn new tricks, and challenge yourself in new ways.

Why are you running a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo?

Indiegogo is a global platform for innovative products from all over the world! We hope to get feedback and reviews on our product so that we can continuously improve it and provide better services. We also want customers from all over the world to learn about the Flynova brand, which is why we’re providing a discounted perk to backers hoping that they’ll join the Flynova Community. 

What’s your philosophy when it comes to building a community?

We want more people to experience a new kind of fun that helps them play and relax when they aren’t managing life’s complexities. We believe that in order to make a toy that will appeal to all ages, we need to provide a stellar user experience. We pay close attention to how people interact with our products, and actively collect feedback from users to enhance them.

What have been your biggest challenges?

There are a lot of fake and shoddy products on the market right now. Poor quality imitations and after-sale defects make consumers mistakenly believe that these are our official products, leaving a negative impression on our brand. We put a lot of research and development into making the Flynova, and we want people to appreciate how special this toy is. 

Interested in backing the Flynova Pro? The campaign is currently still funding! Visit Flynova’s campaign page today!

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How Reevo Raised $1.5M and Became an eBike Sensation

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The Reevo eBike isn’t for the average cyclist. The hubless design puts an emphasis on style, making it the perfect eBike for a discerning rider. Reevo brings traditional bicycle design into the 21st century, and represents a perfect marriage between form and function. And with its state-of-the-art security and safety features, the eBike is as convenient to use and it is fun to ride.

We sat down with Alec Lim, CEO of Beno Inc. and creator of Reevo, to learn more about their crowdfunding campaign and find out how Reevo came to be. 

Do you have a founding story?

I’ve been a cyclist for as long as I can remember. The introduction of electric bikes has been instrumental in my life because they allow me to travel farther without getting sweaty. But my friends and I have a love-hate relationship with electric bikes because so many of them are ugly. As designers ourselves, we knew that we could make an eBike that turns heads.

So in 2016, we founded Beno Inc. and set out to create Reevo. We relied on the three S’s to guide our design: style, safety, and security.

Style, to give cyclists a striking, good-looking eBike. Safety, to give riders extra protection when riding a bike with an electric motor. Security, to maximize the bike’s anti-theft features. 

We started out building the bike just for ourselves, but making only a handful of eBikes was going to be expensive.We asked around and found out that a lot of people shared our views about eBikes: they thought they lacked style, and they wanted them to have more features. 

What are you raising funds for?

The architecture of Reevo is a little different from traditional bikes. We make these beautiful bikes with injection molded frames. They require expensive tooling, which we can’t fund ourselves. If we saw enough demand through crowdfunding and got enough backers, we could fund the tooling and start manufacturing. 

Who are the team members of your project? What’s their story?

Reevo has an international team. Andrew, Kenneth, Andrea and I used to work at the same company as colleagues and we became good friends. When we decided to make this bike, we joined forces, even though we all live in different countries now and don’t see each other for months at a time. As we built different parts of the bike, we got help from people we already knew. Many of them are still working on Reevo as a side hustle. 

What’s the philosophy behind Reevo?

Life’s short. Don’t ride ugly bikes. Better bike, better life. 

What surprised you most about crowdfunding?

We were so surprised by the enthusiasm for this project. We didn’t expect to get this many backers or to raise over $1M. We had never done proper business-style market validation; we had just asked people on Facebook what they thought of our idea. What amazed me is that there are so many people on Indiegogo that share the same struggle with traditional eBikes. No one wants to ride an ugly bicycle. When we showed this product to the backer community, they really wanted it. 

How have backers helped you improve Reevo?

We’ve been getting a ton of feedback. We’ve changed some features to accommodate backer response. For example, we originally put the kickstand on the right side of the bike. But everyone said they wanted the kickstand on the left. So we adjusted the design.

What’s been your biggest challenge?

Trying to fulfill everyone’s request! We want to make backers happy, and it’s been challenging to find balance. We’ve gotten requests for reflectors, fenders, mounting points for baby trailers, racks for bike panniers — the list goes on. It’s hard for us to not fulfill these requests, but we can’t do it all. 

Why did you decide to fund on Indiegogo?

Indiegogo has a bigger community for cycling products than other crowdfunding platforms. Indiegogo also provides better tools for marketing and tracking traffic from social media, which has made it easier to convert new backers.

Would you crowdfund again?

Absolutely! I’m a people person and I love interacting with all the backers. Seeing backer enthusiasm and getting backer feedback — it’s been so much more fulfilling than going a traditional funding route. 

Interested in backing Reevo? The campaign is currently still funding as part of Indiegogo InDemand. Visit Reevo’s campaign page today!

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A Day in the Life of Entrepreneur Haby Barry, Founder of Fulaba Jewelry

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Running your own business is no easy feat. It takes a healthy dose of passion, discipline, and commitment. Ever wonder what a day in the life of a small business owner and founder is like? We’re here to give you a glimpse!

This week, we’re featuring Haby Barry, the entrepreneur behind Fulaba, a luxury jewelry brand that blends African high culture with modern design to craft elegant wearables. Haby started Fulaba to bring authentic Fulani jewelry, handicrafts made from precious metals, and a centuries-old tradition to the global market.

“Africa has such a rich jewelry tradition from countless ethnic groups representing nobility and royalty, so we are expanding our collections to introduce the world to these beautiful designs and stories. We also aim to uplift women and people of the African diaspora while helping to develop the finished jewelry industry in West Africa. So often we see just raw materials exported out of Africa causing the value to escape and be captured elsewhere.”

5 A.M./6 A.M. Dawn prayer somewhere in this timeframe depending on the sun cycle.

7 A.M. Usually back in bed occasionally checking my messages from overseas (Europe & West Africa).

8 A.M. Reading articles online and checking email.

9 A.M. Go for a morning run or a bike ride or do an at-home app workout. 

10 A.M. At my home office working on marketing and communications or whatever is most pressing that day while eating breakfast.

11 A.M. Usually in a Zoom meeting or on a call with my collaborators or freelancers.

12 P.M. Prepare orders for shipment and drop them off at the post office. 

1 P.M. Arrive at WeWork to continue working from there. I find getting out of the house even for a few hours helps me to be more productive and focused.

2 P.M. A call with my production manager in Conakry to get updates on the progress of the artisans who are hand making our jewelry. Reflections on what I’d like to power through the rest of the day.

3 P.M. Check-in call with my content producer in Paris…lately we have been spending our time finalizing the design of the Women of the African Diaspora photo book and brainstorming different ways to get people excited about it.

4 P.M. Eat lunch while following up with contacts via email, text, and social media…crowdfunding isn’t for the faint of heart! 

5 P.M. Brainstorm content, digital ads, and/or campaign strategy. As a professional marketer turned entrepreneur, I’ve learned that being fluid and adapting is key. I am constantly learning and testing and modifying as I go.

6 P.M. Check-in with my advisor on WhatsApp via messages, audio messages, or a call. I appreciate and value the experience and wisdom of others who have scaled businesses and want to learn from them. My eyes and ears are open, and I am prepared to incorporate feedback not only for better outcomes but also to become the best leader I can be.

7 P.M. Drive home while listening to my favorite songs which usually include some South African house music.

8 P.M. Eat dinner then do a 25-30 minute meditation.

9 P.M. Relax and watch an episode of Girlfriends on Netflix or The Daily Social Distancing Show with Trevor Noah.

10 P.M. Have some tea and send shipment tracking emails to customers. Dive into whatever I have not gotten to yet but don’t want to push until tomorrow.

11 P.M. Finish up my work commitments and get ready for bed. Before I go to sleep, I read my dream of who I want to become (which is written in the present tense), and visualize it.

Women of the African Diaspora, co-written by Haby, tells the story of 10 women from West Africa, California, and Paris, told through the lens of fashion, history, and art.

Now that you’ve gotten a glimpse of what Haby’s day is like, get more inspiration in our exclusive Q&A with Haby.

How and why did you become an entrepreneur? Was it something you always intended for yourself? 

I knew that I wanted to become an entrepreneur since I was a teenager from watching my father’s experiences. Business always excited my dad and when he finally made the transition from teaching full time to becoming a full-time entrepreneur, I saw him truly light up…it was so validating for him. 

It was clear to me from a young age that I wanted to create, and I saw very quickly from working in corporate America that I could not realize my potential and serve the world in a meaningful way in that setting. Therefore, my motivation for entrepreneurship continued to grow stronger, but I never thought that I would be in the jewelry business.  

I did always know however, that I would be involved in some type of creative business. I happened to start Fulaba because I used to always get compliments from people in San Francisco on an old pair of brass Fulani earrings I got from Harlem and I thought to myself that I could get a better quality version of these earrings made and tell the story as a Fulani woman.

What makes your Indiegogo project unique? 

We are not just selling a product, we are making a declaration to celebrate the elegance and culture of African women and women around the world. We are uncovering a rich African jewelry tradition and developing a finished jewelry industry in West Africa. Most of the raw materials for jewelry from the region are exported out causing the value of finished jewelry to be gained outside of Africa. Additionally, we are giving back and committing to donate 5% of all proceeds to benefit youth education in Guinea.

What’s your biggest piece of advice for women who want to start their own business?

Make sure that it is something that you can enjoy because you will be spending a lot of time on it and the results will not come fast or easily. Becoming an entrepreneur is a journey and it is more rewarding when you connect your business with a purpose that is meaningful to you.

What tools (gadgets, apps, books, podcasts) would you recommend to anyone starting their own business, crowdfunding campaign, or project? 

Technology and information are all important tools but what trumps all of that is support from other business owners. I recommend finding a group of people that you can connect with whether it is an accelerator or organization that can offer support through your personal and entrepreneurial journey. For example, this year I have been a part of a community called The Fem League, which is focused on helping women step into their power and it has been integral in my development particularly in these unprecedented times.

What’s your favorite Indiegogo campaign or a campaign you’ve recently supported?

I appreciate what Jacqueline Ngo Mpii is doing with Little Africa Paris and learned about her campaign through my advisor. I hope to be able to collaborate with her sometime in the near future.

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