Learn how Mike Chijoff created a record breaking crowdfunding campaign
Michael Chijoff is a multi-award-winning designer and the creator of his own disruptor adventure product brand Tacticagear, which smashed records and became the highest funded multi-tool in crowdfunding history and raised more than $960,000.
Mike loves to build, create and figure out how stuff works. However, in designing products for others, he lacked a customer connection. This changed when Mike decided to create his own design brand Tactica. Being a keen adventurer, he combines his love of adventure with his design prowess to create cool stuff for everyday adventurers.
Tactica is passionate about design, materials, and technology and heavily invests in research and development to create original innovations. Since 2017 they have expanded their product offering from 1 product to 22 products, with more product designs coming.
Catch up on Startup Stories with Mike Chijoff
Top Takeaways:
- Where we come from creates our future; each of Tactica’s designs have been an evolution which has scaled us to where we are today.
- Paying attention to how others interact with your product can show you when the product is ready for market. Bringing in testers early helps to refine the design.
- The only way to discover the limitations of your product is to deal directly with those limitations. When there is an opportunity to shrink away or lean into it: always lean into it.
- Listening to customers is a great brand-building exercise. Learn the foundations of customer development with Entrepreneurship101
- You don’t know what you don’t know. Your company will evolve over time, so when you don’t have all the answers, keep moving in the direction you need to be going. Things change as you learn more, but you must embark on the journey.
The University of Newcastle's I2N works with individuals and organisations from across the Hunter region and beyond to turn ideas and challenges into opportunity. As a leading driver of economic and business growth, the I2N cultivates an entrepreneurial mindset that is behind many of the region's most innovative businesses and leaders.
Keep up to date with future I2N events, programs, and opportunities by subscribing to I2N's monthly newsletter or visit www.newcastle.edu.au/i2n
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