Articles by Julian Mercer

Hoverpens 1, 2, and Coming Soon, 3!

hoverpen3

With the news that Hoverpen 3 is coming to Kickstarter on Feb 8, I wanted to review the first two models to show how great these pens are. HoverPen 1.0 I did a full review of the Hoverpen 1 back in 2019 when it first came to Kickstarter and was impressed with the design, construction, … Read more

Everyday Cold Pen Test – 2022

Cold

As this is the third cold pen test we have done, this was by far the most revealing test and had a clear winner at the end. At the request of a couple of readers, we used only cheap, everyday pens to see what would hold up in the winter cold weather environments. If you … Read more

10 Skillshare classes that you can use a notebook with

skillshare

So now you bought all the notebooks, what are you going to do with them all? I am constantly using paper notebooks for everything from sketching new product ideas, writing, note-taking, and daily to do lists. During the pandemic lockdown I worked on using my notebooks for more creative pursuits, and found some great Skill … Read more

Karst Stone Paper Review — Original Content Books

Karst Stone Paper

In theory, these notebooks should be awesome, on paper, they are far from it. With the Karst Stone Paper notebooks, I was intrigued by the design process of using stone to make paper. The process is very interesting and to help the planet move away from cutting down trees is a great idea…but after testing … Read more

Analog The desktop notecard productivity system. Original Content Books

productivity

The latest project from UGMonk is a beautiful walnut card-holder, with a simple, yet well-designed to-do system. We always seem to think we can get more done in a day than what’s actually possible. The physical constraints of the Analog card force you hone in the fewimportant things to tackle each day. No more endless … Read more

Well-Appointed Desk Vintage Writing Paper Pad Review

Well-Appointed Desk Vintage Writing Paper Pad Review

These notepads were designed to sell out. Ana Reinert and Bob Atkins took a limited amount of vintage typewriting stock, wrapped it in a letterpressed cover, added some well-designed writing templates, and then priced it so low that no one could say no. Ana Reinert is the owner of WellAppointedDesk.com and has a great online … Read more

Is the best starter fountain pen, not a fountain pen?

fountain

This is about an interesting pen called the Yookers Eros Felt Tip Pen. I found this on a special deal at Goulet Pens and really like the ability to use some of the fountain pen ink I have sitting around. I picked up the Extra Fine and Fine tips (.8 and 1.0mm respectively) Why it … Read more

How Strategic Partnerships Can Accelerate Business Growth

How Strategic Partnerships Can Accelerate Business Growth2

Growing a business often requires more than a strong product or effective marketing campaign. In competitive markets, companies can accelerate progress by working with the right organizations, professionals, and complementary brands. Strategic partnerships allow businesses to combine resources, expertise, audiences, and capabilities to create opportunities that may be difficult to achieve independently. From expanding into … Read more

Rickshaw Bagworks – Bento Bag Review

Rickshaw Bagworks - Bento Bag Review

As one of the few custom bag manufacturers in the US, Rickshaw Bagworks is always building new and interesting products. One of their latest projects, the Bento Bag, is a highly useful shoulder bag. I used their custom bag designing tool and really like the bag ‘I’ designed. After using this bag for a couple … Read more

BaronFig – A company moving forward in 2020

BaronFig

Baronfig started making stationery products 7 years ago after launching a very successful Kickstarter campaign and they haven’t stopped designing some of the best notebooks, pens, pencils and case/packs. While they did have a short slowdown this year, as is to be expected, they have ramped up the production on some new, and unique products. … Read more

How Digital Innovation Is Transforming Small Businesses

How Digital Innovation Is Transforming Small Businesses

Digital innovation is no longer reserved for large corporations with extensive technology budgets. Small businesses are increasingly using digital tools to improve efficiency, reach new customers, strengthen relationships, and compete in crowded markets. From cloud-based software and artificial intelligence to digital marketing and e-commerce, technology is changing how entrepreneurs operate and grow their businesses. For … Read more