If you have ever wanted to take one of your ideas from dream to reality but didn’t know how, there is a new notebook called Hatch that may be able to help. Designed by the talented ladies at Two Tumbleweeds, this notebook is made to help entrepreneurs and designers decide which idea will have the best chance of success.
“It’s a system to brainstorm, keep track of your ideas, evaluate them, decide which ones to pursue, and then develop and plan them.”
This is the third kickstarter project from Sarah and Liz Downey and after the success they have seen in their fist two campaigns, it is clear to see how they did it with this notebook system. I had a few additional questions for the creators and Sarah Downey was kind enough to give me a few minutes to talk about the Hatch Notebook. You can find it on Kickstarter here.
ML - For those that do not know you from your first Kickstarter projects, what got you started creating these crowdfunding projects?
SD - We started our company on Kickstarter, with Foodie Dice (dice you roll for cooking inspiration). We ended up raising $156k, which exceeded our wildest expectations – we really had no clue if anyone would like the idea. Beyond the money we raised, it was a great experience – there’s a sense of community around bringing a project to life that’s unique to the platform.
ML - In this digital environment, why did you decide to make this notebook analog?
SD - Digital is great for so many things, but there’s something about writing that helps creativity and makes ideas seem more real – plus, it’s nice to take a break from screens sometimes.
ML - How did you organize your Kickstarter campaign to keep everything straight before launch?
SD - We created an action plan, with a task list and deadlines – similar to page 1 of the “Hatch” section of the notebook. We have other more detailed notes (both digital & analog), but it all corresponds back to the action plan.
The PDF preview is available here.
ML - What advice would you give someone working on their own product design?
SD - 1. You’re probably not an expert at everything – recognize where you need help and find the right people. Although our video set up is, um, approachable, video is not one of our strengths. We had fantastic help, from friends who do video professionally (thank you Chris Robb, Ryan Burbank, and Michael Hart!)
2. Get feedback early and often.
3. Embrace the process – the thing I like best about product development is how much I learn, particularly with sourcing and manufacturing. Of course we hope Hatch is successful, but even if it’s not we’ve learned so much that will help us with the next idea.
Finally, Ms. Downey shared a behind-the-scenes photo of their video production:
This photo shows our setup for all the overhead shots, in our garage. I’m sharing it because it’s real, and I think it shows you don’t need to have an impressive set up to get an effective video.
Hatch is live on Kickstarter now and at $25 with free US shipping, this notebook looks like a great value (I ordered two!) You can find the link here.
