The start of an evening project

Everybody loves a great story, so I figured I'd give you one, in real time, pretty much as it unfolds. 

About a week ago my wife and I ventured into the unknown and started an evening project together. While talking about some normal everyday stuff after our children's bedtime hours, we came to the unison conclusion that we should probably rethink a few things in our daily life to feel a bit more content. If we did so, maybe we could just do a fun project together. If it worked out, it could also be enjoyed by many others and lastly help with a greater cause. 

So the first thing we had to rethink was about time. As many other people, we'd cut the cable to the TV a while ago and ended up watching series and movies on one or several different streaming platforms. Feeling the small addiction and a bit later realizing that we lost 2-3h of each and every second evening to this, we figured that we could do something better with this time. 2h per day, is 10h per week, is 40h per month and obviously 480h per year x2 people, not counting weekends. Maybe, just maybe there was something more interesting we could do with this time? There would be no need to sacrifice anything really, just spend 2h on something else.

The second thing we had to rethink was about savings. As other hard working mid-life people, we'd saved up a small buffer on our bank accounts and in some stocks. But the interest rate was either being eaten up by inflation, or the risk appetite in stocks just felt too overwhelming. Could we maybe invest these hard working savings in a project of our own, without putting too much time into it? Sure we could! It's not about making greedy profits, but if we could firstly get our invested money back, secondly beat the banks interest rate, thirdly contribute to something good, we'd be really very happy.

The third thing was simply about doing a better product than what already existed. Well actually, we felt unhappy with the alternatives out there while trying to find it ourselves, so why not make it just better? Just an ordinary product we all know about, but to make it just the way we would like to have it. If we'd like it, other similar people like us (mid-life, mid-class, working, western european) will most surely also like it. Seriously, how hard could it be? :)

So about a week ago we decided to start taking the first baby steps into the unknown and did our first investments, had lively discussions and started building prototypes on the kitchen table. In some way it felt a bit scary taking these small steps, not knowing where it would all end up. But we've really started it now and we are hoping to get the prototype ready by March, that's the first step. If we are happy with it and can get all the other pieces together, that's when there is a go or no go for scaling and production. I'll be sharing more of the story as it unfolds, but we're not revealing what we are doing (so don't ask) until some time after summer - that is if we get that far! 

Lastly, some of you may wonder, so I'll make it clear straight away: 

• Neither my wife or I are planning to stop our day time jobs for this project. This is an evening project, not interfering with anything else.
• We will to the fullest extent make sure that what we produce will be CO2-neutral. This is important for us.
• 10% of any potential net profit will go to a greater cause. Let's get back to this later on.

If you haven't added me on LinkedIn yet, please do so now, to make sure you'll follow the continuation of our entrepreneurial project! ;)

Happy New Year everyone, 2020 will be exciting!

Best wishes,

Andy & Sarah