Staying cool until your opportunity comes

You might be asking yourself, what can a pillow and an icepack possibly have in common with opportunity? Well, I'll get to that shortly.

This week I want to share a big fish-that-got-away story.  I swear it is entirely accurate. You can call my bride and ask her. This story is about a good idea with bad timing. It could also possibly be a story about not listening to your wife, but I’ll never admit it. It is a story of how important it can be to RELOAD, relaunch, retry, redo…. You get the picture. 

I created RELOAD to encourage and inspire others, especially those experiencing setbacks. This week I want to suggest that poor market timing does not mean your concept or idea is terrible. I hope my experience will give you the confidence to try again. 

One of my heroes is my Grandfather, Richard Spier. 

He is an innovator, an inventor, and one of the coolest people I know. Among his many inventions, he created The Mover and The Mover XL, to move heavy appliances in his repair shop. The Mover was the first Dollie to combine physics, balance, and body weight so that even a child can easily move large appliances by themselves. Maytag bought the design from him, and they are still in use today.   Pa didn’t set out to sell his idea; he was solving a problem and making life easier. He took advantage of good timing, and this helped fund future endeavors. 

Although I don’t have his knack for manufacturing, I inherited my visionary spirit from him. I used to turn my pillow over and over all night so that I could sleep on the “cool” side. Now I sleep on a bamboo pillow that naturally stays cool, but this was before we had things like bamboo pillows and Tempurpedic. So I invented my pillow that had an internal cooling pack that stayed cool for about eight hours. I was very proud of my pillow, which I swear to you; I named “The Chillow.” 

My bride told me it was brilliant and that I needed to get a patent and have Pa help me manufacture it for the masses. I was busy with work and football and “things,” and eventually I forgot all about it until I saw it one night on TV. 

You see kids; we used to have to watch these things called commercials. A commercial is like a cruel meme that makes you want to buy something you didn’t know you needed and takes a chunk out of your Venmo account. 

There was my Chillow. MY CHILLOW! 

The pillow that stays cools all night, for a mere $19.95 plus shipping and handling. Someone had the same idea as I did, but unlike me, they also had good timing. 

I did a little research, and I realize that even if I had manufactured my pillow in my teens, it most likely wouldn’t have been a hit. The general public wasn’t thinking a great deal about their mattresses and pillowcases. The emergence of Tempurpedic, Sleep Number Beds, and bamboo linens primed the market for accessory products. Although I regret not protecting my idea, I applaud whoever made the Chillow. You had a good idea and great timing.

Perhaps you have tried to start a business, make a career change, or launch a new product with less than stellar results. You are amazing! You are brave and innovative for putting yourself out there. Before you give up, review, reconfigure, and then RELOAD. 

Review:

              Take a look at your situation with fresh eyes. Sometimes just taking a break can provide some clarity. If possible, get some unbiased, professional feedback. Pay careful attention to market trends and assess if the timing is right. 

Reconfigure:

              Make the changes necessary to give your idea every chance for success. There is always room for improvement. 

RELOAD:

              Once you are satisfied with what you are offering, and you are confident that the timing is right, re-introduce it to your market. 

Relaunching something, whether it is a new product or a new career, is a sign of bravery, wisdom, and grit. You should be very proud of your intelligence and stamina. You will be joining the ranks of some pretty incredible come-back stories. Companies like Starbucks, Lego, Converse, Old Spice (Swagger), and Marvel, to name a few. 

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens” Ecclesiastes 3:1 

This verse means there is a time for success. There is also a time for learning how to be successful. These are both excellent things.

Let me know if I can help in any way. I’m cheering you on! Here are a few silly pillow memes that I found in my research and couldn't help but share.

Like the inside of my mind? Follow me for future blurbs of encouragement and wisdom learned the hard way.

You can find more valuable content at RELOAD Daily

--

Troy is an expert business strategist who specializes in employee engagement. He is Senior Consultant of enterprise technology solutions and new client acquisition at Businessolver, the leader in technology-based empathy research and innovation. Troy is also an outspoken advocate in the fight against domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST). He founded The Mission Haven, and with his wife, Hilda is building the largest care community for child survivors of DMST. They have a son in college, a dog, and three cats.  

You can connect with him directly or reach him via email: [email protected]