Origins
It's been a long, cold month since our last post. Despite subzero temperatures and unending lockdowns, we've managed to get a lot done as we prepare for the launch of Waddies later this year.
But before we get to the future, first let us tell you about where we're coming from….
While the full history of Waddies can only be imagined, we've been playing Waddies since we were teenagers growing up in Fergus and Elora. Wherever and whenever we would gather, it was inevitable that a game of Waddies would break out.
Somehow, 20 years on, we're still a tight-knit group. And when the Waddies start flying, it's like it's 1995 again.
The idea to take Waddies from our exclusive game to the mass market began during the dull days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Without much else to do, we started throwing ideas around on video calls. We discovered quickly that our team of eleven had a real range of expertise. We have people with manufacturing and design backgrounds, entrepreneurs, salesmen, writers, numbers guys, engineers, and community organizers. With all this brain power, how could we possibly fail?
Well, here are some ways:
We don't have a big budget.
We pooled together our loose change and sold our old hockey cards to get enough funds to do things like register the business, trademark the name and eventually put in the first orders for parts. We expect to be in deficit within a few months. Our accountant is waving red flags. We are ignoring him.
We are spread out.
We are concentrated in Centre Wellington, Ontario but have presence in the Niagara region, Toronto, Ottawa and even New York City. So we do a lot online. Some of us (Dave & Andy) have trouble using the internet. When this stupid pandemic is over, we look forward to assembling for some testing and meetings. Until then, we are trying to manage this from our phones and laptops. Not ideal.
We are redesigning the wheel.
Waddies is nearly perfect in its crude form: plywood boards slapped together with or without a hinged top, and pucks that double as those rubber caster cups that protect floors from furniture legs. You can get them at the hardware store for a few bucks. But we think we can take Waddies to the next level. We are considering new materials, a new "bed-frame" design, customizable printed tops, a completely unique and branded puck, as well as finishes that will look crisp, be lightweight and ensure product longevity. This involves serious research and development, bureaucratic nonsense, dealing with a ton of possible vendors, prototyping and testing. It's been fun but also frustrating.
Thank goodness for adult beverages and old buddies.
