MSU Student Startup Feedback

[jw3360]

Hey everyone!

My name is Jonathan, I am currently a freshman at MSU. Last semester my business partner Matt and I started a company called Boston Bell Co. (http://www.bostonbellco.com). A quick summary: our main product is the Statesman Bell, which is made of premium materials like food grade stainless steel and Italian leather gripped handles. It's presented in a Walnut box with Mahogany trim and comes with 4 marble coasters. The bell is special because it holds up to 8oz of liquid (patent pending), and only 200 will be created. It comes with free laser engraving customization on the inner box lid and on one face of the bell. Each set runs for $400.

Since this a new company and with graduation & football season approaching, any suggestions or comments would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks again and Hail State!

Website: www.bostonbellco.com

[EngDawg]

Can I get it Chrome plated?***

[jw3360]

Yes

[mstatefan91]

So, am I drinking out of this thing? Out of the handle?

[Gordon Gekko]

I read your about section and still don't understand what Boston has to do with cowbells. Are you trying to market this to non-MSU folks?

[CadaverDawg]

I love it, but I'm like Gekko...how are you marketing this to non-MSU fans? And can I get it with MSU on it instead of the Boston Bell logo? If so, I'd buy one possibly...although $400 is lofty

[jw3360]

Yes, there is a cap at the top of the handle.

[mstatefan91]

Yes, there is a cap at the top of the handle.

Gotcha. Pretty cool concept. $400 is a little steep for someone like me (student still), but you might get some to bite. I also agree that including an MSU type logo would help them sell.

[gtowndawg]

I agree a State logo would make them go pretty quick but then you get into licensing cost

[basedog]

My wife does laser engraving, things like Yeti cups, bet she could engrave Msu logo's. She is doing 90 Yeti Cups for a company as I post with there logo. Btw, Wal-Mart and others have the same cup as a Yeti but much cheaper, keeps ice or hot just the same.

[jw3360]

Gotcha. Pretty cool concept. $400 is a little steep for someone like me (student still), but you might get some to bite. I also agree that including an MSU type logo would help them sell.

Thank you. Yeah, almost all of our customers are older alumni. Working with MSU's licensing partner on allowing use of their logo.

[jw3360]

My wife does laser engraving, things like Yeti cups, bet she could engrave Msu logo's. She is doing 90 Yeti Cups for a company as I post with there logo. Btw, Wal-Mart and others have the same cup as a Yeti but much cheaper, keeps ice or hot just the same.

Yeah! We have our own laser engraving machine, just concerned with the legality of engraving any MSU logos or verbiage.

[jw3360]

I read your about section and still don't understand what Boston has to do with cowbells. Are you trying to market this to non-MSU folks?

We wanted to create a 1700's ambiance around the brand. Boston was one of the most relevant cities during this era, hence the name Boston. Will make this clearer on the website, thanks!

And if there is a premium cowbell market outside of MSU of course haha, just didn't want to use a name directly related to MSU.

[jw3360]

I agree a State logo would make them go pretty quick but then you get into licensing cost

Agreed. Haven't got any solid numbers as to how much it would cost but definitely on the to-do list.

[basedog]

Yeah! We have our own laser engraving machine, just concerned with the legality of engraving any MSU logos or verbiage.

Not sure how it would work with say a Bulldawg or Miss State on it. I know she has done lots of logo's for certain companies.

She has had her laser for several years, she made a really nice cup with Msu stuff on it for a gift, LOL

[jw3360]

I love it, but I'm like Gekko...how are you marketing this to non-MSU fans? And can I get it with MSU on it instead of the Boston Bell logo? If so, I'd buy one possibly...although $400 is lofty

We are currently just targeting MSU, as far as I know there isn't much of a premium cowbell market outside of MSU. We've had some non-msu fans order for their MSU-fan friends. The only spot we'd be able to put the MSU logo on would either be on the inner box lid or one face of the bell.

[Dawg-gone-dawgs]

holds liquid huh? You stole my 17'n idea!!!!

[basedog]

holds liquid huh? You stole my 17'n idea!!!!

"One Call That's All"

[CadaverDawg]

So I assume with the coasters this is being sold as more of a decanter than a flask, correct? Although the 8 ounces would more closely resemble a flask, so correct me if I'm wrong. I love the idea of having this in my office as a decanter.

[jw3360]

So I assume with the coasters this is being sold as more of a decanter than a flask, correct? Although the 8 ounces would more closely resemble a flask, so correct me if I'm wrong. I love the idea of having this in my office as a decanter.

Yes, more of a decanter than a flask.

[sleepy dawg]

I won't be buying, but if you're looking for suggestions, I have a couple.

- As others have said, needs an MSU logo. Minimize the Boston Bells logo. I'm sure you're proud of your logo, but any State fan will want MSU affiliation prominently on the bell somewhere.
- Maybe due to your patent pending, but I would need more pics and understanding of how the liquid system works. Since it holds liquid, it will need to be cleaned. Obviously you will want to avoid dowsing your leather handle with water and soap if you can help it too.
- What are the dimensions? 8 oz seems like a lot of liquid to still have a solid functioning bell without the bell being very large.
- No matter how strong the metal is, it will probably bend and even potentially crack where the clacker meets the bell after years of use. You say limited lifetime warranty, but with a company so small, it's hard to trust that yet. Again, knowing a bit more about the liquid and how it is contained may make this not as much of a deal breaker.
- The gallery on the website needs more/different pictures. I have not seen a picture of the inside of the bell (maybe due to patent pending?). Honestly, I wouldn't buy without seeing that just due to the fact that I don't trust it, or you.

For such a steep price, others will have to buy and vouch for the quality before I would spend this kind of money myself. That being said, it looks bad ass.

[jw3360]

I won't be buying, but if you're looking for suggestions, I have a couple.

- As others have said, needs an MSU logo. Minimize the Boston Bells logo. I'm sure you're proud of your logo, but any State fan will want MSU affiliation prominently on the bell somewhere.
- Maybe due to your patent pending, but I would need more pics and understanding of how the liquid system works. Since it holds liquid, it will need to be cleaned. Obviously you will want to avoid dowsing your leather handle with water and soap if you can help it too.
- What are the dimensions? 8 oz seems like a lot of liquid to still have a solid functioning bell without the bell being very large.
- No matter how strong the metal is, it will probably bend and even potentially crack where the clacker meets the bell after years of use. You say limited lifetime warranty, but with a company so small, it's hard to trust that yet. Again, knowing a bit more about the liquid and how it is contained may make this not as much of a deal breaker.
- The gallery on the website needs more/different pictures. I have not seen a picture of the inside of the bell (maybe due to patent pending?). Honestly, I wouldn't buy without seeing that just due to the fact that I don't trust it, or you.

For such a steep price, others will have to buy and vouch for the quality before I would spend this kind of money myself. That being said, it looks bad ass.

This helps a ton, thank you!

[StoneDawg]

Why Boston bell 🔔 company and not Starkville Bell company?

[vv83]

We wanted to create a 1700's ambiance around the brand. Boston was one of the most relevant cities during this era, hence the name Boston. Will make this clearer on the website, thanks!

And if there is a premium cowbell market outside of MSU of course haha, just didn't want to use a name directly related to MSU.

Change this to a 1835's ambiance and rename Boardtown Bell Company. Too easy

[jw3360]

Change this to a 1835's ambiance and rename Boardtown Bell Company. Too easy

Forgot to mention, the abundance of hidden underground tunnels and secrets within the city of Boston made it seem best related to the product:

1. The hidden compartment of the bell that holds the liquid.
2. The secret drawer in the box that holds the coasters.

We have some MSU reference in our logo, the top of the logo resembles the bell tower.

[Martianlander]

I applaud your ingenuity and effort.

[lamont]

Mine would have to have the old interlocking logo on it. **** Nike

[Barking 13]

JW, I know you. We talked about this at the FR last October... Be careful here, this is a rough crowd. Good luck with your venture. I'd be interested in other ideas you have, as well.

[blacklistedbully]

Though I wish you luck as a fellow Bulldog...i'm not feeling it.

Here's why:
I believe most of our fans treasure their cowbells because they are personalized. The user paints it, or buys it painted maroon or white (I realize there are exceptions, but do you really want to invest in a company based on exceptions?), and adorned with decals/stickers of the owner's choosing. They are passed down, sometimes for generations, with the coolest and most highly regarded/treasured not the fancy chrome-plated, etc ones but rather the beat-up painted/decal-laden ones with their "war wounds" and their, "story to tell", as in, "this was my grandpa's bell back in the 60's, and my dad's in the 80's"...or, "See that dent there? I put that there the day Dick Pace screwed us with that BS PI call in the '81 Egg Bowl".

IMO, those old, beat-up bells are held in higher esteem than the fancy ones, and look a lot better/make a better conversation piece than a fancy, dual-function engraved one.

The one you are proposing is something anyone can have who is willing to fork over the dough so that they can have the exact same thing as anybody else who was willing to pay....even if it stays a limited edition. The ones with far more value are the same ones that have been popular for decades, and involve a high degree of personalization done by the original owner, and perhaps passed down through generations.

I think the idea of higher-quality, including leather-grips is a potentially good one, as long as you keep it as a bell either pre-painted, or ready to be painted and covered with decals. The built-in flask may also be appealing to many. But at $400 that, IMO would not fly. If you could offer the improved product at a price point that works for broader appeal, I think you may have a market that does't rely on people with "money-to burn".

Also, given our school's culture of unpretentiousness, as opposed to our rival up north, I don't see many of our folks choosing your product over the traditional ones. Afterall, MSU cowbells are absolutely closely connected to tradition and history. I think yours strays too far, and takes away from the very things that make ours special.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents as a Dawg that has been in sales, marketing and business development for over 4 decades. That said, there are CEO's out there with more success than I who might disagree.

Whatever you do...give it a lot of study, a lot of thought. Continue to seek input, but more from professionals and people you know and respect. And if you decide to go forward, be prepared to fight for what you believe in, even against the nay-sayers. But at the same time, have the wisdom to know for yourself if and when it is time to cut-bait and run. Don't risk more than you can truly afford to lose, though at your age, you do have more time to dig yourself out of any hole you might dig.

And in the case you should fail, never forget the most successful humans in history have had any number of failures before they eventually succeeded.

ETA - I also don't think the fancy box is a good idea. Why would one buy an expensive, nice-looking bell only to have it hidden in a box? If someone were to buy this, I would think they would want to display it...not the box. I'd consider losing the fancy box with coasters, and lowering the price. The person who buys this is gonna have coasters. There's also gonna be fancy decanters and coaster-holders in the kind of bars that might be willing to pay $400 for a MSU Cowbell.

If nothing else, consider offering the box with coasters as an accessory and the bell at a lower price without the box.

[Dawgbite]

About 15 years ago I had an idea for a unique product and designed and built several for myself and friends. It was a metal product similar in manufacture to what you have. When I started out there was nothing I hated more than somebody telling me what I did wrong or that they had already thought of the idea or that it would never sell, so keep your head up and follow your dream as long as you can. I also considered manufacturing a bell in China, where I manufacture my product, to the point of buying a Battle Bell plus several other designs of bells with the intention of sending them to China for quotes. I even designed a few bells just to get an idea of what I wanted my bell to look like. I did some research on the market and came to the conclusion that there would never be enough demand to sustain the business and my money would be better invested elsewhere. As Blacklistedbully said, MSU cowbells are more sentimental in value than actually valuable, most fans will remember the bell they rang when we became No1 but not what they paid for it or how collectible it is.

If you do get a Patent, consider a Utility patent rather than a design patent and remember that a patent is like a door lock, it will keep an honest man honest but a thief will find a way around it. I'm on my third Patent Lawsuit and they are not cheap. Figure $30,000 to get to arbitration and $200,000 to go all they way to court. If I wanted to, I could buy your bell, send it to China and have a container of 20,000 bells sitting in my warehouse in a couple of months with a retail price of a fraction of your price. I wouldn't do that but everybody is not as honest as I am, trust me I know first hand. Licensing is not expensive but also consider using somebody who is already licensed with the university and instead of engraving maybe an embossed logo or medallion instead of the engraving. With a limited edition, you are limiting yourself to future sales. You can't decide next year to offer a non limited edition for $150 without pissing of your original customer base. Good luck on your endeavor and I admire your entrepreneurial spirit.

[Dawgbite]

Oh, I drink beer! 8 oz of tepid beer will just piss me off!*******

[jw3360]

I applaud your ingenuity and effort.

Thanks!

[jw3360]

About 15 years ago I had an idea for a unique product and designed and built several for myself and friends. It was a metal product similar in manufacture to what you have. When I started out there was nothing I hated more than somebody telling me what I did wrong or that they had already thought of the idea or that it would never sell, so keep your head up and follow your dream as long as you can. I also considered manufacturing a bell in China, where I manufacture my product, to the point of buying a Battle Bell plus several other designs of bells with the intention of sending them to China for quotes. I even designed a few bells just to get an idea of what I wanted my bell to look like. I did some research on the market and came to the conclusion that there would never be enough demand to sustain the business and my money would be better invested elsewhere. As Blacklistedbully said, MSU cowbells are more sentimental in value than actually valuable, most fans will remember the bell they rang when we became No1 but not what they paid for it or how collectible it is.

If you do get a Patent, consider a Utility patent rather than a design patent and remember that a patent is like a door lock, it will keep an honest man honest but a thief will find a way around it. I'm on my third Patent Lawsuit and they are not cheap. Figure $30,000 to get to arbitration and $200,000 to go all they way to court. If I wanted to, I could buy your bell, send it to China and have a container of 20,000 bells sitting in my warehouse in a couple of months with a retail price of a fraction of your price. I wouldn't do that but everybody is not as honest as I am, trust me I know first hand. Licensing is not expensive but also consider using somebody who is already licensed with the university and instead of engraving maybe an embossed logo or medallion instead of the engraving. With a limited edition, you are limiting yourself to future sales. You can't decide next year to offer a non limited edition for $150 without pissing of your original customer base. Good luck on your endeavor and I admire your entrepreneurial spirit.

Thanks for the insight!

[jw3360]

Though I wish you luck as a fellow Bulldog...i'm not feeling it.

Here's why:
I believe most of our fans treasure their cowbells because they are personalized. The user paints it, or buys it painted maroon or white (I realize there are exceptions, but do you really want to invest in a company based on exceptions?), and adorned with decals/stickers of the owner's choosing. They are passed down, sometimes for generations, with the coolest and most highly regarded/treasured not the fancy chrome-plated, etc ones but rather the beat-up painted/decal-laden ones with their "war wounds" and their, "story to tell", as in, "this was my grandpa's bell back in the 60's, and my dad's in the 80's"...or, "See that dent there? I put that there the day Dick Pace screwed us with that BS PI call in the '81 Egg Bowl".

IMO, those old, beat-up bells are held in higher esteem than the fancy ones, and look a lot better/make a better conversation piece than a fancy, dual-function engraved one.

The one you are proposing is something anyone can have who is willing to fork over the dough so that they can have the exact same thing as anybody else who was willing to pay....even if it stays a limited edition. The ones with far more value are the same ones that have been popular for decades, and involve a high degree of personalization done by the original owner, and perhaps passed down through generations.

I think the idea of higher-quality, including leather-grips is a potentially good one, as long as you keep it as a bell either pre-painted, or ready to be painted and covered with decals. The built-in flask may also be appealing to many. But at $400 that, IMO would not fly. If you could offer the improved product at a price point that works for broader appeal, I think you may have a market that does't rely on people with "money-to burn".

Also, given our school's culture of unpretentiousness, as opposed to our rival up north, I don't see many of our folks choosing your product over the traditional ones. Afterall, MSU cowbells are absolutely closely connected to tradition and history. I think yours strays too far, and takes away from the very things that make ours special.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents as a Dawg that has been in sales, marketing and business development for over 4 decades. That said, there are CEO's out there with more success than I who might disagree.

Whatever you do...give it a lot of study, a lot of thought. Continue to seek input, but more from professionals and people you know and respect. And if you decide to go forward, be prepared to fight for what you believe in, even against the nay-sayers. But at the same time, have the wisdom to know for yourself if and when it is time to cut-bait and run. Don't risk more than you can truly afford to lose, though at your age, you do have more time to dig yourself out of any hole you might dig.

And in the case you should fail, never forget the most successful humans in history have had any number of failures before they eventually succeeded.

ETA - I also don't think the fancy box is a good idea. Why would one buy an expensive, nice-looking bell only to have it hidden in a box? If someone were to buy this, I would think they would want to display it...not the box. I'd consider losing the fancy box with coasters, and lowering the price. The person who buys this is gonna have coasters. There's also gonna be fancy decanters and coaster-holders in the kind of bars that might be willing to pay $400 for a MSU Cowbell.

If nothing else, consider offering the box with coasters as an accessory and the bell at a lower price without the box.

Thanks, I appreciate the advice!