Good morning! This week we’ll pick up where we left off in last week’s idea development. Given the immense amount of planning developed to that point, the next logical step was to actually build a bag. This process was incredible as you’ll read below, which naturally involved lots of Googling, long nights of tinkering, and throwing stuff up to see what sticks. Let’s get to it!

As we mentioned last week, Haik Kavookjian (check out his work! Goods by Haik) helped me through building our first bag from sorting through all the fabric options, to narrowing down hardware options, to sewing it together once all selections were finalized. The process took quite a long while and should if you do it right. Before we dive into the gritty details though, let’s first take a stroll through the backstory of how I came to meet Haik.

Having all the plans in the world are great but taking those plans from scratch paper to real life is really hard. The professors at UMKC know this so part of the programs are to meet with individuals in the local society who may be able to help with the process. I had dabbled in looking for someone to build a prototype via Google for a long while but never got anywhere until the UMKC mentor program commenced in early fall 2018. It was through this program that I was connected to Andrew Morgans (Marknology). We only met a few times but his insight was fantastic. In the end, he echoed what I had heard from a few others. “Sounds like you just need to make a bag already!” I explained I was having difficulty finding someone to do so, so Andrew put me in contact with Haik.

The VERY first prototypes…duct tape galore!

After a few cups of coffee and learning more about the potential idea, Haik agreed to help turn the dream into a reality! Haik and I spent many nights scavenging through fabric options, liner options, and leather booklets. Simultaneously, he took both my sketches and original DIY models to build numerous Q&A sessions so he could bring it all to life properly. As it turned out, he had some vast experience with this process already through another company he helped before coming to Kansas City. I’d encourage all of you to check them out as it’s super cool stuff and an even better cause: Sword & Plough.

As you can see from the picture the picture below, the first prototype turned out fantastic. Far from perfect, but we nailed the essence of it. I’m super proud of how it turned out but more than anything, I’m proud of the fact that our future customers will feel that same pride of ownership carrying theirs on and off the course. Walk With Purpose is the motto we strive for at Nelson Hill. And we were able to do exactly that thanks to the patient craftmanship of our friend Haik.

The first functional prototype! Thanks Haik!!

At the time it was hard to imagine how much we could really improve upon by the second prototype. But you’ll find next week, they took every edit I provided and made another massive leap forward. As always, thanks for reading. And feel free to like, share, or comment below if you have any questions. See you next week!

Best // Eric

The First Prototype