HELP! Mission Statement (1st draft) for my upcoming homebrew equipment company.

[Shred]

I'm actively working with designers and manufacturers toward releasing the first of many homebrew equipment projects. I have a crowd funding campaign planned a few months from now and I feel my mission statement is important as it speaks to why I started this risky endeavor in the first place.

I'm asking my fellow HBT members to read, critique and let me know if my statement speaks to you and for your support

"It is my mission at Shred's Homebrews to make state-of-the-art brewing technology available to my fellow brewers at budget-friendly prices. I will strive to put commercial quality gear in the hands of the cost-minded homebrewer and push the boundaries of what we once thought impossible in our garages, driveways and kitchens."

 

[NoH20]

Looks like a good start. Maybe compact it a bit. Look at a large company like Microsoft, pretty basic (but direct) statement. They evolve, don't get too hung up on it.

Todd

 

[Hello]

I feel like you're really over promising here. You want to put state of the art tech on a budget, what exactly is state of the art tech and how can you do it on a budget? My LHBS can't deliver on that statement either and they're well established. Perhaps you can speak to cost savings without pigeonholing yourself into a place that people expect to be the place with the deepest discounts. That is, unless you have suppliers who are selling to you for way less than anyone else.

Also, keep it simple and direct. What is the crowd funding for? How much are you putting into it and how much were you hoping to source?

 

[Shred]

I feel like you're really over promising here. You want to put state of the art tech on a budget, what exactly is state of the art tech and how can you do it on a budget? My LHBS can't deliver on that statement either and they're well established. Perhaps you can speak to cost savings without pigeonholing yourself into a place that people expect to be the place with the deepest discounts. That is, unless you have suppliers who are selling to you for way less than anyone else.

Also, keep it simple and direct. What is the crowd funding for? How much are you putting into it and how much were you hoping to source?

To clarify, I'm working on manufacturing equipment, not reselling. My goal is to create homebrew gear that would be within my own limited budget but containing features that have previously been outside said budget.

 

[sandyeggoxj]

What are you making? I think the end product matters here. Also, are you in the B2B market or direct to consumers?

 

[Shred]

I'm working on a programmable temp control unit offering equivalent features to a $179 unit for half or less the price. I'd like to work with retailers and consumers, but my core audience is right here... my fellow homebrewers.

A successful launch of the above will be followed up with more innovative offerings in bottling, cleaning and sanitizing, and brewing solutions.

I will rely on the homebrewing community (along with my own personal pains) to establish inspiration for new tools.

 

[sandyeggoxj]

Given your initial product launch I think your first statement was good. Now, cut it in half.

 

[kh54s10]

Honestly I have been into my Octoberfest lager, but I haven't been able to navigate your post or blog to see what you are offering. I see you talk about temperature control at less than $175 but there are a lot of options already for less than $75. Make a better link to what you are looking at.... I cannot give any constructive criticism without more information.....

 

[Shred]

Honestly I have been into my Octoberfest lager, but I haven't been able to navigate your post or blog to see what you are offering. I see you talk about temperature control at less than $175 but there are a lot of options already for less than $75. Make a better link to what you are looking at.... I cannot give any constructive criticism without more information.....

The blog is not set up for marketing the new product yet. It's just a free instructional site for new brewers. It will be updated to include some links to the product site once the official campaign is launched.

As for the price point question, I realize there are several options out there and I've used or built them all. None offer as robust a feature set as I plan to until you reach the $179 price range, however.

The help I'm asking everyone for is with the mission statement, not the product itself. I'm a very active member of this community and I love to help my fellow brewers (as they've helped me so much). I know typed words can a seem to lack sincerity intent can be lost. Does my statement deliver my goals clearly?


Sent from my iPad using Home Brew

 

[podz]

How many patents do you have registered in your name? How many patents have you applied for?

Hint: if the answer to both is zero, then you are either incredibly non business savvy OR you are not really inventing anything "state of the art".

State of the art means the most advanced functioning example of a technology at a given point in time. Before gunpowder was brought to europe, the state of the art weapon for attacking fortified compounds was the catapult, etc.

 

[Cyclman]

"It is my mission at Shred's Homebrews to make state-of-the-art brewing technology available to my fellow brewers at budget-friendly prices. I will strive to put commercial quality gear in the hands of the cost-minded homebrewer and push the boundaries of what we once thought impossible in our garages, driveways and kitchens."

Shred's Homebrews Mission: Provide innovative, well designed, high quality, commercial-style homebrew gear at budget friendly prices.

Something concise, specific, brief, but all-encompassing makes for the best mission statements. Good luck

 

[Shred]

How many patents do you have registered in your name? How many patents have you applied for?

Hint: if the answer to both is zero, then you are either incredibly non business savvy OR you are not really inventing anything "state of the art".

State of the art means the most advanced functioning example of a technology at a given point in time. Before gunpowder was brought to europe, the state of the art weapon for attacking fortified compounds was the catapult, etc.

Thanks for your feedback. With the initial device launch, I agree that it is not something completely unique. It does offer a bigger bang for the buck, however.

That said, upcoming products I plan to fund with the revenue the initial campaign generates (assuming success) will be products not currently available to homebrewers (designs already underway... need the final drawings for patents).

 

[grathan]

I like the brief version of the statement. Yours seems like it's trying too hard while stretching proper grammar.

 

[Shred]

Shred's Homebrews Mission: Provide innovative, well designed, high quality, commercial-style homebrew gear at budget friendly prices.

Something concise, specific, brief, but all-encompassing makes for the best mission statements. Good luck

I like this, but the part about "garages, driveways and kitchens" resonates with me. Maybe something like:

Shred's Homebrews Mission: Push the boundaries of what we once thought possible in our garages, driveways and kitchens by offering innovative, high quality, commercial-style homebrew gear at budget friendly prices.

Too long?

 

[YeastMode]

I actively avoid presenting my opinion on such matters, but since you asked....

I would completely remove the concept of "budget" from your statement. It simultaneously reminds your "tight-budget" customers of their monetary constraints, and indicates to your more affluent base that your product is "cheap".

Alternatively, I would rephrase using "value" as the concept. For example:

Shred's Homebrews Mission: To provide innovative, high quality, and professional-style homebrew equipment, while focusing on providing value to the target customer.

On a separate and admittedly unsolicited note, I would consider changing your logo to something less menacing. I do not intend this to be disrespectful or combative in any way, and I think it is a fine logo for your own homebrew bottles or blog, but as a potential consumer, I would have at least some level of hesitation from purchasing from a company with your logo.

 

[Franky]

It's a bit to long in my opinion. When I was working on my mission statement there were a few phrases I really wanted in it. In the end I had to let go of them. I like the whole kitchen etc wording/phrase but it isnt going to sell your product. When I read the "stripped down" version it is clear and to the point. Any longer then the short version and I honestly probably wouldn't keep reading. I'm already at your site because I brew in my kitchen...that's why I'm there. Having it in your statement isn't going to really help. Anyway...just my 2 cents. Again, I understand why you want it there but it's the mission statement. The phrase could maybe go somewhere else? Good luck!

 

[uncleleon]

Say more about community and and economic growth and less on what you are actually selling. Make it a co-op. $.02

 

[JR_Brewer]

Here are some thoughts on the mission statement (not about your product, company, website, etc):

Don't use the first person singular. You hope that your company may grow one day, and when you do you don't want to outgrow your mission statement. Here are some phrase-by-phrase suggestions:


"It is my mission at Shred's Homebrews..." --> "Shred's Homebrew will..."


"...to make state-of-the-art brewing technology available to my fellow brewers at budget-friendly prices." --> "manufacture and deliver state-of-the-art brewing technology to budget-conscious homebrewers."


"I will strive to put commercial quality gear in the hands of the cost-minded homebrewer and push the boundaries of..." a lot of repetition in this, how about --> "Through commercial-quality equipment at homebrew prices, we enable fellow brewers to achieve..."


"...what we once thought impossible in our garages, driveways and kitchens." I like it, the end is catchy.


So, putting it together, I'm recommending:

"Shred's Homebrew will manufacture and deliver state-of-the-art brewing technology to budget-conscious homebrewers. Through commercial-quality equipment at homebrew prices, we enable fellow brewers to achieve what we once thought impossible in our garages, driveways and kitchens."

 

[Hello]

To clarify, I'm working on manufacturing equipment, not reselling. My goal is to create homebrew gear that would be within my own limited budget but containing features that have previously been outside said budget.

That makes some sense. Someone pointed out that programmable temperature control is already available at < $100 though. Obviously I can read that you're not yet entirely ready to launch what the product really does so sticking to the mission statement itself, this one below really says enough. I just feel like some over-promise in their mission statements and often under deliver. It is often never intentional, but it happens.

Shred's Homebrews Mission: Provide innovative, well designed, high quality, commercial-style homebrew gear at budget friendly prices.

Something concise, specific, brief, but all-encompassing makes for the best mission statements. Good luck

I actually like that a lot.

Thanks for your feedback. With the initial device launch, I agree that it is not something completely unique. It does offer a bigger bang for the buck, however.

That said, upcoming products I plan to fund with the revenue the initial campaign generates (assuming success) will be products not currently available to homebrewers (designs already underway... need the final drawings for patents).

So this is fully funded by crowdsourcing or are you contributing to the initial investment?

 

[Shred]

So this is fully funded by crowdsourcing or are you contributing to the initial investment?

I've paid several thousand dollars out of pocket for the design and a working prototype. The mass production will be crowd funded.

Piecing all of the above suggestions together I've got this now:

"Shred's Homebrews will manufacture and deliver state-of-the-art brewing technology to value-minded homebrewers. Through commercial-quality equipment at homebrew prices, we enable fellow brewers to achieve what we once thought impossible in our garages, driveways and kitchens."

It's still lengthy, I agree but if the reader stops halfway through the most important part of the message has still been delivered.

This is why I love this community! Now back to working on the script for the Kickstarter video

 

[Hello]

I feel like it still says the same. You just removed a couple of unnecessary words such as "my". If you start out by saying the reader can stop halfway through and still get the message, then don't you think that's a sign that your statement is either too long or the second part is mildly redundant? If you're married to this statement then keep it. It's not horrible and in the grand scheme of things it probably won't matter when it comes to sales. I figure this may be more for the crowd sourcing project.

 

[hunter_le five]

"To Protect and To Serve."