Hello Everyone! I've created two ideas that I'm needing to validate before moving forward in building them out.
Those are the Pop-Up Studio & Definitive Courses to SELLing Your Products Online.
Right now, I’m needing at least 300 people to support us at one of the price tiers below. If I can get 300 people to support us in the next 72 hours, supporting us at ANY of the tiers, it will show me there is sufficient demand to move forward with these products, spend the next 6 months building out a Kickstarter Campaign and launching it to the world!
If you have time, read ALL about them below :)
ALL of the money we raise will be put towards prototyping and building out these products.
===================
Five years ago, KUVRD released its first product.
Thousands of backers supported us with the Universal Lens Cap.
Since then, we’ve designed and brought to market other products.
We’ve grown, innovated and learned along the way… all thanks to your help. 🫵🏽
But the biggest growth has been in discovering WHY KUVRD exists in the first place… and that’s only happened in the last couple of months…
… and I firmly believe it’s for this reason;
To helps others do more of what they love doing.
In technical terms, it’s to create products that help you save you time in the setup/take-down processes of photography, remove hassles and inconveniences during your workflow and equip you with tools to do and create more with what you already have readily available.
I want all of my products to embody that.
WHAT our products have in common as a result of WHY we do what we do are the following characteristics. All of our products have these features/functions;
And so, similar to the genesis of the Universal Lens Hood and our WaterBears, we’re about to go into the next chapter of KUVRD in launching another product line… but first, I want to validate the idea.
I’m seeking answers to questions like,
I know that it will help perform specific jobs better, faster AND easier.
I know that it will it enhance your workflow and creativity at the same time.
And I know that it will actually help you spend more time getting better at and doing more of what you love doing.
But, my “knowing” isn’t enough.
The clearest way to validate something is by pitching it. But not to just anyone. It has to be presented to target customers and done so while gauging their legitimate interest and demand for it.
So! I’m pitching KUVRD’s next potential product line right here in the update!
NOTE: What you're about to read and see is HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL.
Until now, no one outside the KUVRD team has seen or heard about what you're about to be shown.
We want to keep it that way… alrighty?
Now, back to the pitch!
When it comes to tools, I need five things. They need to be;
And it doesn't take long in using studio light boxes and diffusers before realizing all of their limitations.
But I wanted to be sure that others faced the same challenges I faced.
So, we sent out surveys.
===================
In these surveys, we inquired about common challenges people encountered when using studio boxes and diffuser panels.
We asked about hassles and pet peeves they deal with when performing certain jobs.
We even sought feedback about which features and functions are most valuable to them… and even what they would LIKE to see as additional inclusions.
From all of that, hundreds of photographers and users of studio boxes helped us discover the following.
When it comes to using diffusers and studio boxes for product photography…
===================
Now, I could get into excruciating detail about this to further prove our understanding of these common pains, but I figured you would trust me and the data to know that these are in fact the common challenges.
===================
From all this, we put our heads together. We came up with ideas. We jammed them into one solution. I drew, sketched and began designing stuff. I used a LOT of post-it notes. We came up with a name and now we’re here.
So! Let me introduce to you KUVRD’s next potential products;
The Pop-Up Studio & Definitive Courses to SELLing Your Products Online.
The Pop-Up Studio (PUS) & Definitive Courses (DCs) will solve all those issues listed above, address several more unmentioned AND comes with noted warranties & guarantees. You’re welcome.
At the bottom of the update, I’ve included some Sketches, 2D Designs, graphics, images of initial prototypes and a couple videos. Remember, these are prototypes...
…PROTOTYPES…
not flawless, top-line production units recently pulled from the factory belt.
There are lots of changes needed to be made... A LOT… many improvements, iterations, etc... but all these initial assets were included in this update to give you an idea of what I’m envisioning and where I’m wanting to go with it.
The Pop-Up Studio will be a Portable Diffuser Box designed for catalog, product and e-commerce photography to shoot perfectly diffused-lit photos anywhere, anytime, always.
In comparison to studio boxes, it’ll take 1/5th the setup time and 1/5th the takedown time. It’ll be 1/3rd the weight and 1/5th the size (when collapsed). It’ll provide premium diffusion in ANY light setting, come with non-wrinkle, washable backdrops, detachable diffusers, handles and tie-down straps for easy maneuverability and sturdiness, allow for 4-angle shooting, come with a carrying bag for easy transportation and storing… and will include our Lifetime Replacement Warranty.
In essence, its job is to help you get to ‘shooting’ faster, to adapt it in providing you premium diffusion for shooting in different environments, weather conditions and lighting situations… while saving you time on the back-end during take-down, transportation of -and storing of- it in 1/5th the time and 1/10th the hassle as traditional studio boxes.
PLUS, we’ll be creating accompanying definitive courses to assist you in shooting… with How-To Videos, Templates, Checklists, Shot-Lists, Prep Lists, Prompts, Scripts, & Step-By-Step Courses for;
Starving Artists, Small Business Owners, Etsy/eBay/Amazon Store Owners, Crafters/Makers, Inventors, Tinkerers, etc. on:
Photographers on:
Now, from my research, the average time it takes to fully shoot, edit, categorize, log and list one’s products online is around 6 hours… SIX HOURS… so my feeling is that if I can teach you how to do all of that in an efficient, replicable manner that produces high quality photos of your products in just under 2 hours - and your time is WORTH $20/hour - then after going through the course and applying it three times, you’d get a 100% Return on your Investment from saving $240 worth of your time… and that’s not to consider every time you go through the process thereafter and the time it’ll save then too.
Now, back to our WHY.
We’re wanting to create the Pop-Up Studio & Definitive Courses for ONE reason; to help others spend MORE time doing what they love doing.
For photographers, it’s actually DOING photography.
For Starving Artists, it’s NOT photography at all, but getting back to creating their art as quickly as possible.
The PUS and DCs help the photographer get to SHOOTING as quickly as possible while eliminating distractions and obstacles along the way.
The PUS & DCs help the Artist get THROUGH the shooting, editing and listing processes as QUICKLY as possible so they can return to their passion; creating their art.
Finally, the PUS will come with a Lifetime Replacement Warranty and the Definitive Courses will come w/ a 100% Money Back Guarantee… for forever.
Immediately following, I’ve highlighted the Pop-Up Studios best features to give you a better idea of how it works, how it’ll benefit you personally and how it’s going to help you do more of what you love doing.
===================
Convenient:
Versatile:
Reliable:
Minimalist:
Workflow Enhancement:
===================
The Pop-Up Studio (LxWxH: 44”x24”x38” / 112cm*61cmcm*97cm)
===================
We’re stoked about the Pop-Up Studio & Definitive Courses!
I really believe they will help you do more of what you love doing (Actual product photography or efficiently taking photos of your creations and listing them so you can GET BACK TO creating).
However, I HAVE TO TEST THIS ASSUMPTION before moving forward...
Guys, I really want to build this, but I need to know for sure this is something photographers and starving artists would be interested in before moving forward and building out an entire Kickstarter campaign.
In my experience, a lot of people say they would use or buy something, but only because they’re being nice and don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings.
In order for me to know for sure though, I need 300 people to support us in the next 72 hours. If I don’t get 300, then I’ll simply cancel the project on KUVRD’s website and refund everyone’s money.
I’m thinking of selling the Pop-Up Studio at around:
We’re thinking of selling the Definitive Courses at around:
But right now, I’m needing at least 300 people to support us at one of the price tiers below. If I can get 300 people to support us in the next 72 hours, supporting us at ANY of the tiers, it will show me there is sufficient demand to move forward with these products!
===============
This is what you get at each of the tiers;
-----------------
-----------------
-----------------
-----------------
-----------------
-----------------
===========================
For Artists, Etsy Store Owners, Small Business Owners, Entrepreneurs, Inventors, Crafters and Makers:
For Photographers:
===========================
When we launch our Kickstarter Campaign for the Pop-Up Studio, all you'll need to do is Back the Kickstarter Campaign at any pledge level - do so with the SAME email address as the one you'll pledge support here - and when the campaign is over, we'll add a Pop-Up Studio to your order.
===========================
The White Knight Title is one bestowed on those who believe in the cause and want to join the ranks in helping push it further.
The cause is simple; Help others get better at and do more of what they love doing.
NOTE: If this cause does NOT resonate with you, please do NOT pledge at the White Knight Tier.
I want to create an army that champions that cause and am looking to my White Knights to help me figure out how I can do that better through the development of products, my interactions with customers and KUVRD as a company.
Furthermore, I'll be looking to you White Knights for help in moderating discussions, helping collaborate and respond to backers on Kickstarter Campaigns, keep me in check and helping to fill in where I am slacking in communication or getting the message across.
In regards to the exclusive Insider Facebook Group, I will make you a 'Group Expert'. This will be attached to your name in the Insider Group. You might not be an 'expert' on the specific product we're developing, but I will be counting on you to be an expert at helping lead the cause within the group... that is, figuring out ways to help others get better at and do more of what they love doing.
Lastly, I will send you prototypes, drafts and preliminary versions of the Definitive Courses for you to test, review and critique with ONE request in mind;
How can I make these better? Clearer? More Concise? How can I improve them to provide a 1000x in value to those that buy it? How can I make it further help others get better at or do more of what they love doing?
I believe that with your help, if I can achieve that level of value through the DCs, then it will be a product we can all be proud of and something worthy of releasing under the KUVRD brand.
===========================
($500 Value + Free Shipping)
===================
====================
So…
If I built out the Pop-Up Studio and Definitive Courses that outperformed everything on the market, they ACTUALLY solved those issues mentioned above and a few others, AND came with the noted warranties and guarantees, would it be enough for 300 people to support us RIGHT NOW for these product ideas, BEFORE launching a Kickstarter campaign?
To show your support, click on the link below, which will bring you to a private page, allow you to choose one of the tiers and initiate the checkout process:
We look forward to how this goes and hope that this is the right step towards a better way of integrating disruptive innovation into our products and helping you to get better at and do more of what you love doing.
Your Bestie,
Cary w/
KUVRD
=============================
=============================
Will it work with lens hoods?
Oh you bet your bottom it does! Although from an initial glance it might not seem to work, the Universal Lens Cap does function with a lens hoods! If the lens hood is first mounted either in normal fashion or in reverse, the ULC can be stretched over it, covering it no problem! In fact, the ULC is more versatile than you might think!
Will it work with my lens?
99.99% chance it does! The Universal Lens Cap has a stretch range of 60mm to 150mm! In a nutshell, every lens has a diameter that is in between that range of 60mm and 150mm minus a few extremes on both ends. And if you're still apprehensive about it, click on the link below to view the comprehensive list of lenses that the ULC will cover! Chances are, your lens is on that list! :)
Is there a lip that keeps the cap off the glass?
The ULC does not come into contact with the front glass unless intentionally pressed to touch the glass or is taking a blow from dropping the lens. Dirt, by default, does not come with your packaged ULC. If dirt, fine sand or debris enters in the inside of the ULC, there is no need to worry. We’ve already infused a special coating into the material of the ULC, making it so any collected finely grained silent killers (dirt, sand, debris, etc.) can be washed off and dried, looking brand new, within seconds.
What if there is dirt on the inside (of the ULC) and that bit hugs the front of the glass very tightly?
The ULC does not come into contact with the front glass unless intentionally pressed to touch the glass or is taking a blow from dropping the lens. Dirt, by default, does not come with your packaged ULC. If dirt, fine sand or debris enters in the inside of the ULC, there is no need to worry. We’ve already infused a special coating into the material of the ULC, making it so any collected finely grained silent killers (dirt, sand, debris, etc.) can be washed off and dried, looking brand new, within seconds.
Have you tried using this lens cap with any lenses that have a twist-on lens hood? E.g. with the lens hood on and reversed (my usual transit arrangement)?
I’d be worried that this would catch on the lip of the hood and make it a pain to remove. Yes, we have! We have stretched the ULC over Lens Hoods both ways and it works just fine! Not a pain to remove and it doesn’t catch the lip of the hood!
When the ULC is mounted on the lens (stretched onto the lens), what prevents it from touching the glass if the middle of the ULC is pushed into the lens?
It would be a problem with the Nikon 14-24, because of the large curvature of this lens. With the Nikon 14-24, what prevents the ULC from touching the glass is the uniquely shaped fixated lens hood. Nothing prevents the ULC from touching the front glass except for the lens’ filter ring or fixated lens hoods. We purposefully included a protruding circle in the middle of the ULC, acting as a shock-absorbent barrier incase the lens falls glass first onto concrete. In no way do we state that the ULC is SHOCK-PROOF or DROP-PROOF but it is SHOCK-ABSORBENT in the sense that does absorb shock and increase the chances of lenses working after having been dropped. Our intention was to create a ‘cushion’ for the shape and glass of any lens and it still works just fine for a large curvature shaped lens like the Nikon 14-24!
1. Provides greater aesthetic-, glass- and internal-protection to lenses.
2. Can stretch OVER the TLC creating a SUPER LENS CAP.
3. Ensures the TLC never falls off.
You can check out our 3rd Update to see a quick demo movie of how to create a Super Lens Cap!
I feel like the ULC will take up more room in a photography bag or camera case. Is this true?
Nope! In fact, photographers have used the ULC as ways to better insulate their lenses, substitute the velcro walls for ULCs, and layer on multiple ULCs creating bumpers from other camera gear! If anything, it creates more room in your bag while increasing padding and protection for your gear.
