David Reichmann was a full-time wedding photographer with several international awards and publications, and a part-time mechanical engineering student before the Covid pandemic hit. Covid put his wedding photography and studies on hold, so now David works full time on his startup, Rawrycat.
Please tell us a little bit about your company – what is Rawrycat all about?
Before Covid hit, I was working on launching Rawrycat, a pet product startup inspired by my rescue cat, Rawry. Unsatisfied with the availability and selection of pet furniture and products, I endeavored to invent a new era for pet owners. Once Covid hit, I had to pivot his efforts and put the pet products on hold to instead launch the brand with a different product: The Rawrycat Mask, an innovative reusable silicone face mask with disposable high grade 4-layer meltblown and non-woven filter liners. I was unsatisfied with the masks on the market when the pandemic first hit, and worked tirelessly for months to self-fund my company and launch the Rawrycat Mask.
Tell us a little bit about your background and how you started your company?
My wedding photography career and inventing career have a unique link: my father, Andre Reichmann. Andre had been a prolific inventor (most notably for his invention of the Tri-Lighter at his father’s company, Drimark) and is also an award winning wedding photographer! He shared his love for both mechanical engineering and photography with me, and that shared interest ultimately led to my near decade-long career at Andre Reichmann Photography – and now my career at Rawrycat! I used the passion and knowledge passed down by my father to start Rawrycat, and I still consult with Andre regularly when inventor or engineering advice is needed.
What are your plans, how do you plan to grow this company?
Now that vaccines are on their way and being distributed, we still plan on expanding the reach of the Rawrycat Mask product but will be launching our first pet product in the first quarter of 2021. The response of the Rawrycat Mask campaign has been excellent, but I am eager to get back to Rawrycat’s core mission – creating outstanding pet products.
What was the biggest problem you encountered with your business and how did you overcome it?
Marketing masks comes with a number of challenges, namely: advertiser restrictions, which are constantly changing; from Facebook first banning and then allowing mask ads and then Google doing the same; anti-maskers, who would write negative and hateful comments on social media posts and ads; and global and national shipping delays due to the pandemic, election, and defunding of the USPS. Most of these challenges are insurmountable, and we had to stand tall and take it on the chin. The best we could do was try and open a dialogue with our customers to keep an honest conversation going at all times.
How do you separate yourself from your competitors?
We believe that our products are like no other! Everyone who sees a Rawrycat Mask on the street asks about it. We pride ourselves on coming up with ideas that no one else has, and not just original ideas, but good ones too. And the customer feedback has been truly outstanding, humbling, and inspiring. We haven’t seen any mask like the Rawrycat Mask anywhere, and we are happy we stand out from the sea of other generic face masks on the market.
What is one thing that you do daily to grow as an entrepreneur?
I engage with customers directly on social media, make sure to check in on our customer service team throughout the day, and constantly work on my growing portfolio of pet product ideas. Not a day goes by without a fresh idea or a new problem to solve, and if I ever feel like I am in a creative rut, I go back and look over my previous work for inspiration, which always triggers a spark for new ideas.
What are three books or courses you recommend for new entrepreneurs?
- The Design of Everyday Things by Dan Norman. This book gives great insight into how household objects are designed, and how engineers and product designers tackle design challenges.
- How To Win Friends And Influence People by Dale Carnegie. I know it’s cliché to mention this book, but every business is a people business, and there’s no greater crash course in connecting with people in a genuine and meaningful way.
- The Life-Changing Magic Of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo. This may seem unrelated to being an entrepreneur, but living a clean and uncluttered lifestyle is not only important for peace of mind. It is also an excellent gateway into understanding how to run a business. Throughout every step of the book, ask yourself, “How this can be applied to my business?”, and you will find your outlook and results drastically improve.
What is the one thing you wish you knew before starting your business?
Building a business takes time. Patience is key. And Rome was truly not built in a day.
What’s your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?
Make $1,000 mistakes, not $10,000 mistakes.
What is your favorite quote?
“Don’t half-ass two things, whole-ass one thing.”
– Ron Swanson, NBC’s Parks and Recreation.
How can we get in touch with you?
You can visit my company website Rawrycat, find me on social media via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can also email help@rawrycat.com.
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