[Elecraft] Entrepreneurial Insanity (WAS: K3 7.2 pound tuning knob)

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

Yes, if you want to make a small fortune with a niche ham radio company, 
start with a large fortune.

73
Bob K4LW

--------------------

Sometimes that "large fortune" comes at a huge cost. 

Begin with investing thousands and thousands of hours developing, validating
and debugging the design, then invest in all the parts required to make up
finished product, then find the cash to pay all the support you need "up
front" to bring the design to market, advertise and support it. 

And, remember, all this time - spanning years usually - there's no guarantee
that you won't end up having spent all that time and money for absolutely
nothing. You might well end up needing even more money to cover the debt if
the product doesn't sell like you hoped it would. 

Of course, during that time you need to pay your personal bills and those of
your family, including groceries, housing, medical costs (and health
insurance if you can afford it) all with no guarantee that you'll ever
recoup a dime of it. If one is lucky and the product is a success, the end
result will be a somewhat decent "hourly" rate for all the hours and dollars
invested up front. That is, if you are able to command a price for the
product that looks like a huge "profit" to those who only consider the cost
of manufacturing the end product. 

It's no wonder so many people choose instead a job with a regular salary,
unemployment to back them up if the job evaporates, and company-sponsored
health care and retirement programs that will let them stop working some
day. Risking all of that on an untested idea sounds like insanity, and it
might well be. 

Still, without those who risk all they have in the hopes their idea might
pay off, where would the rest of the people find jobs and where would folks
find the goods and services they depend upon and enjoy every day? 

It's easy to look at the success stories, knowing they had a happy ending,
but for every one of the successes there are many more who ended otherwise.
In our little niche of "radio" there's Col. Armstrong, who invented the
superhetrodyne receiver (the basic design used in all the Elecraft rigs and
virtually every other radio in use today) as well as the regenerative
receiver that brought "radio" to millions in the 1920's and 30's and, of
course, he invented hi-fidelity FM, yet he died, despondent, depressed and
penniless. And there is Preston Tucker and his car who, in the 1950's,
thought automobiles should be safer to drive and more economical than those
offered by the big American companies. There are very few of those whose
stories have been told or remembered. 

Enthusiasm, intelligence, commitment and an innovative product don't
necessarily mean success and wealth. 

Ron AC7AC