Hobby Hive Lab #3 │ Should You Turn It Into a Product?
Last time,
we talked about how to turn something you “want”
into a small, real thing.
This time,
let’s think about what it means
to turn that into a product.
“Want”
That is a very important starting point.
But,
that alone does not make it a product.
When you make something small,
ideas begin to move.
And when even one person says,
“I want that,”
that’s already a very good sign.
But,
let’s pause for a moment.
Does it really need to become a product?
If only one person wants it,
you can just make it inside Hobby Hive Lab.
It can be 3D printed.
It can be made in small quantities.
There is no need
to force it into becoming a product.
So then,
what does it mean
to turn something into a product?
From here,
we step a little into reality.
Turning something into a product means,
it becomes a small business.
And if it is a business,
it has to continue.
At the very least,
it needs to break even.
Ideally,
it should make some profit.
That is the first line.
But,
breaking even is not enough to live.
That is why
profit is necessary.。
If this balance breaks,
it does not continue.
Hobby shops are disappearing.
Manufacturers are struggling.
Why?
Because this balance
is very difficult to maintain.
Let’s think about it
with a simple example.
A ramen shop.
Rent: 100,000 yen
Utilities: 30,000 yen
Other costs: 50,000 yen
Owner salary: 250,000 yen
Part-time staff: about 180,000 yen
Total: about 610,000 yen per month.
A bowl of ramen sells for 1,000 yen.
Cost is about 300 yen.
So you have
700 yen left per bowl.
610,000 ÷ 700
= about 757 bowls.
That is
29 bowls per day.
Only after that
does it work.
You can just barely live.
But,
even at that point,
almost no profit is left.
This is
the break-even point.
Making something
and continuing it
are not the same.
Another example.
Onigiri
at a convenience store.
Cost: 50 yen
Price: 100 yen
You make 50 yen
per item.
Now imagine
you buy 3.
And 1 does not sell.
You sell 2
→ 100 yen profit
But 1 is left
→ 50 yen loss
So in the end,
you only make 50 yen.
Now change the cost
to 70 yen.
Profit per item: 30 yen
Sell 2
→ 60 yen
1 remains
→ 70 yen loss
Result:
60 − 70 = -10 yen
You are selling,
but still losing money.
Something very similar
happens in hobby shops.
And it is even harder.
Because
everyone wants different things.
Convenience stores
focus on items that sell.
But hobby shops
deal with very specific products.
More variety
means more inventory.
More inventory
means more risk.
But,
if there are too few products,
the shop loses its appeal.
That balance
is very difficult.
And in the RC world,
trends also change.
What was popular
stops selling.
Spare parts and option parts
also stop moving.
Inventory stays.
It stops flowing.
As that builds up,
cash decreases.
The burden grows.
And sometimes,
that becomes the final trigger.
Now, let’s change perspective
a little.
Manufacturers
Distributors
Retailers
Customers
The RC industry
has a long distribution chain.
More steps
means profits are divided.
If even one part fails,
the whole system collapses.
That is why
turning something into a product
is not simple.
You need enough people
who want it.
And it has to continue.
Without these,
it does not work.
If you make products
that do not sell,
the entire system
becomes unstable.
Forcing it
does not last.
So,
this is something
I want you to understand first.
Making things is fun.
But continuing
requires design.
In Hobby Hive Lab,
we start small.
We look at
how many people want it.
And only things
that grow naturally
are considered
as products.
And for those
who want to go further,
#4 is for you.
For people who think,
“I want to create
and sell my own product someday.”
In #4,
I will share
the real structure of the RC industry,
with actual numbers.
Some people in the industry
do not like this being shared.
So,
to avoid casual readers,
it will be a paid article
(100 yen).
At enjoy smile Co.,
we aim to build
a sustainable system together,
through making things
and creating experiences around RC,
so that everyone involved
can enjoy it.
Join Hobby Hive Lab
Hobby Hive Lab is a place to share ideas and learn through making things.
If you enjoy creating, you are always welcome.
If you found this article helpful, I would really appreciate it.
MRD development and the Hobby Hive project are still in progress,
and we are continuously working to bring new ideas to life.
If you would like to support what we are building,
your tip would mean a lot and help us keep moving forward.
All support will go directly into development, testing,
and future projects.
