Kit Book

www.KitBook.com

Why You Left Your Last Job:   The business unit I was working in was sold. The first year was OK, but in the second year the new owner started moving the work to Mexico. The handwriting on the wall was clear to see. Since I had a promising Plan B in place, I volunteered for the first round of layoffs. Employment went from 450 then to 15 now as the plant is closing.

How You Started Your Business:  When the day job business unit was up for sale there was a lot of uncertainty. A co-worker and friend had an idea for a product and was working on the patent for it. He asked if I'd be interested in helping him commercialize it. He said rather than curse the darkness, let's try lighting a candle. I immediately saw the potential in the product and began working on what was then a "Plan B." As the new day job owners continued to dismantle the business, Plan B became Plan A. I am now working full-time on it and my partner is working part-time. We went into production in November 2007, the recession started in December 2007. Times are tough, especially for a start-up, but we continue to measure our successes one day at a time.

What Does Success Mean To You:  Our product is called a KitBook. It is the seamless combination of a science kit and a text book. It's a hands-on science teaching/learning tool geared to the K-12 market (schools and homeschools). We live in an increasingly technology-driven world, so there is an increasingly important need to be scientifically and technically literate. A university study has shown that the KitBook improves student subject matter test scores 32%. Our customers rave about how useful, fun, and effective it is. In our first year and a half the product has won two national awards and the business has won two regional and one national award so we are beginning to make traction across the US. Success to us means that we are transforming lives through hands-on learning. What could be more rewarding than preparing the next generation for success?

 

David Jones
www.KitBook.com

 

 

 

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