On January 8, 2021, I put on a professionally made jacket with the Infinity Pocket for the first time. It had taken 3 years, 9 months, and 21 days to get to that moment. It wasn’t perfect, but it was real. That jacket represented the end of one chapter—a nearly four-year journey to create a product—and the start of a much bigger story.
By that point, here’s what had been accomplished:
- Successful prototype created
- Functionality validated
- Utility patent granted
- Brand designed
- First sample produced
- First sale made!
That last point is a story worth telling. In the fall of 2020, my close friend Nick Downey placed an order for jackets for his company, MerchLogix. That early vote of confidence gave Constant Mountain the push it needed to move forward with its first production run.
The Challenges of Apparel Manufacturing
That first production order? Let’s just say it was more complicated than expected.
Here’s a quick primer on apparel manufacturing:
It’s complicated. And if your product is something new, it’s even harder.
When manufacturing domestically (a topic for another post), you take on the full responsibility of the process and supply chain. That means handling:
- Fabric: Choosing and sourcing it is far more complex than it sounds.
- Trims: Zippers, which I thought were sorted out, were just the beginning.
- Tags: Logos, sizes, care instructions, and origins all needed to be addressed.
- Embellishments: Logo placement and embroidery required precise planning.
- Grading: Ensuring the sizing was correct across all sizes was critical.
The short story? It took months longer than planned, cost more than planned, and taught me more than I ever thought I’d need to know. These lessons were expensive but worth every penny.
The Power of Knowing Your Why
The journey to your goals is rarely a straight line. It’s almost always harder than expected. There were moments along the way when I questioned everything:
- Can I do this?
- Is it worth it?
- Why am I doing this?
That last question holds the answer to the first two. If you’re starting anything—a brand, a company, a new job—you have to know why you’re doing it.
Your “why” powers everything you need to reach your goals:
- Perseverance
- Consistency
- Patience
- Effort
- Skill (gained through learning from all the above)
If you haven’t taken the time to dive deep into your “why,” I encourage you to do it now. Simon Sinek’s work on this subject is an excellent place to start. Understanding your purpose can guide you through the toughest parts of your journey.
What’s Your Why?
For me, Constant Mountain is about more than just jackets. It’s about supporting people as they climb their own mountains—whatever those might be.
What’s your “why”? If you haven’t found it yet, take the time to dig deep. The journey will be worth it.
Go find your why. You’ve got this!
