Starting Your Own Model Rocket Company? Part 1

These next two posts are not meant to discourage. Many have a dream to produce and sell a model rocket kit. Here are some points to think about.

Occasionally I get an email from someone who has a design that: 

"We should produce! Everybody at our club launches say they like it.

It could be a great Odd'l Rockets kit, it would surely sell and we could split the profits!" 

I'm tempted to email back:

"Does this fit my product line? What is different or "Odd" about your design? 

I can appreciate the time it took to design and fly your model.

You might want to consider producing the kit yourself."

Split the profits? That's a lot of work from my end -

Designing and test launching is just a part of kit production. There is also  a time investment drawing up instructions, part orders, cutting tubes, bagging kits, boxing and mailing. 

Before you bag a kit there are CONSIDERATIONS: 

$$ A Business License

$$ Register with the State

$$ Get a LLC (Limited Liability Company)

$$ Talk with a CPA about Tax considerations

Before BUYING KIT SUPPLIES:

Specialty parts suppliers can disappear. Custom, proprietary parts are harder to find.

After Carl (Semroc) passed away, many inexpensive Semroc and Centuri based parts were gone. 

If Balsa Machining Service were to stop selling tubes, nose cones and laser cut balsa, Odd'l Rockets will probably be gone too!

Start with the Estes BT standard and available tube diameters. 

More tomorrow -