International businessman

Wednesday, April 2.  Hello from Bangkok.  It is just a little warmer here than in Ann Arbor.  Like by 50 degrees or so.  But it is great to see Dad and we had a busy day.  First, we went to Alongkorn to cut 2 suits and 2 pairs of pants.  Dad says they are for old people, but I think the detail and precision and quality of fabric is fantastic.  And cheap too!

We then went to two different places to pursue the gabaan fedora idea.  The first looked a little sketchy.  Just a small storefront with no hats of any kind to be seen, and the guy who was supposed to be able to tell us whether of not they could produce our hats was mysteriously gone even though we made an appointment to see him.   Hmm.   Learned from Dad that in Thailand, sometimes they just won't tell you they can't do it in hopes you hang around enough to buy something they can sell you.  Seems ass backwards to me and a waste of time.  He even called back later to say he would stop by the condo, but didn't call or show up.  What's up with that, I wonder?

The next place was much more promising.  Much harder to find too, but actually looked like a factory.  The woman who met us knew what she was doing and gave us a beginning on what production might cost.  It should be 200 baht plus or minus a little per hat.  This price, however, does not include the new molds that will have to be made in order to make the fedoras in the shapes I would like them to be in, or the ball marker logo idea.  She doesn't know exactly what molds will cost, but we are estimating about $1,000 and up per mold per size.  Ouch.  That may make me have to reduce the style numbers from 4 to 3.  I'd use one of their molds to make two of my styles with different brim sizes, but will have to have the other two made.  So if we use one of their existing molds and create two new ones, start up costs would already go to $3,000 to $4,000 per style per hat, depending on 3 sizes or 4.  That could mean up to $14,000 for all four styles in four sizes, and that might be too much to start.   I could just start with two styles, make one new mold and start with then a $4,000 investment.  I then could do each of the two styles in four fabrics each for a total of eight different fedoras in two styles.  That sounds reasonable.

Well, that's already more detail that any one not starting a hat company needs to know, but it is definitely my new deed for the day.  Tomorrow holds two more companies.  We'll see what they come up with.  I may just have to bite the bullet and visit China and see how much less they can do it for.  My friend Pae may want to partner up and he has contacts there already.  So much new information already.  Very exciting.  Stay tuned, folks.  Oh, and please say a small prayer for Paula today, who goes in for a physical and the return of her bloodwork.  Thanks.  We can all use a little extra mental cheering, can't we?  Love and peace and enjoy your days everyone!