I look for a new Co-Founder 👨‍🚀

Good afternoon!

This is a personal message.

Maybe more personal than anything I wrote before.

A deep look behind the scenes at Team Modifox.

And Team Modifox 2.0 🚀

What happened?

About a month ago, I broke the News. I now run Modifox on my own.

Currently, I try to manage everything from Production to Customer Service.

But in this message, I want to share 2 things:

a) why our team failed

b) how I plan to build a new one

2021

I started Modifox. The idea? Never change shoes again. I was fed up: going from ugly slippers to complicated sneakers - and back again. Why not just one practical shoe? Better for people & planet. I built the concept with a designer and we won the NRW scholarship.

2022

In 2022, the team grew to 3. A mechanical engineer joined the development unit. Our first real prototype got ready. 1 shoe for indoors. 1 sole for outdoors. The first shoe that you don't have to change. We applied for a more prestigious scholarship - Exist.

2023

In 2023 the team grew to 4. A product manager turned down an offer from Adidas and joined us. After 1.5 years of struggle, we also accomplished a visa for 2 of our co-founders. That got us:

1. The Exist scholarship

2. Our very own Law (German visa for aspiring 3rd world founders)

3. An office on common ground

We thought all ran smooth now.

But in winter then came the break. Opinions were divided. What do we want to create? What do we have to do for that? Are we functional as a team? Before we even launched, the team was decimated by 50 %.

As a result of that, our Kickstarter campaign went mediocre. We raised 15.000 € in 2 weeks. Enough for Kickstarter, not enough for the factory. My last co-founder left the company.

2024

Now, I had a decision to make.

• Option 1: Throw away 3 years of work

• Option 2: Go big or die trying

I didn’t think I really had a choice. So I threw myself into the market that was most interested in our product - boats & their crews. With my last money I drove from port to port. Week after week, for 3 months.

Holland → Germany → Mallorca → France → Monaco → Italy

I spoke to 57 yachts, partnered with 7 retailers and sold the missing 900 pairs of MOQ.

To prove that the tech worked, I ran my first marathon in our test sample. I still got more pictures, but you already saw that 😉

Upon my return from Malta, I shipped the first 1,000 pairs to my customers.

What now?

1. I meet every customer personally. I see the problem but I don’t understand it 100 %. I need each and every feedback to understand what people are bothered by, and what not.

2. I think the product further. I don't believe in build, scale, done. My goal is to constantly build better products and thus get closer to the ideal. The ideal of never having to switch shoes again, while remaining comfortable and prepared for everything.
   

3. I look for a new co-founder. I know that I can achieve a lot on my own. I've proven that to myself over the last few months. But 'If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.’ In the last few months, I had to be fast. I had a goal & a deadline. Now I want to go far.

So my question to every startup enthusiast: Who wants the same thing? 👀

Can’t wait to hear from you,
Devin

PS: I know that a lot of customers and partners read this. Please trust that me handling operations alone for the moment won’t affect you. It might take me a day or two longer to respond. But other than that, I keep on rocking for you until I find my new match 😊