GOODWERKS 2022
2022 was certainly a year full of surprises, hardship, struggle, and growth. goodwerks has become something I never expected: a source of gratitude, fulfillment, pride, and a legitimate livelihood.
The year started out with a haul to Pittsburgh to get some miles in with the Steel City crew. It turned out to be a seven hour slog in typical midwest winter weather. What was supposed to be an out-and-back trip became an overnight white-knuckler. At least I got to eat at my favorite breakfast spot. This was followed by a trip down to Universal Studios Orlando with the wifey and the commemoration of her 100th roller coaster cred. The Boogies are invaluable for theme/amusement parks as well as rucking.
Being able to see Boogies being used real-time is always rewarding. It still amazes me that folks believe in their gear enough that it’s brought all around the world. This year alone they’ve visited the UAE, Morocco, Oman, UK, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Portugal, France, and more. Boogies are even regularly shipped to Malaysia for the EDC community out there.
The demand and desire for Boogie Bags exploded this year as they hopped the fence into the every day carry community via Carryology. Drops used to take days to sell. This year, on Black Friday, 52 Boogie Bags sold in 51 seconds. Unreal.
The leap to the EDC community has resulted in mixed experiences. Overall, it’s been an incredible launchpad for growth and gratitude. Unfortunately, large communities become toxic once they reach a certain size. For a while, it was surreal seeing folks post in excitement about their Boogies arriving. The excitement quickly devolved into vitriolic comment threads, persistent harassment of folks that scored on drops, scabs flipping Boogies for massive profit (effectively gouging members of their own community and making money off my back for nothing), significant bias by moderators of the community, and my eventual departure.
Thankfully, the Boogie Bag Bunch has been going strong and an Instagram account was created by The Boogie Bag Queen in July. This coming year, a virtual community will be started on Facebook for more news and content and the goodwerks Zoom calls will resume, though under a different monicker.
2022 also saw more event sponsorship and participation. I’m very happy to sponsor and continue to sponsor the Heavy Drop Training Rufus’s Throwdown series of events. If you’re struggling to score a Boogie Bag on a drop, you can earn one by taking first place at one of Bryan’s events. The events are well-worth the investment and are run by a solid business, a solid person. Opportunities to earn Boogie Bags and other goodwerks gear also appeared again at Ruck:Fest. It was inspiring to see folks in the Boogie Bag Bunch crush some seriously difficult tasks.
The actions of the folks that choose to use their goodwerks gear is the biggest proof one could ask for in regards to durability and usability. I’m continually impressed by this community.
In addition to sacrificing themselves for their teammates, for accomplishments, for growth and development - the big hearts in the goodwerks community never fail to give. In 2022 $19,670 was raised for various non-profits and causes. Folks were provided with disaster relief, emergency pet funds, food for the holidays, the preservation of critical historical landmarks, and a plethora of other causes. The “gateway” drops have proven to be a successful way to cause positive change in various communities around the world. There will be more of these drops in 2023 as well as a raffle soon after the new year. You’re not going to want to miss this one.
2022 also saw significant upgrades to the workshop to better meet demand. Two sewing machines were added early in the year and the biggest upgrade was the laser cutter. The cutter has enabled me to reduce cutting time by 80% and to correct my original patterns, which results in faster and more precise assembly of products. Without everyone’s continued support and interest in goodwerks, this wouldn’t have happened. Now, the onus is upon me to continue to deliver high-quality goods that will reliably serve you.
So, what will 2023 look like for goodwerks?
First of all, to keep up with the rising costs of well, everything, prices are going to slightly increase. This is an unwelcome necessity to continue growing. Bottom line costs have increased. To maintain the quality of materials and labor, So must the product cost. When larger quantities of material are purchased at lower cost per unit, the prices will reflect that. As the business scales up, quantities will scale and that will hopefully reduce unit cost. goodwerks isn’t a business that’s solely about making money, but about community and doing the right thing. the good thing. That being said, goodwerks is still a business and I want it to go the distance. Starting at the beginning of the year, Boogie Bags will be $135. Some products may see an increase of $1-$2, and shipping will increase $1.
That being said, there are a few big goals this year. One of them is to find a proper workshop. Another, to hire an employee or two. IN addition to these goals, I have been working on designs for a pack, organizer pouch, new dopp kit, bringing the Box Zip back, and, of course, the MKIII Boogie Bag and MKII Boogie Lite.
Last year at this time, I wrote about taking risks, having faith, and the prospect of opportunity. The past year has been filled with moments of struggle, uncertainty, heartbreak, anger, disrespect, and isolation. However, it was also filled with reward, growth, fulfillment, excitement, connection, community, love, and pride.
Nothing is ever certain. Nothing is written in stone. Things can change at any moment, so enjoy those moments. Unplug, disconnect and reconnect. Be present in what you’re experiencing and who you’re experiencing it with. Build memories to last lifetimes, even if it’s with just one other person, or alone. Find the things that make your stomach drop, the things that fill you with fear and doubt, and go do them. Stop wasting time. Start now. Go. Step.
I don’t like to invest in hope. However, I hope that you all have a fantastic start to your new year. Whether you believe in starting anew or building from where you’re at, I hope you find the reward and fulfillment you deserve.
Happy new Year.
Tread thou boldly.
(Additional photos courtesy of Eric Perry. You can follow him here.)