Suspension bridges and backpacks. How unusual combinations can lead to BIG ideas
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John Fabel is an American inventor, entrepreneur and industrial designer. John is also an outdoor enthusiast and a huge cross country ski fan.
Cross country skiing is a winter sport but it's a lot like walking. It's perfect for anyone with enough muscle to climb a set of stairs. Or for anyone with a decent sense of balance to ride a bike.
But cross country skiing is hard. Because it involves lots of falling and struggling up hills.
John loved the sport, but he noticed one thing that bothered him. After long hours of cross-country skiing, his backpack straps always bruised his shoulders. Every. Single. Time.
One day on a trip to New York City, John was observing the engineering of the World famous Brooklyn bridge.
Then an eureka moment strikes, "What if I could design a backpack that would get the weight to pull toward your back rather than away from it?"
After he saw the Brooklyn Bridge, John figured out a solution to his cross country skiing problem. A backpack that "distributes the weight evenly, like a suspension bridge."
And this was how a new, 85% made from recycled materials and more comfortable backpack was born in 1995. The EcoTrek backpack, an innovative backpack that comes with a hip belt to transfer weight from your shoulders to your back.
As Daniel Pink says, “Sometimes the most powerful ideas come from simply combining two existing ideas nobody else ever thought to unite”.
Your pal,
Miguel Ferreira
Founder & Chief Copywriter, Teardwn + Nishi + Jack Had A Groove FM
(Good copywriting that helps you sell more this year than last. Work with me).
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