TheColdCan Blog

Love the ColdCan? Help us!

Thu, 18 Jun 2015 16:14:00 -0500

People keep asking how they can help with the ColdCan and our re-launch of the Kickstarter campaign. Great question! Here’s 11 ways to help!

1. Pledge your support on Kickstarter – Do it. Now!
But essential! All support helps both raise funds and the more backers we have, the more potential we have to be spotlighted on Kickstarter and get more visibility! Support us on Kickstarter!

2. Like us on Facebook!
This is easy and helps us connect with you and keep you updated! Like us here.

3. Share the ColdCan Kickstarter link on Facebook and ask your friends to support us!
Here is the link, just copy and paste into Facebook!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/450382096/coldcan-keeps-both-12-and-16-oz-drinks-super-cold

4. Email your friend, best friend, spouse, and favorite drinking buddy about us.
We know you have a few people in your inner circle you think the ColdCan would be worth sharing, so email ‘em and tell them about us!

5. Email your co-workers.
You could brighten anyone’s inbox with a heads up email about the ColdCan! By the way, the ColdCan is great for keeping your drink cold while your in the office!

6. Write about us.
Seriously, if you’re a blogger or journalist, then write about us. CNET did last year. The exposure helps a lot. We have a media kit, a fact sheet, and some points you might need for writing here.

7. Tell your journalist / blogger friend to write about us. Journalist and bloggers are always busy. Tip ‘em off with a great story about this cool upstart in Texas called the ColdCan. They’ll love you for it. And so will we!

8. Connect us to a distributor / retailer.
Friends with someone that could sell the ColdCan? Email us (jm@thecoldcan.com) right now and connect us up. We’re actively seeking distributors and retailers.

9. Talk to us about your large wholesale order.
We’ve had several companies inquire about large orders for Christmas, employee gifts, and so on. Yes, we can discuss your large order details and timing. Just reach out and ask. (jm@thecoldcan.com)

10. Invest in the ColdCan.
Beyond the Kickstarter, we’re actively building the business. If you’re interested in investing in an awesome product and company, we’ve got a little room left for early stage investment. If you’re a good fit, we’d love to have you as an investor. Reach out and we can talk about it! (jm@thecoldcan.com)

11. Pray for success!
We believe all prayers are heard and we’d love your prayer support! And by all means, hit us up on Facebook or email and cheer us on! It all helps!

ColdCan Launched on Kickstarter (press release)

Thu, 01 May 2014 08:40:00 -0500

Update: July 18,2015
We have relaunched on Kickstarter. On this second round we've landed better manufacturing options which allow for much lower backer levels. We've also been able to include multiple ColdCan's at some of the backer levels!

See the 2015 Kickstarter here: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/450382096/coldcan-keeps-both-12-and-16-oz-drinks-super-cold

ColdCan – Only Beverage Insulator to use Spacesuit Technology now Launching on Kickstarter.com

Houston Texas , April 28, 2014

World’s first high-tech, modular beverage insulator created by two man startup in Houston, Texas is now launching on Kickstarter.

The ColdCan keeps cold drinks colder, longer, by using spacesuit insulation technology to lock in the cold. The first-ever drink insulator holds 12 ounce cans or 16 ounce cans with a simple snap on Riser attachment. With patent-pending universal fittings and modular design, the ColdCan is designed to include additional attachments for drinking from bottles and cups.

Co-creators, T.J. Henderson and Justin McCullough began creating the ColdCan in 2012 as an answer to a simple question – “why is everyone still using cheap, ineffective, foam koozies for cans and bottles when everyone knows they don’t actually keep drinks cold?” The answer is clear; lack of innovation or use of current technology and therefore no product options for a truly attractive and functional drink insulator. “Apparently the bravest thing to happen to the koozie took place decades ago when its price dropped to pennies and everyone figured out how to slap a logo and business address on it.” claim the creators of the ColdCan.

After two years of designs and prototypes, the ColdCan is now finalized and completely engineered to be stylish, attractive, modular, and effective. “Everyone loves the concept, the prototypes and how it works”, says co-creator T.J. Henderson, “we’re proud of the ColdCan and we feel like it’s the kind of product that’s just as relevant and cool as the people who drink from them”.

The ColdCan is now available for backer support on Kickstarter.com and will be available in the summer of 2014. “We’re using Kickstarter to launch the ColdCan because as fellow backers, we’re a part of that community and feel like it’s filled with like-minded people who love good products,good design and being a part of creating something great.” said Justin McCullough, co-creator.

The ColdCan is made of BPA-Free Polypropelene , Santoprene rubber, and Cryogel, a derivative of the same substance (Silica Aerogel) used in NASA spacesuits. The ColdCan beverage insulator includes the Core unit for 12 ounce cans and the Riser attachment for 16 ounce cans. The ColdCan has a patent-pending modular design, spill-proof lid, and is lightweight, impact-resistant, floats and fits most cup holders. Both the ColdCan Core and Riser attachment are available in seven colors; Polar White, Black Ice, Frosted Steel, Pink Flurry, Icicle Blue, Red Crush and Orange Chill along with two premium design patterns; digital camo and hunter’s camo. With all materials sourced and manufactured in the United States, the ColdCan is 100% American made. Learn more at www.TheColdCan.com .

Support the ColdCan on Kickstarter and bring new life and innovation to drinking cold beverages.

For more information contact

Justin McCullough, COO and Co-Creatorat jm@thecoldcan.com or call 409.550.6681.

About ColdCan

ColdCan, LLC is a Texas-based manufacturer of the ColdCan, the world’s finest beverage insulating system which uses patent-pending modular design and Cryogel insulating material.The ColdCan Core and Riser are designed for drinking from 12 ounce and 16 ounce cans.For more information, visit www.TheColdCan.com.

Kickstarter Launch is Near! One Small Step for ColdCan, One Large Step for Can-Kind

tj.henderson.tx@gmail.com — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 19:26:00 -0500

It almost feels unreal.

Here we are, knocking on the figurative eve of the launch of our Kickstarter campaign and I'm so amazed by all that's been done in the last six months. Putting together everything for this campaign for you guys has almost felt like a bigger project than designing the ColdCan itself. I think that's because we did it in about a quarter of the time, but didn't concede a single thing and obsessed about all the details of the Kickstarter - with the same intensity we put into designing the Coldcan.

We put our hearts, soul, and literally our blood, sweat, and tears into it. Designing ColdCan and developing a presentation for it has been a challenging and humble experience. However, like my grandfather always used to say, nothing worth doing is ever easy. He was right.

We've developed a world class product, and we're ready to bring it to you. And, I couldn't be more excited right now! Justin and I are extremely happy to be moving into the last stage of development with you - the part where we get to put a ColdCan in your hand, with a little bit of your help.

As for tonight, I think I will celebrate with something to help me get ready for summertime - My very own ColdCan and a nice, cold Karbach Weisse Wersa (a delicious, local wheat ale).

Talk to you soon!

Planning the Kickstarter Video. Donuts, Drawings, and ColdCans.

Sat, 28 Sep 2013 20:44:00 -0500

Another round of discussions about our Kickstarter video with Robert, our resident video expert. On the agenda - locations, style, shooting requirements and the ColdCan™ technology.

Questions

How could we communicate the lifestyle elements of a ColdCan™ owner?
How much should we cover with just me and TJ talking on screen?
How many locations can we fit into a 16 hour shooting day?
What shots would be needed for the manufacturing parts of the script?
How do we create understanding and connection especially with our Kickstarter audience?

Laughably, our first draft of the script was more than 10 minutes long and covered everything from the moment TJ was inspired, through concept, into our work together and through all our marketing, manufacturing and fulfillment plans. Needless to say, we knew that wasn't going to work. And for the rest, Robert helped focus on what we could accomplish with video rather than actually talking through it - providing more areas to cut the script down.

While covering logistics, we got into an interesting discussion about performance and how long the ColdCan™ keeps drinks cold. Over the last year, TJ has run many performance tests including timed thermal tests with free-standing drinks, drinks in the ColdCan™ and a variety of other situations. But, does that really matter to show? We fleshed out a time lapse video concept to illustrate the point, but we aren't convinced you guys need to see that. What do you think?

Throw Away Your Work Or Else.

tj.henderson.tx@gmail.com — Tue, 03 Sep 2013 22:56:00 -0500

The discard pile has turned into a discard box. The 3d printer we're using for prototyping is jamming and we've got a lot of waste from the way the 3d printer wants to print things. And I couldn't be happier.

Progress and innovation comes at the cost of trial and error. And the prototypes that have come out right give us so much to work with. To touch it, feel it, and use it - is phenomenal. There really is nothing like the ColdCan™ anywhere.

And while I have all these pieces of plastic, the throw-aways, the bad runs, the losers... I'm happy to see it because it shows challenges being addressed and overcome.

So what's the point of this post? It's simple. Throw away the bad, keep the good and don't stop trying. It's ok to have a discard pile (or box), but don't have a give-up day. If you can't throw away your work, the bad work, you cant move on to the good work - the work that matters.

Stay tuned for how things shape up!

New Steve Jobs Film Inspires The ColdCan™.

Fri, 16 Aug 2013 20:45:00 -0500

Inspiration comes from all parts of life and we've been heavily inspired by beautiful gadgets, stylish products, some really cool Kickstarter innovations, and many Apple products. With the new Steve Jobs film starring Ashton Kutcher hitting the big screen, we thought it would be a good time to share some cool Steve Jobs quotes that fit us here at the ColdCan™.

Seven Things Steve Jobs Said

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.
Steve Jobs

We've found intuition and courage to be in short supply among many of acquaintances, work-mates, and friends. For the ColdCan™ it means constantly pushing against the grain to get somewhere special with the product while still being feasible for launch.

Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.
Steve Jobs

The ColdCan™ isn't just trying to innovate against the oldschool koozie, it's trying to define an entire category of beverage insulating and containment systems. We think people want style, design, and innovation in a long overlooked pleasure - drinking a cold beverage.

But innovation comes from people meeting up in the hallways or calling each other at 10:30 at night with a new idea, or because they realized something that shoots holes in how we've been thinking about a problem.
Steve Jobs

Emails at 2am, Basecamp updates over the weekend and text messages as we pull out of each others driveway from a long meeting, that's what makes the ColdCan™ get better, sharper, and more tangible. We've spent more time refining the concept, pushing and tweaking the design, and iterating than we can even quantify. And we do it because each time we ask if it's the best we can at this point, we give ourselves a new opportunity to improve - not for us, but for you guys - and we think it's worth it.

Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren't used to an environment where excellence is expected.
Steve Jobs

This one just makes us smile. We're pretty sure people haven't been loosing sleep over the awesomeness of their koozies. But, hey, it means we've got a lot territory for the ColdCan™ to be heads above anything else.

Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.
Steve Jobs

From the way the ColdCan™ is built with a modular concept for attachments and expandability to the way it's insulated with Cryogel, we've made form and function work together as closely as possible. Ultimately, the design is what makes the ColdCan™ worth having and talking about. The fact that the ColdCan™ provides a longer lasting cold drink is intentional, but it's secondary to the look and feel of the unit itself. We think you care just as much about the look as the performance of the ColdCan™.

Everyone here has the sense that right now is one of those moments when we are influencing the future.
- Steve Jobs

It's hard to not sound a little superficial with this. The ColdCan™ isn't redefining the future of a generation, but we think it absolutely brings class and excitement to a forgotten drinking luxury. And with that, we definitely believe we're influencing the future of beverage systems.

Things don't have to change the world to be important. - Steve Jobs

While we aren't anywhere close to an iPad or Mac Book Pro, we believe the ColdCan™ beats to its own drum with its own vision of the beverage insulating universe much like Jobs did with computers and electronics. We hope you're doing work that matters too. And if not, we hope you'll at least enjoy your next cold drink from the barrel of a ColdCan™.

The Hands On Approach is Working

tj.henderson.tx@gmail.com — Thu, 01 Aug 2013 13:24:00 -0500

The first prototype was made more than a year ago - and so much has changed since then.

We've spent so much money designing and prototyping the ColdCan that I've been looking for smart alternatives to our approach. The 3d printer is working and I've started using molds to handle the rubber gaskets on the prototypes. So, now, I'm able to run the 3d printer for the bodies and pour the rubber with a compression fit for the gaskets.

The end result is a solid prototype with lid, body, Cryogel interior, and rubber rings. Not bad - right?

Here are some pics to see for yourself.

27 Kickstarter Initiatives We're Talking About.

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 21:24:00 -0500

Here at ColdCan™, even though we are still in development and prototyping phases, we've been looking at Kickstarter as an important part of our product launch. We've been seriously trying to understand what seems to work and not work for a successful Kickstarter campaigns. Sometimes its obvious and other times, it's not clear how some succeed and others don't.

The following is a roundup of Kickstarter campaigns we curated and made internal notes on. Sometimes are notes are about things like video technique, script, and shooting style. Other times its about emotion, connection, and the "feeling" the video creates. And, we're totally seeing how some of these just create a "wow" moment where you just nod your head and smile at the seriously talented people doing awesome things in the world.

Check out these cool Kickstarter vids.

No Room For Fools

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 08:39:00 -0500

From all parts of the process, we've run into challenges, roadblocks and hoops to jump through.

When it comes to creating a product, there's no shortage of people with an opinion to share - and it's typically a critical one and often without experience to justify it. We try to find the silver lining by probing for their reasons, but alas, it's not always clear why people think the way they do. I think it's probably fear in most cases. Fear that we're going into the unknown and we should stop and think twice. Fear that we are going to make a mistake with our vendors, suppliers, and customers. Fear that we (gasp) might succeed.

So, if you're on the trail of success, I just want to offer this word of encouragement. When it's your dream, your passion, and your pursuit - make no room for fools. Trust yourself and be bold and courageous.

That's how we're doing things. And every day we get a little closer to that special spark of magic we are looking for.

Have a great April 1st, my friend.