Yes, 10 years. That’s how long it’s been since the very first Kickr Design project hit our lab. Addison Shelton, Kickr Design’s CEO, is sharing more about the earliest days of our company, why we do what we do, and what it was like to create Kickr Design’s first product.
Memories From The First Project: UKIES Shoe Insole Redesign
“My first project for Kickr Design was for a local high-heeled shoe company, Ukies. They were trying to design a new insole with specific padding under the ball of the user’s foot to provide both support and cushion. I was a young engineer and the only one at the company, so I was handling both sales and engineering.
A UKIES representative found my information on Elance.com, which was one of the early versions of Upwork or Fiverr. They were looking for a local engineer to help them out with the project, and I remember arriving at the UKIES office, excited to take on the challenge.”
Was there a specific moment, challenge, or breakthrough that stands out?
“I designed several insoles in CAD that had unique design specifications, cutouts, and features. The goal was to help relieve pressure on the ball and toes of the foot and ultimately improve comfort. I created several 3D-printed molds for different prototype versions of a multi-part urethane rubber-coated insole.
I specifically recall the moment that we had one of the women in the Ukies office try one of the earliest iterations of the insole—She was thrilled with the new level of comfort!”
How did that project shape the values or direction of Kickr Design in its early days?
“As a one-man show at the time, I knew I could not be everything to everyone. But I poured everything—expertise, skill, and heart— into that first project. I was focused on providing a good, personal service to my customers. We’ve just never stopped doing that. I’m proud this is where we started and how well it aligns with the mission of our company.”
Did any foundational principles emerge from that first project?
“From this project, no, but certainly from some other projects. I had some challenging projects in the early days, and quickly learned that increasing awareness and education about the design process was critical. As with any project, we discover challenges and opportunities together. Setting that expectation early was an essential part of our growth and greatly improved the client experience.”
Were there any unexpected lessons you learned that still guide your decision-making today?
“The realization that I could provide a higher quality service than most of my competitors simply because I was more responsive, which showed a greater degree of care. Many of our competitors don’t even bother to return phone calls, but maintaining strong communication, whether you’re a client or not, has been something we continually excel at.
Part of our philosophy since the earliest projects has been to hold the mentality of providing a good overall experience, not just great engineering services. Our team today lives by this mantra and practices it every day!”
If you were to tackle that same project today, what would you do differently, and what would you keep the same?
“First of all, I would probably not engineer it myself, since my team surpasses my skill level by orders of magnitude. Aside from that, I would be more intentional about setting expectations around the prototypes so the client understands they’re merely the first pass as we explore concepts, pathways, and options, and ultimately hone in on the final design.”
See other Kickr Design projects here or reach out here and receive a free cost estimate for a product idea of your own.