September / August Update

Hi everyone 👋

This update is a big one. We’ve made real progress, but there have also been setbacks and some tougher news to share. We want to give you the full picture; the good, the bad, and the ugly; so that you know exactly where things stand and what to expect in the upcoming months.

The Good

Back in July, we made the decision to accelerate our path to market by working on a simplified version of the new wheel model, which we’re calling the Lite. The Lite is designed to be easier for us to make and deliver sooner, ideally in time for the festive season, while the more advanced Pro continues its journey, (the version from the pre-order) ensuring the final product is the one we envisioned. 

The only difference between the Lite and the Pro is that the Lite will not have a battery built in. Given that most of you are looking forward to more torque and a larger wheel head, we felt that bringing the new version to market without the battery was a sensible choice (and really helps us financially to carry on developing the Pro and keep the business afloat).

The Lite and the Pro share the same foundational electronics and motor, which means progress on one directly benefits the other. By starting the Lite, we’ve been able to iron out the electronics early, shorten development time, and reduce risks when it comes to scaling up the design to the more complex needs of the Pro.

Here’s where things stand compared to the current wheel you know:

So what’s the real difference? At its heart, the Lite is almost the same as the Pro. They share the motor and part of the electronics, and they feel very similar to use. The Lite will not feature the rechargeable battery and USB- C, but enables us to keep production here in the UK, still handmade in small batches. The Pro, meanwhile, includes battery power, USB-C, and injection-moulded components, which make it easier to mass-produce when the time comes.

The Bad

Now for the challenges. The motors that power our current wheels are manufactured in China. Normally, we ship them to the UK by train, which is slower than air freight but much more cost-effective. Unfortunately, the latest shipment — which was supposed to cover Christmas sales for general customers (not pre-orders) has been stuck for many weeks waiting for the Russian/Polish borders to re-open. Now it is moving again but the risk is still real that it might be delayed further. 

We had also planned to import the parts for the Lite version by train, but with that option off the table our only choice is to fly them in or ship them some via sea pushing the arrival date close to Christmas leaving us not much time to assemble them. Air freight is faster but much more expensive and now given the recent events in Poland we saw 30% increase in cost, and that extra cost now sits on top of already smaller margin we envision for the Lite version. 

The Ugly

We’ve always tried to shield our customers from the bumps of international trade. When tariffs increased, we kept prices the same. Overnight we changed our shipping system to be delivered duty paid to the USA. But the truth is that overall spending has slowed dramatically this September, to a point that it put us in danger zone. 

That alone might not be critical, but combined with delayed shipments and higher costs, it’s put us under strain. To adapt, we decided to focus our marketing on creating more content to reach new people and doing everything we can to keep the company’s finances balanced, while pushing development. This has us exploring all avenues, so you may see us developing other product lines or ideas to diversify our business offering.

The Past and the Future

From the very beginning, sales of our current model have supported development of the new one. Every penny of profit has been reinvested into R&D. Our growth has relied on steady month-to-month performance, and this September showed us how fragile that assumption can be.

We are fully committed to delivering the Lite version, and those who pre-ordered earliest will be the first to receive the opportunity to secure one once we obtained all the parts. We’ve already purchased a significant number of motors, matched to our production capacity, and that should be enough to cover those of you who are happy to switch to the Lite. That said, there are still uncertainties because we are still yet to source some of the components to complete the product. If any other key component fails to arrive on time, the planned November release could slip. Even with the best planning in the world, logistics sometimes have the final word. The result is that the Lite will probably launch in time (if all moons align) with a revised cost ~10%. From the beginning, we’ve always said it wouldn’t be far off the current model’s price point, and we are still doing everything we can to keep it close. But absorbing the difference in costs is no longer possible - especially since, aside from shipping, the Lite is a more expensive product to make, with more powerful electronics and a stronger motor.

Development of the new model while slow has never stopped. From the beginning, we made the conscious choice to bring agency / freelancers dedicated entirely to that. It meant that progress could continue in the background without needing our intervention. My own focus has been on running the business smoothly and enabling growth.

1. We have shortlisted two motor manufacturer and final samples are about to be completed for us to test
2. Electronics design is completed and we are waiting to receive the PCB to test all the new capabilities ( hopefully mid/end October )
3. Design of the wheel is under revision and close to be completed
4. Software development of the electronics to manage the battery, the controller and the make the motor communicate with the USB-C port and get the correct voltage. Will start shortly as soon the PCB prototype arrives.

Considering the above progress we are aiming to start quoting with the factory in November and start production of the PRO in December as long we don’t have any major revision required to any of the above because it will push getting a new iteration of samples by a month. The final price and timeline will be clear after we approached the factory for quoting and we will be able to release it then. 

Your pre-order deposits were never intended to carry the company, and not a single penny has ever been used to support any other project. 100% of revenue from sales has gone toward keeping Small Ceramics alive, growing, and funding the development of the new wheel — while your deposits have been kept safely aside.
We always planned to use those funds only when it became absolutely necessary, and that moment has now arrived. Over the past two months, development has accelerated significantly, reaching an advanced stage across all areas. This progress has also brought a sharp rise in expenses, now reaching five figures monthly.
The deposits will now be used to directly finance the final stretch, completing the Lite, finalising the Pro, and preparing it for factory quoting. Once that stage is complete, we’ll explore financing options for full-scale production, such as start-up loans, angel investment, Kickstarter campaign or a mix. Unfortunately, the recent sales performance didn’t provide the financial lift needed to begin manufacturing independently, which is why it’s now necessary to draw on the pre-order funds to keep progress moving forward.

Your Pre-Order

If you’ve placed a pre-order with us, you now have several paths forward. You can choose to switch to the Lite and receive your wheel sooner, or remain committed to the Pro and wait for its release. You also have the option to use your deposit toward other products in our store including the current wheel that we continue to produce weekly until motors are available. Naturally, if too many customers choose to switch, the demand for the Pro may fall below the minimum order quantity required to begin production, which could affect its release timeline.

We Need Your Input

As we move toward finalising the Pro, we’d love to hear your thoughts. Do you value portability most, or would you prefer a slightly larger than 10cm head? Would you like the batt system to be included as standard, or offered as an optional add-on?
Since the Pro will feature USB-C charging, compatible with many laptop chargers, we’re considering offering the power supply as an optional accessory rather than including one with every unit. We’ll be sending out a short survey soon, but early feedback is always welcome!
 
Thank You

This has been a long and at times difficult update to write. There are exciting breakthroughs, frustrating delays, and some unavoidable financial realities. But we’re still here, still moving forward, and still committed to getting these wheels into your hands.

We’ll be able to share some photos of the lite and the pro wheel as soon as we have it all finalised we’d rather wait than share too early and risk going back on our word.
Every time you’ve supported us, whether by pre-ordering, buying a current model, or simply spreading the word, you’ve made this journey possible. Thank you for being part of it. 
We hope that the above explanation shows the amount of dedication and money it takes to bring a unique product to market just with our own resources.

Thanks again to everyone for your support over the past 18 months on this, as always happy potting.

— Daisy and Stefano x