Binder Design Rocketry for Sale

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Binder Design

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Binder Design Rocketry is on the block for $75,000. Includes all IP, inventory and equipment including CNC. Does not include subsidiaries "Max Q Aerospace" or "Fisher Research". Priced for cash only sale. Interested parties can e-mail [email protected]

Thanks,
Mike Fisher
Binder Design
 
Wow! Really? I have been trying to decide between the Tyrannosaur and Excel, hope I can get one before they are gone for good!

Mike
 
Wow! Really? I have been trying to decide between the Tyrannosaur and Excel, hope I can get one before they are gone for good!

Mike

We're not going anywhere. Business as usual until a buyer is found. If there is no interest, I'll just keep running it, no big deal. I'm sure a new owner would keep it going and have new energy to make it even better.
 
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I wish I was in a place that would allow me to make an offer.

All the Best!
Jim
 
Just to dispel the rumors that we're in some sort of bind or financial trouble, I assure you that is not the case. We've been busier than we've ever been! That's part of the problem for me actually. Yes, it is a good problem to have but I've got too many irons in the fire to do everything I want to do. I could hire people to run Binder Design rather than sell it but then I'd have to train them for quite awhile and I'm not sure I have the patience for that.

I want to assure everybody that there is no problem with the company, we're strong as ever and fully stocked with tubes, finished and packaged fin sets, rings, couplers, and nosecones. We won't be drawing down inventory or any such thing in anticipation of the company sale. We've even got several new kits in the works. It's business as usual around here.

Thanks,
Mike Fisher
Binder Design
 
Darn it, you mean the Dragonfly I just got won't be a valuable, out-of-production kit anymore? Or I can't ebay the tube you just cut and slotted for me as the "Rare last tube cut and slotted by Binder Design?"

Oh well, I guess I'll just go ahead and build them, and then order some more :wink:
 
For anyone who's considering this, remember Tim Van Milligan's #1 advice for starting your own rocket company: Buy one that's already in business with good reputation.

I wish I had the pockets for it. Good to hear business is doing well, I was just browsing some of your products last week.
 
This is an intriging thing. 75K seems like alot for a rocketry business. If someone bought it for 75K would that person actually make money. From what I hear most if not all rocketry business are garage buinsesses. People have to keep there 40 hr week job and in between working they maintine a website, full fill orders, attend launches, ect.... I hope that is not the case. In my head I think to myself that a rocketry buisness would be so succesfful the owner could actaually do that full time and not have to have another job. That is something I want to expereince someday. But in all honesty is Binder Design that profitable that it is worth pay 75K? I guess its RISK vs. REWARD! It takes money to make money. I know I told my wife about it and she looked at me like I was crazy because shes a smart woman and knows that in the whole scheme of things a rocket business is not very profitable salary compared to what I am currently doing with my career, but I dont know I could be wrong. I have been known to be wrong from time to time.
 
This is an intriging thing. 75K seems like alot for a rocketry business. If someone bought it for 75K would that person actually make money. From what I hear most if not all rocketry business are garage buinsesses. People have to keep there 40 hr week job and in between working they maintine a website, full fill orders, attend launches, ect.... I hope that is not the case. In my head I think to myself that a rocketry buisness would be so succesfful the owner could actaually do that full time and not have to have another job. That is something I want to expereince someday. But in all honesty is Binder Design that profitable that it is worth pay 75K? I guess its RISK vs. REWARD! It takes money to make money. I know I told my wife about it and she looked at me like I was crazy because shes a smart woman and knows that in the whole scheme of things a rocket business is not very profitable salary compared to what I am currently doing with my career, but I dont know I could be wrong. I have been known to be wrong from time to time.

Take it from someone that does corporate transactions professionally, this is something you'd want to discuss with Mike Fisher privately.
 
This is an intriging thing. 75K seems like alot for a rocketry business.

That is an interesting statement. In order to determine that, you'd have to know the retail conversion rate of all existing inventory, and value of all equipment, average sales, then an estimate of all IP.

I haven't worked a full time job for 15 years, I currently work outside Binder Design only four days per month as a technical adviser. We've supported a family of four people, sent two daughters to a private university, and I own two homes, one that I paid cash for. All from Binder Design money.

But if you've never run a business and have certain ideas about what it is like, it's not like that. :) It is hard work and not for everyone. I would not leave a good paying job for it, but it is a perfect fit for someone who is nearing retirement and wants to keep going and work from home. For $75K you get income for life if you want it.

While I'm not going to discuss actual annual sales, I will say this: Just one kit like the Velociraptor has grossed well over $100K since it's release.

So if you have to question it, it is probably not the right fit for you.
 
That is an interesting statement. In order to determine that, you'd have to know the retail conversion rate of all existing inventory, and value of all equipment, average sales, then an estimate of all IP.

I haven't worked a full time job for 15 years, I currently work outside Binder Design only four days per month as a technical adviser. We've supported a family of four people, sent two daughters to a private university, and I own two homes, one that I paid cash for. All from Binder Design money.

But if you've never run a business and have certain ideas about what it is like, it's not like that. :) It is hard work and not for everyone. I would not leave a good paying job for it, but it is a perfect fit for someone who is nearing retirement and wants to keep going and work from home. For $75K you get income for life if you want it.

While I'm not going to discuss actual annual sales, I will say this: Just one kit like the Velociraptor has grossed well over $100K since it's release.

So if you have to question it, it is probably not the right fit for you.

Cool!
Good luck to you Mike.
 
My 2 cents: Long story short, my wife wouldn't let me buy a junkyard as she was afraid I'd never sell anything (I am a packrat!) I was chosen out of 4K applicants for a business lab with some of the best brains in our County to advise us (a total of 9 other people). My business model was for a mortar and brick hobby shop and the bare-bones start-up was 80 thou for a crap shoot. Didn't pull the trigger after a year's worth of long and hard research. I did get a ghost written business plan book out of it I sold straight out. I am severely tempted as my back is toast but this would kinda keep me in the hobby at the other end of being a consumer. Big hit to the 401K! I hope somebody ponies up real quick as this is going to keep me awake tonight, trying to sell the wife on this. She did make a few chutes for Boyce Aerospace (Alex and I were crazy together!) and knew Scotty from before BlackSky-so she might be a little jaded already. 75k for a rep as good as Binder is a great deal for essentially a turn-key business. Just look at some crappy, affordable franchises (okay- I hate the food business!) and you'll realize the blood, sweat, and tears equity Mike has into growing this to where it is today. It's dang near a bargain! Not a rant- just my 2 cents worth. Good Luck, Mike- love your stuff.
 
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Just look at some crappy, affordable franchises (okay- I hate the food business!) and you'll realize the blood, sweat, and tears equity Mike has into growing this to where it is today. It's dang near a bargain! Not a rant- just my 2 cents worth. Good Luck, Mike- love your stuff.

Thanks for that! In sales, with a good year it could pay for itself, but certainly in two years no problem. If your wife can make chutes you are ahead of the game. My wife makes all the chutes currently, and she's not included with the sale, lol. Bottom line is you won't get rich from it, it is a living. But you can work from home without a boss. :)
 
Hey Mike. Wanna swap for a rental in Molalla? :facepalm: Since we talked at Sheridan last year, I already have a 'Yes' from the wife on this, but, almost a year later, I am still waiting for my property to sell. Hmm...

Guys, $75K is peanuts for this venture. A tin shack drive through coffee store would cost you $50K!!
 
"If I had $75K lying around, we would be talking very soon..."
 
Mike,

I have a few questions for you.

Are all your sales online or do you also attend events? If you attend events, what is the approximate percentage of online sales vs event sales?

What is the footprint of the CNC? Is it 1st floor only or would it fit in a basement?

Best regards,
Brian
 
Mike,

I have a few questions for you.

Are all your sales online or do you also attend events? If you attend events, what is the approximate percentage of online sales vs event sales?

What is the footprint of the CNC? Is it 1st floor only or would it fit in a basement?

Best regards,
Brian

I don't vend at launches. You could most likely double or possibly triple revenue by doing so. CNC cut area is 24X48, footprint is about a foot bigger in each direction. It's in a basement now.
 
Is this business run out of a store front or out of a home? What I mean could it be run out of a 20x30 shop building?

I see on your website that u only stock 2.6", 3", and 4"" tubes. Could the new owner stock and make kits with 5.5+ inch sizes?

Thanks, Andrew
 
Is this business run out of a store front or out of a home? What I mean could it be run out of a 20x30 shop building?

I see on your website that u only stock 2.6", 3", and 4"" tubes. Could the new owner stock and make kits with 5.5+ inch sizes?

Thanks, Andrew

It is run out of a house basement in an area of around 800 square feet, but some of that is taken up by "house stuff". 600 square feet would be about right. If you could remote store the cases of tubing that would really help. Those take up a bit of space. New owner could do what they want, obviously. If needed, I'd be willing to give expertise on specifying tubing specs to the manufacturer so that couplers and nosecones fit properly.
 
I remember when you were still cutting stacks of fins on the bandsaw...

Mike has really fine-tuned this business over the last 15 years or since I first met him. He is the kind of guy that thinks through every step of a process and optimizes it. If I were about fifteen years closer to retirement (public school teacher) I would probably have bought this business before it was ever listed for sale... ;)
 
I remember when you were still cutting stacks of fins on the bandsaw...

Mike has really fine-tuned this business over the last 15 years or since I first met him. He is the kind of guy that thinks through every step of a process and optimizes it. If I were about fifteen years closer to retirement (public school teacher) I would probably have bought this business before it was ever listed for sale... ;)

Thanks Dan! I've basically just recently (within the last five years) evolved it into a system. Like a mini-factory. It could still be optimized a bit, but it's pretty close. You'd be buying that system.

And there are many opportunities of revenue that I have not tapped. Like vending at launches. Or better advertising. I've recently heard from a couple of people in the hobby for a few years that they'd never heard of us. Clearly we could be doing a better job at that. Problem is that I've got too many irons in the fire and I've lost the enthusiasm for this one.

I've had a few inquires from people who really only care to see my books. That's only going to show you what "I" did, but is not a reflection on what "you" will do. How hard do you want to work? If you just want to put it on autopilot, that will only work for a short time.

I only asked one question before purchasing Binder Design in 2001. "How many kits do you sell a week?" At the time it was "3", LOL. Then, "Let me see the inventory." :)
 
Thanks Dan! I've basically just recently (within the last five years) evolved it into a system. Like a mini-factory. It could still be optimized a bit, but it's pretty close. You'd be buying that system.

And there are many opportunities of revenue that I have not tapped. Like vending at launches. Or better advertising. I've recently heard from a couple of people in the hobby for a few years that they'd never heard of us. Clearly we could be doing a better job at that. Problem is that I've got too many irons in the fire and I've lost the enthusiasm for this one.

I've had a few inquires from people who really only care to see my books. That's only going to show you what "I" did, but is not a reflection on what "you" will do. How hard do you want to work? If you just want to put it on autopilot, that will only work for a short time.

I only asked one question before purchasing Binder Design in 2001. "How many kits do you sell a week?" At the time it was "3", LOL. Then, "Let me see the inventory." :)

I know you said your wife makes the chutes. Other than that Mike is it a one man operation or do you have to hire other people to help?

Andrew
 
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