We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jeremiah Baker. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jeremiah below.
Hi Jeremiah, thanks for joining us today. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?
If we’re going all the way back to the beginning I’ve always been fascinated by objects & art. And, I’ve always wanted to make a brand. Even as a child I had sketches for fashion concepts, brand names, posters and always took things apart and reassembled them in my own creative ways. I studied industrial design to transform these fascinations and artistic inclinations into a viable career path. Years into my professional pursuits, I knew I needed to manifest brand that was remained close in heart but had been pushed to the back of my mind – I had the name “NORMAL OBJECTS,” wasn’t but was unsure how I’d start.
This was a pivotal point in my life. A lot of experimenting in the years after, but I consider the brand officially being born in 2016, I was a full time and very corporate hardware design nine-to-fiver, in Big Tech and I was disenchanted with complex technology being considered a more valuable contribution to the human experience than the simple human objects we interact with everyday. I was also obsessed with classic caps, yet couldn’t find a simple quality cap with careful consideration for details and I resolved to fill that gap in fashion. I made an intentional break from tech to pursue the brand fully.
Since, I’ve pivoted from being strictly a cap brand, with a lot of hard learned lessons. It was mostly due to me underestimating the challenges of being a cap brand that existed exclusively online. Hats are Identity forming and comfort based objects and people nee to try them on, see and feel them to commit to a purchase. The business model wasn’t aligned with my vision. I wasn’t in a position to build a brick & mortar and there was a lot more I wanted to do with the brand outside of headwear.
I decided to extend my minimalist design approach to elevate the value of a variety of everyday things. I now work towards nurturing a culture of value in timeless experiences, equity in design and increased appreciation for the everyday objects in our lives and homes. Discouraging, a culture of mass-production, mass-consumption and waste, for a brighter future.
Quietly encouraging shoppers to step into considered moments by stepping out of the fast life. I’ve gleaned so much by growing through experiences, both good and bad over the years and I’m really excited about the direction the company is now moving in.
Also, increasingly I’m giving our community opportunities to experience the brand in real life – showcasing rare objects crafted by collaborators from around the world.
As a creative who was business inclined yet wasn’t experienced in business operations. I had to undergo some forced maturation resolving (still working to resolve) realities of successfully running and scaling a business, it’s operation systems, fulfillment & logistics, outreach, product development efficiencies, vendor management, reducing waste, marketing, creative direction, messaging, and content management…..the list goes on and on and keeps growing.
“Launching,” is a cycle. It’s like we relaunch at every stage of growth. There’s new things to plan and execute, as you get a better understanding of the challenges at each phase and you respond accordingly, staying creative but being open & flexible.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
As an Industrial Designer who has worked in that field professionally for nearly 15 years, I have accumulated a high level of Industrial Design expertise. The experience I gained through my work at Google, Logitech, Panasonic, Nike, and Samsung prepared me well for developing Normal Objects.
Being a design thinker, I excel at developing and delivering innovative product experiences that transform brands for business growth. Through my career, I have worked in a variety of industries, including fashion, mixed media, accessories, specializing in wearables & soft goods. I’ve also had the pleasure of working in several lifestyle segments, including furniture and home décor. Collectively all of these experiences provided crucial skills development and a first-hand look at large-scale product development, innovation, and marketing. However, it also resulted in some frustration and disappointment.
As a result, I became disenchanted with mass overproduction, what it conveys about humanity, and how it frames value. There is so much creativity put into the design of devices that ultimately end up in landfills – it seems so wasteful.
The difficulty of simplicity has also been a lesson for me. Nowadays, I focus on delivering delight to everyone’s everyday life. I’m a big believer in community and collaborate with a select few to create exceptional products.
In a time when mass production of things overseas would be so much easier & more profitable, I remain committed to localized small-batch manufacturing. We are able to impact local creatives, fabricators, and communities through this process, which has its challenges and rewards. Our community-first approach allows us to communicate directly with our tribe, to listen to feedback, and to make improvements as needed. We ensure that our products meet strict social, environmental, and health standards. Moreover, this approach carries a certain inherent value, as many objects are unlikely to be reproduced again. Small-batch sustainable production and a commitment to quality are reflected in our pricing.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
See my response for the first section.
How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?
Here’s where two questions merge ………. How’d you fund the business & tell us about risk taking….
Normal Objects is self-funded. I am the investment team. To stay afloat as operations scale, I assume 100% risk and must be tactical. Consequently, I’ve had to put everything on the line and hope for the best. No matter how well prepared and researched your plans are, the unexpected can happen, as in the case of COVID 19. It’s important to be resilient, roll with the punches, and be your own loudest cheerleader. That al may seem like info we’ve all heard before, but it can definitely be hard at times to put into practice
Vendors, customers, and the community at large, can miss this fact all together. Often, Normal Objects gets treated like a big greedy corporate entity, and I think this is due to the how the professional the brand comes off. Comments, feedback, and gestures from the outside can be crass and inhuman, with our efforts being easily taken for granted, or even exploited.
It’s like we’re in this weird place where we’re not large enough for vendors & partners to prioritize us, and not small enough for communities to feel that we’re not only out for gain.
I’ve invested myself fully into this company, and I’d love for people to keep that in mind whenever and however they encounter us.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.normalobjects.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/normal.objects/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/normalobjects
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamjeremiah/
- Other: Podcast Talk : https://www.playandco.com/objects-storytelling-design-jeremiah-baker-normal-objects Thisispaper feature on design collaboration: https://www.thisispaper.com/mag/analog-artifacts-normal-objects Intersection Magazine feature: https://www.intersection.media/home/normal-objects-clear-la LA Weekly: https://www.laweekly.com/meet-normal-objects-designer-jeremiah-baker/
Image Credits
Image Credits: Alexandre Souêtre