About This Project
Hello,
My name is Gethin and I'm the Founder and Managing Director of The Quiet Company.
The idea for this business has an embarrassing genesis. It was a Friday night and I was home alone. My wife and son were away for the weekend and the small handful of friends that I could have called upon were unavailable. So what could I do?
As a shy, socially awkward fella, I felt too self-conscious to go out for dinner on my own. Even the cinema seemed a little tragic, ‘going solo’. And thus, a quiet idea was born.
In my moment of social anxiety, I wanted somewhere safe, discrete and welcoming that I could go to on my own and feel calm, without the preying eyes of the world upon me. Somewhere I could just be myself, by myself.
Initially I thought this idea would only appeal to quiet people, the introverts like me, who make up a surprisingly large, but often maligned, minority within our community.
But the more I spoke to people, the more I came to realise that in the relentless digital world that we live in, where our attention is constantly demanded and the boundaries between our work and home life have collapsed, pretty much everyone craves some quiet time.
So The Quiet Company is a social enterprise that helps people to embrace their quiet side.
In time, we want to build an international quiet community, where people can come to work, relax, recharge or enjoy any number of quiet activities amongst a group of kind-hearted, kindred spirits.
But to prove the concept we first need to build a batch of our Q Pods, which are our custom-built privacy pods that will bring peace of mind and productivity to our quiet community.
You can download our Q Pod product brochure here.
Each Q Pod comes loaded with a series of sensory experiences that respond to your heart rate and body movement. With the touch of a button you can feel the cooling breeze of the sea, or smell the soothing scent of the forest, as the 'voice of the pod' listens to your heart, calms your body and clears your mind.
100 people have now user tested our first Quiet Mind Experience within the Q Pod and we are delighted with the results.
You can read more about our user testing here.
But as a self-funded social enterprise, started during Covid19 and without any trading history to justify a bank loan, we now need your help to us turn this quiet idea into a quiet success.
As you can see, we've got some great rewards, ranging from your very own Q Pod to our first Quiet Mind Festival on Sunday August 1 at The Plant Room in Brookvale.
You can also score some super fly QC merch!
Your support, no matter what the size, will give us the funding and confidence to move forward.
Thank you for your help.
Yours quietly,
Gethin
Use Of Funds
$50,000 Tipping Point Goal
We currently have one working prototype that we've been using through our user testing program.
To make our first production run, we need to make some minor refinements to the design and to have at least 10 customer pre-orders to give us the confidence to proceed. In total, our first production run will cost about $AUD 120,000.
We also need to develop our Quiet Mind technology so we can deliver more of the sensory experiences that make the Q Pod so much more than just a chair. This will cost another $80,000.
We'll also have some marketing, distribution, payroll and other overheads that we will need to cover as we establish our business. This might cost a further $50,000.
So while our initial funding goal will only cover 1/5th of what we need, it is a vital step in proving the demand for this innovative new service.
$120,000 Stretch Goal
But if we could raise $120,000 then we can build our first batch of Q Pods with absolute confidence that people want our product and are keen to enjoy some quiet time.
Latest News
Jul 30, 2021
A quietly rewarding update
Hello there,
Happy Friday. I hope you are doing ok?
I have a couple of updates for my awesome crowdfunding folk:
- If you ordered a Q Pod then, firstly, you are amazing! We're currently designing Q Pod 2 and should have new plans to show you soon.
- If you ordered my book, Embracing your quiet side - a self-help guide, then that's coming along nicely, and I should have some chapters to preview soon.
- If you live in Australia, Malaysia or India then your reward has been dispatched and you should have received a notification confirming the likely arrival date from Sendle, if your gift has not arrived already.
- If you live in Europe or the Americas, then please hold tight; we're nearly there.
- If you bought tickets to the Quiet Mind Festival in Sydney, then I'm afraid we've had to postpone it again, due to the virus (Booooohhhh.) We've now tentatively rescheduled to Sunday October 17, but that's currently got a big TBC all over it.
- And if you simply asked for some quiet appreciation, then _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _. You're the _ _ _ _.
And finally, if you're wishing you'd got your hands on some more superfly QC merch, then our new online store is currently open for business. Visit https://store.quietcommunity.com.au/ to check out our latest range.
All the best. Yours quietly,
Gethin
--
Gethin Fisher
The Quiet Company Pty Ltd
e: [email protected]
m: 0414 582 699
w: quietcommunity.com.au
Jul 15, 2021
We are postponing The Quiet Mind Festival 'til the Spring
Hello, I hope you are doing ok? Following yesterday's lockdown extension in New South Wales, we are once again postponing The Quiet Mind Festival. I'm very sorry for the inconvenience and I'm sure we all feel the same frustration at being stuck at home once again. Boooooohhhhhhhh..... We are currently liaising with The Plant Room and our instructors to find a new date, but it will likely be at least another month away, if not longer. Once we've confirmed these details, you'll be the first to know. In the meantime, if you can't wait that long, then we are happy to a full and unconditional refund to all ticket holders. Please email [email protected] if you would like your money back and we'll sort it out immediately? But if you can wait for some quiet time in the Springtime then we'd love to see you then. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. Take care of yourselves. Yours quietly, Gethin |
Jul 07, 2021
Crowd funds received; your rewards have been ordered...
Hello,
I hope you are doing ok.
I’m pleased to say that I received all my crowdfunding payments this morning, via the Stripe app, so thank you once again for your support.
In response, we have now commenced production of Q Pod 2 and your merchandise rewards! Huzzah.
I believe I have emailed all my kind supporters, asking you to confirm the relevant details for your reward.
If you’ve not seen this message then it may be in your Junk mail.
But if you ordered either a t-shirt, an Essential Oil or The QC Collection, and we’ve not already exchanged messages, then please make your pick from the attached and let me know your shirt size (if applicable) and mailing address?
If you ordered my book, then hold tight! I’m working on it…
If you bought tickets to the Quiet Mind Festival, then this is event is currently scheduled to take place on August 1 in Sydney, pending any further changes to the Sydney lockdown restrictions.
And if you ordered a Q Pod, then: (a) you’re an absolute legend; and (b) I’ll be in touch to run you through timings and logistics.
Thank you once again for your support. I really do appreciate it.
All the best,
Gethin
[email protected]
+61 414 582 699
Jun 29, 2021
You just started something good! :-)
Hello,
I'm very pleased to say that we have made our crowdfunding target. Huzzah.
You are one of an elite group of 56 kind, brave and beautiful members of our quiet community who have stepped up and kickstarted this quiet idea. So I owe you a deep debt gratitude and also your reward!
I'll shortly be in touch to confirm any personal details I need to fulfil your order. And then my niece, Deborah, will be co-ordinating orders if you are in the western hemisphere, and I'll take care of everyone from India to the International Date Line.
In the meantime, please relax, take a deep breath... hold it for a count of five... and then give yourself a bit pat on the back for starting something good today.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Yours quietly,
Gethin
Jun 22, 2021
The Quiet Mind Festival is moving to Sunday August 1
Due to the growing Covid outbreak in Sydney, we've decided to push our Quiet Mind Festival back to Sunday August 1.
I am very sorry if this causes you any inconvenience and we are offering full refunds to anyone that is unable to make this date.
To claim your refund, or if you have any questions or concerns, then please email [email protected] or call me on 0414 582 699.
Thank you for your patience and support,
Gethin
Jun 14, 2021
Here's the full line-up for our first Quiet Mind Festival
Hello,
I hope you are doing ok.
We've just announced the line-up for our first Quiet Mind Festival on Sunday June 27 in the beautiful, biophilic surrounds of The Plant Room in Brookvale.
The program includes:
- A vagus nerve stimulation meditation with 'Voice Of The Q Pod' Chibs Okereke
- Ryoho Yoga
- Vinyasa Yoga
- MELT method
- A macrame workshop
- A Scrabble challenge!
- Wholesome food & beverages from head chef Pat De Pinho
- A quiet mind experience in the Q Pod
- Plus a smorgasbord of quietly satisfying arts and crafts activities.
You can download our full Quiet Mind Festival program here.
So if you're desperately craving some quiet time then you can book your tickets for our first Quiet Mind Festival today. Thank you.
Yours quietly,
Gethin
