Today we’d like to introduce you to Jack Rasmussen
Jack, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
When I was 19, my father and I had the idea that cleats should give a little. After watching player after player go down with a season-ending non contact injury, I sort of became obsessed with the idea of a cleat that could flex. So, I did what any hopeful entrepreneur would do, I quit my job, dropped out of school and studied footwear, biomechanics and material science for a full year. I built prototypes in my garage and figured out how to make a cleat move and after I did, my father and I wrote our first patent.
in 2019 our patent was awarded and published. I raised $60k from family and friends which was used for proof of concept and feasibility studies. After that, I got in touch with a footwear development team in Portland, Oregon called I-generator. They were instrumental in taking the function of our idea and implementing it into a more traditional design that didn’t break manufacturing protocol.
During my time as a college football player, my teammates were always testing new prototypes we made. When football ended for me, I focused on Caddix full-time and raised money from former Ravens tight ends Todd heap and Dennis Pitta. Their investment will fund our first year production run of 3,000 men’s football cleats and 3,000 women’s soccer cleats.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Yes and no. I think a lot more could have gone wrong even though most of our company’s journey was challenging. One of the hardest parts was getting to people to believe and understand what our cleats do. It’s such a novel concept to see cleated footwear, which is a field that hasn’t been properly innovated in decades, move in a way no one is used to seeing. Getting investors, or partners, or even potential customers over the fear of having something under your cleats flex like that is the first and most important step.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My LinkedIn profile says my name and “MBA” next to it, but I’d honestly say I specialize in figuring things out. I’m curious about how things work, probably too much, and I’ve always wondered if I can improve something, even when I was younger. I’m most proud of the patents that have been awarded in my name. Being awarded a patent is like winning a gold medal in business, you worked hard, prepared, and you figured out how to place yourself in a better position that others.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I tell people I started this company in my garage, which is true, but I first had the thought of doing Caddix full-time in Zion National Park, where I worked as a housekeeper when I was 19.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Caddix.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caddixcleats/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Caddix-61554478213078/?_rdr
- Twitter: https://x.com/caddixcleats
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSsypTMmsKQHY4kJMlPgLMQ
