BowerBags: From Grad School Project to Kickstarted Company



Jamie Bowerman, Bowerbags

Jamie Bowerman, creator of Bowerbags in Savannah, Ga., designed and created the Bowerbag for a class project in graduate school. The challenge: Create a bag that would allow Bowerman to carry his work and school material in a single, comfortable bag. To solve his commuting challenge, Bowerman created a courier carrying system. He fueled bag production by starting a Kickstarter project to fund his bag. Bowerman quickly reached his Kickstarter goal and began producing.

Courier Magazine recently got in touch with Bowerman and interviewed him for an article that appeared in the March/April issue. Read on to see the full interview, and find out how Bowerman created his bag and why he chose to fund his project with Kickstarter.

Courier Magazine: I believe you came up with the concept for the bag in one of your graduate school classes. What was the project and what sparked the idea?

Jamie Bowerman: Yeah, it was a completely strange thing. I felt that going back to grad school was the right thing for me to do. It was just a weird time. I wasn’t really happy [with my career].

[In class,]I was working on a project, trying to figure out how people can better carry things without cars. And I grew up riding bikes. I think bike culture is phenomenal. [At the time], I wound up carrying all my bags from school to work, back and forth. Everything I had was in different bags. And I was thinking, ‘I wish I had a messenger bag for work and a backpack for school,’ and that pulled me into creating this bag system. Basically, it’s a carrying system and it started as a three-way bag. It goes from a messenger bag, to a backpack, to a saddle bag.

There was a competition in town where you could pitch ideas for companies and start-up businesses. I entered it in the student category and there were people who wanted to buy bags. All I had was this prototype, so I had to figure out, well, how I actually make this. So, I did a Kickstarter project. I learned a lot.

CM: Why did you make the changes to the product?

JB: I am always pushing the boundaries. And I’m always looking at things, not from the perspective of this is wrong, but what can I do better. The project was successful. Then slightly after I made the bag, I thought there’s got to be a better way to do this, so I spent time making different prototypes [to improve the bag].

CM: How was the Kickstarter process?

JB: I think Kickstarter is fabulous. It’s a fabulous format. I encourage everyone to use it because it sort of solves the big question that many of us have, which is does my product have a market. Even if it’s a handful of people. I think if you gathered a bunch of entrepreneurs in a room you’ll consistently find that they’ll all say you don’t want to make your product for everyone. Find a niche, start in that niche and really support it. It gives you a chance to be, like, ‘hey, is anyone out there interested in what I’m doing.’ And no matter what you do, you’re going to the people and looking for funding. And everyone likes to see the bigger numbers, but even if you have 10 people, I feel like that’s a win. It helps validate the idea. There are other formats that have sprung up like it, other things that are similar, but nothing like that [Kickstarter]. But, yes, it does have its highs and lows once you get going.

CM: Who is most interested in the bag?

JB: It’s a mixed bag. It’s really been individuals right now. I hope that as the product continues to evolve and grow, so will the audience.

CM: How long have you been making the bags? And do you have any plans for making any other types of product for cyclists in the future?

JB: For about the last year or two. And yes, I think with cyclists it will be popular! I’m really excited. [It’ll work] not just for cyclists but for even just the person who likes to ride their bikes for work, or for leisure.

CM: Yeah, it does seem like an all-purpose bag that would help commuters, too.

JB: Yeah, I want to help incorporate that for people where it’s a part of their lives.

CM: Have you graduated yet?

JB: I’m in the process. I’m in this grey-zone where I’m working on my thesis at the same time. I’m ready for that next round of funding. I’m driving this forward.