The Making of @rotoq360 : An Interview with Creator Alex Fei

#kickstarter #bbq #food Welcome to the Duce Raymond Podcast! Today, we're joined by Alex Fei, the innovative mind behind the Roto-Q 360, a unique non-electric rotisserie that can be used over open coals or in your oven. Alex shares his journey from growing up in New York to working at MTV and eventually diving into the world of manufacturing in Asia, inspired by his mother's love for rotisserie chicken.The Roto-Q 360 was created with a desire to bring the convenience of rotisserie cooking to every home without needing an extra countertop appliance. Through a successful Kickstarter campaign, Alex raised $440,000, allowing him to bring this product to life and ship it to over 75 countries. Despite challenges posed by the year 2020, Alex's persistence paid off. Now, Roto-Q 360 is gaining popularity through strategic marketing and social media engagement. Join us as Alex discusses the hurdles and triumphs of bringing an innovative product to market, the power of crowdfunding, and the importance of building a brand in today's digital landscape.0:21 - Introductions0:38 - How Duce and Alex’s Relationship Began0:59 - Duce Tried Out the Roto-Q 3601:36 - Alex’s Background and Journey to Creating the Roto-Q 3602:56 - The Origin of Roto-Q 3603:35 - Making Rotisserie Chicken Easier at Home4:15 - Concept of the Non-Electric Roto-Q 360 and Its Spin Duration5:04 - First Concept Drawing in 20165:14 - Utilizing Friends for Construction and Details of the Roto-Q 3605:45 - Spin Duration of the Roto-Q 3606:02 - The Four-Year Production Journey and Challenges Faced6:26 - Using Kickstarter to Launch the Roto-Q 3607:15 - Importance of Feedback in Developing the Roto-Q 3607:57 - Kickstarter Success: Funds Raised and Business Boost8:56 - Shipping Roto-Q 360 to Over 75 Countries9:22 - Initial Order and Sales Through Kickstarter10:26 - Kickstarter Campaign as a Résumé and Other Platforms10:55 - Biggest Market for the Roto-Q 36011:08 - Next Steps: Online or Retail Launch11:54 - COVID-19 Challenges and Increased Barbecue Product Sales12:58 - Listing on Amazon and Gaining Visibility13:22 - Presenting at the Chicago Housewares Show14:15 - Realizing the Need for Social Media Presence15:55 - Content Creation vs. Influencer Marketing16:36 - Creating a Viral Video with a Comedian Friend17:35 - Sales Channels: Amazon vs. Own Website18:53 - Importance of Being on Amazon for Direct-to-Consumer Sales19:21 - Day Trading Attention: The Necessity of Amazon19:53 - Benefits of Direct Sales Through Their Own Platform20:55 - Duce’s Similar Challenges with Duce’s Wild Products21:22 - Growing Brand Opportunities Over Time22:31 - Breaking Down the Roto-Q 360’s Features and Ideal Foods24:20 - Popular Rotisserie Basket Attachment and Viral Chicken Wing Video25:03 - Views on the Viral Chicken Wing Video25:35 - Funny Story of an Unexpected Problem26:52 - Pricing for the Roto-Q and the Basket27:22 - Preventing Negative Reviews29:46 - The Realities of Being an Entrepreneur30:28 - SPR Events Group's Dominance in Chicago and Catering Industry Competitiveness31:05 - Importance of Relationships with Venue Owners in Catering31:56 - The Key to Business: Building Relationships32:28 - Lightning Round35:42 - How to Follow and Contact Roto-Q 36036:18 - Alex’s Plan to Travel to All 50 States37:00 - Alex’s Questions for Duce: Childhood, Weight Loss, and Importance of Hard Work42:55 - Closing RemarksFollow RotoWebsite: https://www.rotoq360.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rotoq360/?h... YouTube:    / @rotoq360