We recently published a review of the NeoMag; an innovative way to carry a spare magazine for your concealed carry pistol. We take pride in helping spread the word with small American businesses. After reaching out to the owner of NeoMag I soon realized that they were located in my ‘backyard’ per say. I decided to ask the owner a few questions about NeoMag in order to give you guys some background on the company, the product/s and where they are headed for 2017.
Loadout Room: What is your background?
NeoMag: I have been an engineer in retail displays for about 13 years and Project Management about 5 years. In the retail display business I have to create and design things that require me to think way out of the box. In the retail display business I have to be familiar with so many different materials and processes. Wood, sheet metal, wire, plastics, vacforming, injection molding, etc. I also have had to figure out how to attach things by not using hardware because customers don’t want to see hardware. I have used rare-earth magnets in the past to attach things.
Loadout Room: What prompted you to come up with the NeoMag? Where did the idea come from?
NeoMag: I have had my concealed carry for almost 8 years now. And most of that time I spent carrying a magazine loose in my pocket. Adding one more thing to the inside of my waist band did not interest me. Having carried a pocket knife most of my life comfortably I had the idea to put a pocket clip on the magazine. Then I had the idea of using a rare-earth magnet to hold the magazine. I took a piece of scrap steel and bent it up in a vice, taped a magnet to the inside and carried that for a few weeks. It wasn’t pretty and it had its flaws but it worked enough to prove my idea as viable. I have a good friend that owns a gun shop and I spent hours measuring magazines. That’s when I figured out I could make just 3 sizes to fit every caliber from .45 to .380.
I first took my concept to a EDC (Every Day Carry) group on Facebook. I have been a knife lover and collector for years so it was the first place I could think of. My original intent was to make these a couple at a time and sell them in the groups if people liked them. Well that never happened. My post blew up with likes and comments. My email and private messages exploded as well. I took a leap with a chunk of money and sourced out from some vendors I know from the retail display world the steel parts, some deep carry pocket clips from a knife supply company. I made 100 units and those sold pretty quickly. When those sold out I invested all the money into making more. That has completely been my business model ever since. I’m hoping to begin making some money after about 2 years. It’s been a grind, but I have loved every minute.
Loadout Room: Are you a one-man shop? Do you manufacturer and assemble the NeoMag’s yourself in your shop?
NeoMag: Technically I am a one-man shop. I do the engineering, prototyping, Project managing, package design, web design, fulfillment, customer service, etc. I have assembled thousands of NeoMags on my own. But demand became more than what I could do on my own. And this is why I said “technically” before. I have had some great people come along side of me that just wanted to see me and the NeoMag succeed. I have a hard time considering myself a one-man shop for that reason.
Loadout Room: How did you come up with the design of the Sword and Trowel logo?
NeoMag: I have had a love for the story of Nehemiah in the bible for a very long time. To summarize very quickly he was tasked with rebuilding the wall that was destroyed around Jerusalem. He faced a lot of danger and required a lot of bravery to make it happen. At at point his enemies threatened to attack them while rebuilding. Nehemiah’s response to his people was to continue building with one hand and carry a weapon in the other. That has been how I see my responsibility as a husband, father, son, brother, etc. Keep doing what needs to be done, but be ready to defend.
The logo comes from combining heraldry with the story of Nehemiah in the bible. The two-headed eagle represents the combining of forces; build & protect. The trowel is a tool to build, the sword a tool to protect. The bricks in the crest represent what ever it is in our lives we are tasked to build up.
Loadout Room: What are you plans for the future?
NeoMag: I am always looking forward. I have big plans and dreams on where I would like to take the NeoMag and my business. I want to use more materials and finishes like copper, aluminum, and titanium. There are a lot of amazing things you can do with anodizing. I plan on investing in a fiber laser soon so I can offer custom designs and patterns. There are a lot of people who really enjoy having customized items in their daily carry and I have a lot of fun making customized items. I look up to companies like Keybar or Hellbent Holsters and what they have done to expand their customized products. At some point I would love to be able to manufacture everything in-house. I also have a few other product ideas that I plan on getting into over the next year.
To learn more about NeoMag checkout their website and Facebook page.
