Today we’d like to introduce you to Flavio Pellegrino.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My passion is designing products that meet a need and solve everyday problems. My inspiration has always been my father, Frank Pellegrino. He was a modern day Leonardo da Vinci. There was nothing he could not accomplish with his hands. He was an Italian immigrant that came to the US and only after being here for a few years was drafted into the US Army to fight in the Korean War. He was such a talented man that if it involved his hands, he could build it. He was a furniture builder, painter, craftsman, carpenter, photographer, mechanic, and much more. He would always tell me that everyone has a different talent and skill and someday I would find out what mine was.
To this day, I’m still trying to find my “talent” or a skill that I excel in, but the reality is nothing comes easy and I fight each day be better at what I do. I’ve always been a creative individual and thought my calling was advertising or marketing. After about twenty years in corporate sales and marketing, I quit my job to pursue my passion of designing my own products and being my own boss.
We’ve all heard the saying that ideas are a dime a dozen…well up until a start-up called Kickstarter was launched, designers and inventors, like myself, didn’t have an easy means of raising funds to bring these ideas to life. Crowdfunding, in my case Kickstarter, was now a way for inventors to raise capital for their products, share their ideas, and get noticed.
My first project on Kickstarter was The Fly Pry. After working in my hot garage all day on one of my designs, it was time to cool off with a cold beer, however I couldn’t find a bottle opener. I opened up my tool box and found an old brass sleeping bag zipper pull. I quickly made a few modifications and turned it into a bottle opener. That is when the light bulb moment came to me. A bottle opener the size of a zipper pull that could always be with you on your jacket, backpack, or fly. My first project on Kickstarter went viral and was picked up by Maxim Magazine, Wired, Upscout, Cool Material, Uncrate, and about two dozen more gadget review blogs and media outlets. The project had over 640 backers.
To date, I’ve had six fully funded campaigns on Kickstarter, however my most successful has been TRAK. TRAK is an acronym for Titanium Runner’s Anywhere Knife. The idea for TRAK came to me after reading an article about the increasing incidents of assaults on lone female joggers. As a father of two daughters, I felt that the alternative self defense products out there were not sufficient in preventing further assaults, in fact, those very products could be used against the female runners. So after some thought and multiple revisions, I came up with the world’s first knife designed for runners. What makes TRAK unique is it’s made out of titanium, which is ultra-lightweight, will not rust, and has my Secure Grip Retention system. What this means is that when gripped or held in your hand, it cannot be dropped or taken away from you. This is key, since the last thing you would want to happen is drop the knife and had the assailant use it on you. You can see more info and my Kickstarter link here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1975082129/trak-titanium-runners-anywhere-knife/description
We had 1180 backers on Kickstarter and raised over $70,000. Just after the start of our campaign, national news outlets started reporting on the murders of two female runners, Karina Vetrano and Vanessa Marcotte. Both of these incidents hit close to home since it was exactly why I designed TRAK. With the generosity of our TRAK backers on Kickstarter, we were able to raise over $500 for Karina Vetrano and donate it to her Go Fund Me page. If TRAK can prevent just one of these assaults from happening in the future, then I’ve done my job. My designs are intended to be solutions to everyday problems. And unfortunately, crime is happens to be one of those problems.
What’s in the future for Gear On The Fly? I’m currently working on my 7th Kickstarter project, which also happens to be a knife design. This one will be designed with the business traveler in mind. You can watch for announcements by signing up for my newsletter over at www.TRAKknife.com.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
No, it has not been a smooth road. Leaving a secure corporate job with a six figure income, company car, and health insurance is never easy – and my wife still brings it up to this day. On the other hand, life is about being happy, having no regrets, and taking chances. My passion is what drives me forward and the corporate world was just a means for paying the bills.
Please tell us about Gear On The Fly.
My company, Gear On The Fly, LLC, designs and manufactures custom and handmade knives, tools, and gadgets. We specialize in products made from titanium, but also work with other high quality tool steels, Damascus, and US forged steels. What I’m most proud of is that my designs are carried and used by thousands of people and will be around long after I’m gone. Hundreds or thousands of years from now, an archeologist will dig up one of my titanium tools and it will look just as good as it does today. That assures my legacy will never be forgotten. What sets me apart from others, is that most of my products are made one at a time, by hand, by me. I adhere to the minimalist design principle that was pioneered by Dieter Rams. Only focus on the essential aspects of design and do not burden with non-essentials.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
If I had to start over, I wouldn’t have been so hesitant or let me fear of rejection drive my passion. I’ve had designs in my head going back to as early as 9-10 years old. It wasn’t until I was 40 that I decided to pursue this passion.
Pricing:
- Titanium TRAK Knife – $55
- Titanium “Fly Pry” Bottle Opener – $30
- The Dice Tool – $39
- Mokuti Titanium Damascus Fly Pry Bottle Opener – $130
Contact Info:
- Address: Saugus, MA 01906
- Website: www.TheFlyPry.com and www.TRAKknife.com
- Phone: 617-281-4911
- Email: sales@theflypry.com and info@TRAKknife.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theflypry
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meettrak/
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
