Where is your Watt Wagons Bike & other things for that matter?!

Singin to the choir here... Sent a request for info over 3 weeks ago on a question about the frame I purchased from WW, a question, a question was all I was asking.
I placed (3) separate e-mails to the "contact us" menu on the WW site and I JUST got an answer which said no we can't help your better to go directly to the manufacturer over in Germany. Thanks for the assistance.

Quick story:
Back in the 90's I was working for an excellent smaller Electrical Contractor out here in SD and quality and production were fantastic.
Then... They got purchased by a large construction outfit from Canada. You guessed it. Quality went down because they had to expand too big to support the overhead and were spread to thin to be effective.
I spoke to the original owner and told him they needed to scale back so they could give adequate service to their customers but he said that train had already left the station.
So I quit and left. I then started my own company and was successful in managing my growth and profit by staying on the smaller side, about 2 mil a year for 11 years or so and then sold my business to an Electrical company out of LA that wanted to come down to SD and then retired.
That was back in 2012.

What happened to the original small company that got bought out? Two years later they were bankrupt and the original owner and (7) other investors were able to purchase the shop back and start again for a lot of dough. The $ he got from the original sale was in the form of "Stock" which ended up being worthless.

Another quick sad story:
A guy that used to work for me saw glory in owning his own business and did the same thing, bought off more than he could chew.
After a couple of years he was bribing school officials for jobs and the IRS was literally knocking at his door, I mean in person and they never do that unless it's dire.
So this guy one morning goes to the office, gets his coffee, sits down at his desk and eats a gun he had in his drawer. For what? money? Unreal I'm still pissed at him for that.

Moral of the story: Calculated growth is good, expanding too big too fast could have disastrous consequences.
Having all the money in the world doesn't make you a success. Producing a good quality product with integrity and honesty will take you farther along in the long run. JMO.
 
Last edited:
Singin to the choir here... Sent a request for info over 3 weeks ago on a question about the frame I purchased from WW, a question, a question was all I was asking.
I placed (3) separate e-mails to the "contact us" menu on the WW site and I JUST got an answer which said no we can't help your better to go directly to the manufacturer over in Germany. Thanks for the assistance.

Quick story:
Back in the 90's I was working for an Excellent smaller Electrical Contractor out here in SD and quality and production were fantastic.
Then... They got purchased by a large construction outfit from Canada. You guessed it. Quality went down because they had to expand too big to support the overhead and were spread to thin to be effective.
I spoke to the original owner and told him they needed to scale back so they could give adequate service to their customers but he said that train had already left the station.
So I quit and left. I then started my own company and was successful in managing my growth and profit by staying on the smaller side, about 2 mil a year for 11 years or so and then sold my business to an Electrical company out of LA that wanted to come down to SD and then retired.
That was back in 2012.

What happened to the original small company that got bought out? Two years later they were bankrupt and the original owner and (7) other investors were able to purchase the shop back and start again for a lot of dough. The $ he got from the original sale was in the form of "Stock" which ended up being worthless.

Another quick sad story:
A guy that used to work for me saw glory in owning his own business and did the same thing, bought off more than he could chew.
After a couple of years he was bribing school officials for jobs and the IRS was literally knocking at his door, I mean in person and they never do that unless it's dire.
So this guy one morning goes to the office, gets his coffee, sits down at his desk and eats a gun he had in his drawer. For what? money? Unreal I'm still pissed at him for that.

Moral of the story: Calculated growth is good, expanding too big too fast could have disastrous consequences.
Having all the money in the world doesn't make you a success. Producing a good quality product with integrity and honesty will take you farther along in the long run. JMO.
I like it that you don't say humble opinion. I almost always discount the humble opinion because anyone worth his salt is not THAT humble. :)
 
I will request @ebike_enthusiast to ping you on working out a swap to hydra / UC pro or request a refund.
@pushkar @ebike_enthusiast I am still waiting on email confirmation of my cancellation/refund.

e69309cf-7f34-4782-af45-927ad6336096-jpeg.101401
 
Nah, the titanium UC Pro is closest to what the Helios was supposed to be. But that’s thousands more $$$. the hydra isn’t the awesome commuter all the “founders” invested their time and money in. Lots have switched to different bikes tho.
 
Just got an update on my stove. Earliest date is 1st week of January! So we will have 2 Christmas dinners without a stove. This is brutal and sad.
 
I would’ve bought a replacement at home depot or wherever months ago. That’s hundreds for a new stove versus $6k for a hydra. when a warranty replacement comes in put it on craigslist. Over a year without a stove does suck, sorry.
 
I would’ve bought a replacement at home depot or wherever months ago. That’s hundreds for a new stove versus $6k for a hydra. when a warranty replacement comes in put it on craigslist. Over a year without a stove does suck, sorry.
You're not wrong. A lot of time was spent on the repair process. Took many visits and a few months of suffering before they finally decided to warranty it.

Then it was supposed to be here in May. Then July. Pushed to September and now January.

Gonna buy something at Home D now. Returning it in January.
 
Oh.

What is grow apart? And what is "that opinion" Acme?
Not sure 'what' you mean by "what", but because "the opinion"... "anyone worth his salt is not THAT humble" implies even Jesus Christ was inferior to a Red-Headed Madman, 'such opposites, share no destiny' - would be my version.
I couldn't agree more. Anger is a reaction to fear. A man will shrink to depravity in fear.
Hot-heads are common and commentary on 'the loudest being the least correct' range from Socrates, to Nietzsche, laughing at the absurdity.
The Tao, even the Bible stress calm consideration, from "Never let the sun set on your anger", to the prayer Jesus taught.
-
He might be on to something.
 
Singin to the choir here... Sent a request for info over 3 weeks ago on a question about the frame I purchased from WW, a question, a question was all I was asking.
I placed (3) separate e-mails to the "contact us" menu on the WW site and I JUST got an answer which said no we can't help your better to go directly to the manufacturer over in Germany. Thanks for the assistance.

Quick story:
Back in the 90's I was working for an excellent smaller Electrical Contractor out here in SD and quality and production were fantastic.
Then... They got purchased by a large construction outfit from Canada. You guessed it. Quality went down because they had to expand too big to support the overhead and were spread to thin to be effective.
I spoke to the original owner and told him they needed to scale back so they could give adequate service to their customers but he said that train had already left the station.
So I quit and left. I then started my own company and was successful in managing my growth and profit by staying on the smaller side, about 2 mil a year for 11 years or so and then sold my business to an Electrical company out of LA that wanted to come down to SD and then retired.
That was back in 2012.

What happened to the original small company that got bought out? Two years later they were bankrupt and the original owner and (7) other investors were able to purchase the shop back and start again for a lot of dough. The $ he got from the original sale was in the form of "Stock" which ended up being worthless.

Another quick sad story:
A guy that used to work for me saw glory in owning his own business and did the same thing, bought off more than he could chew.
After a couple of years he was bribing school officials for jobs and the IRS was literally knocking at his door, I mean in person and they never do that unless it's dire.
So this guy one morning goes to the office, gets his coffee, sits down at his desk and eats a gun he had in his drawer. For what? money? Unreal I'm still pissed at him for that.

Moral of the story: Calculated growth is good, expanding too big too fast could have disastrous consequences.
Having all the money in the world doesn't make you a success. Producing a good quality product with integrity and honesty will take you farther along in the long run. JMO
170,000 business went down because of the Great Recession that ended in 2013.
Stocks are worthless - unless they have a warrant. Bond holders always come first in any settlement - my cred 1983 - 86 Level III derivatives trader. To write options, a test demonstrating knowledge of puts/ calls, spreads, strategies, underlying instruments, time/ intrinsic value depreciation hedges/ futures/ options on futures, currency fluctuation effects
Your friend got burned - but I note he won and hope he made a comfortable retirement for himself.
I prefer cottage industry to corporate monoliths.
-
The guy that worked for you that committed more crimes than he could hide, but couldn't do the time.
A sad story that says volumes on how a lust for money - the motivation - drove a man to kill himself. I avoid talking bad of the dead. They've paid their "wages".
Still, bribery does not follow as a result of 'biting off more than one can chew'.
-
'Small business', to 'business law' (minor/ electives), nothing "business" past MA in my own resume, I know a few things.
Exactly what you've said: the number one cause of business failure is expanding too fast and being overwhelmed - not the mutually exclusive paths of 'being overwhelmed' = 'ethical failure'.
-
A contractor did some remodel for us, my other half chatting with him while I'm at work was distressed and knowing I have a weathered but softened heart - and my tradecrafts - asked me to talk to him.
Craftsmen are the blocks of the salt of my Earth. I lent an ear and heard a hardworking, respectable, small-shop professional, an artist at his craft was faced with unethical clients, unilaterally renegotiating contracts - after the job was completed - was on the verge of bankruptcy as a result.
I requested documents and drew my own 'guestimate' of the situation. It all started with 'the best possible materials' not being available - yes, juggling jobs was a part; everybody's resources tied up and a some client demanding more work - without pay.
His credit teetering from buying materials, his dream crushed because he has workers to pay; a home; two children.
As you say 'a good quality product with integrity and honesty' - on the verge of bankruptcy - because a client in LaJolla insisted on the Iroko Wood for the elevator - which material was suddenly on the "Mad African Dictator Income", No No list. He had $30k in materials, unpaid and sitting, for the job, plus they owed $60 for previous materials, but had paid well over $100k for materials to start. His unpaid labor costs were north of $60k. No Iroko, no pay.
I pointed him in a direction; provided a couple forms, helped him explain himself in a way that accurately pleaded his case; he did the work - well, I admit I arranged for filings and process service/ research/ asset locating/ lien creation and filings - uh, at his direction, you understand. Sort of a Legal Guy Friday, I don't give legal advice. I obey the law.
-
Three letters, two appearances later: 1) the court ordered this 'client' (who's representative son - while I was making a call - laughed at the prevailing plaintiff contractor outside the court room, making it clear 'it'll never happen') to pay three separate claims.
2) Within hours LexisNexis notified me of attempts to access bank account - assets frozen (ha,ha. yes it will happen) by process servers standing by at my direction, awaiting the call I placed outside the courtroom, on schedule, to serve the Bank Levies on, 3) the assets my agency had uncovered months before the verdict.
So, naturally, 4) the matter went back to court for the "I can't pay my bills your Honor" stuff.
This, 5) failed miserably, 6) incurring additional court costs and fees, mandatory payment schedules that if disobeyed incurred criminal penalties, and 7) the cabinetmaker was fully paid - even reimbursed the $400 for my Process Server team that slammed the vault doors shut.
Nice !!!
-
Not nice though. During the 11 month 'gestation' from letters to any cash flow, his small company choked, withered and died.
Like your friend, I'm sure he's back tho. The right stuff. I'm glad I could help out.
-
Hell yes I believe in contracts/ ethics/ fair play/ communication, etc.
The X1 is around $600, here https://innotrace--shop-de.translat...tr_sl=de&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc
It says they're available.
 

Attachments

  • 1638717951532.gif
    1638717951532.gif
    43 bytes · Views: 275
Back