LOCAL ENTREPRENEUR FINDS SUPPORT FOR INSULATED HAMMOCK
Widely recognized as a premier outdoor destination, Chattanooga was designated “Best in the U.S.” in 2018 by Lonely Planet. The city is also home to a large number of small-business owners who cater to outdoor enthusiasts. One of these is local entrepreneur Seth Hill, founder of the SWAYY insulated hammock.
Hill has taken advantage of Chattanooga’s commitment to young innovators and has found the community to be very welcoming of his start-up business. “I took a trip to New York while I was developing SWAYY,” he said, “and I noticed a cut-throat atmosphere. Here in Chattanooga if you ask for advice, people are quick to help you move your business forward.”
Hill got the idea for SWAYY during a summer camping trip. He and his companions chose to sleep in hammocks, and they all woke up shivering. His first thought the following morning was, “Why does no one insulate hammocks?”
The idea of an insulated hammock migrated to the back of his mind while he went to Indonesia to serve as a student missionary. After his year abroad, Hill returned to his studies at Southern Adventist University, which included a course on entrepreneurship.
“I presented my business proposal for SWAYY to the class in an end-of-the-year project,” he recalls. “Everyone in the class thought it was a great idea, so I created it.”
First he made a fully functioning prototype of the insulated hammock for his business proposal, then he was able to use that prototype when talking with potential funders and manufacturers. Last but not least, the initial hammock served as a guide for making the final product.
A Kickstarter Campaign that was launched for SWAYY in April 2018 lasted a total of 21 days. It surpassed Hill’s goal of $25,000, raising a total of $28,000.