Since the bobcat has been released today, you might have read the description and wondered what happened with my activity with riverbay. I can’t show you what happened, but I can tell you.
A little over a year ago, I got the idea to make my own yoyo company. I just didn’t know where to start. At NJ States 2015 I met Charlie Braun. We hung out for most of the contest and I told him about my idea. We face timed and talked about which direction we should take the company. We quickly came up with a name, Yolo YoYo.
Soon after that, I started designing the yoyo, The Yolo Yoyo Falcon. It was designed to be a fast yoyo that could handle whatever you throw at it. I designed a high-performance fingerspin hub that takes very little effort to land. We both were very happy with it until I was writing about my company on the forum and was told that I could not possibly do it because I was only 12, also, the name was not a hit. Immediately, Charlie and I brainstormed a new name for the company and the yoyo because the name was taken. We finally thought of something, Riverbay yoyos, we chose this name because we lived in two cities with great rivers. I live in Philly with the Schuylkill River and Delaware River, and Charlie lives in NYC with the Hudson River. We decided to call the Falcon the Bobcat because it is an animal that shares the qualities of our yoyo.
After we had everything planned out, we decide to make a team. Our team consisted of Andrew Pesce, Ryan Connolly, Luke Trautwein, Charlie, and me, Ben McNeary.
After setting up the team I found out how much it would be to manufacture the yoyos. I was very overwhelmed because I was 12 and was unable to find a way to raise money and I didn’t think we would succeed. Once I realized that something worse happened, my mentor and friend, AJ Kirk passed away. I was very upset about all of these things and I decided to give up my position to Charlie and leave the team, but I would keep designing yoyos if we succeeded.
A few months later I got I text saying that he found a new designer and I would not be needed. My design was remastered and all of the features that I made were kept. I was glad my general design was kept but sad that I had no part in the company that I started. Soon after, Luke and Andrew left but more people were added. Soon the bobcats were made and I bought one. It was exactly how I wanted it to be. I could do any type of trick with it. I wish I stayed with Riverbay, but I look forward to what happens next in my yoyoing career.
If you made it to the end thanks for reading and go check out a bobcat.