Three Months In: What We’ve Learned Starting NTMG
It’s been just three months since we launched shopntmg.com. What started as a fun idea with the kids is now turning into something real. We’re parents with no e-commerce background, so we're figuring things out as we go, making mistakes, celebrating wins, and learning faster than we imagined.
Getting started
We spent months sketching logos, testing samples, and debating names. But everything became real when our first stock arrived and we hit publish on the site. It's true what they say, there’s no perfect time. You’ll never know everything. But once you launch, you start learning fast. Our first sale, first review, and first carnival event taught us more than months of research ever could.
We went through dozens of names: SWAZ, Panna, BallTek, Knuckleball. Nothing felt right. Then came NTMG (nutmeg) and something just clicked.
We could trademark it, get the domain, socials, and the logo looked great. It was perfect for what we're trying to do.
Carnivals
When we started NTMG, we had no idea how important face-to-face sales would be. At Leichardt, parents and kids tried on our shin pads and gave us instant feedback. A month later at Marlin Coast, the same thing happened again, and those conversations ended up shaping a whole new product.
Now we see kids running around Cairns every weekend in Nutmegs. That feeling, seeing your own brand out on the pitch is hard to beat.
Going forward, face-to-face sales will stay a big part of what we do. We want to keep building online by offering great value, quality products, and exceptional customer service. But we also want to keep showing up in person, listening, and learning. That’s how we’ll keep improving.
What's Next
Now that the basics are in place, the next step is improving on everything. We’re refining the website, testing new ad ideas, talking to more customers, as well as working on developing our product line. We’re not aiming for perfect, just better each week. That’s the plan for the next month two.
Follow our journey as we keep building, learning, and sharing what works (and what doesn’t). Who knows, you might find something here that sparks your own idea!