Home tested: Scott Essex has invented a sports panel that extends the life of backyard swing-sets

By Dave Yochum

Scott Essex had an idea, applied for a U.S. patent, and launched a business. If it grows the way he thinks it will, it’s likely he will lease flex space and hire a professional manager.

The 44-year-old, would-be entrepreneur — he is a risk management executive at a bank — has created a “game-day target” that converts swing sets into a fun-to-use, confidence-building practice system for young baseball, football and soccer players.

The Cornelius resident launched the business one year ago. “It’s a passion that turned into a commercially viable venture,” the father of two boys, 7 and 9, says. Always involved in local sports leagues, Essex realized his sons were struggling with throwing a baseball to first base on a consistent basis.

He devised a vinyl panel with compelling graphics — complete with holes appropriate for pitches and long throws —  that can be hung from the swing sets kids outgrow by the time they’re 7 or 8. There is a net attached to the back so balls don’t go wild. An architect by training, Essex did all the artwork himself.

“The whole concept was to support them while playing youth athletics and enjoy it as much as possible,” Essex said.

The fact that it’s the first target practice panel to convert a swing-set warranted a patent.

He got the idea back in August of 2009, conducted research the next month and developed a prototype during October, November and December, focusing on the design, layout, attaching the panel to the swingset, keeping it taut and staying in place.

All told, Essex has spent $10,000 to $15,000 on a patent attorney, a good-looking, active web site and prototypes. It will probably take another 12 to 18 months to find out if the U.S. patent is officially granted.

Right now, Essex can produce about 30 or 40 a month, thanks to a production agreement with a billboard company in New York City.

But he’s selling less than 10 a month.

At roughly $225-$240 each, that’s not bad, but Essex sees the opportunity to really ramp up production. The manufacturing process is completed with grommets and hemming, then packaging and shipping. By marketing to youth sports leagues the market could be in the tens of thousands per year.

He thinks the business, which he anticipates staying family controlled, could be able to get to $500,000 a year in revenue fairly quickly. “If we can get to that run rate, then we scale it and make more investments from there,” Essex said, explaining that he would hire help and ramp up production.

There are no plans to sell Practice Makes Perfect panels via retail outlets, focusing instead on internet sales.

“If I can make it commercially viable, even in a small way, if it were to scale and go, it’s almost like inventing the job you want,” Essex said. “If there was an uptick, there’s always a chance of demand you can’t handle…and if demand grows…if we hit 20 or 30 a month, I would say, ‘let’s get some space.’”