I’m not the type to be super public, but this project is a big part of what I believe and who I am. It’s my outlet, and if I’m not sharing the background, these are just products on a page without any real meaning. This is my chance to open up and connect with people who get what this is all about.

So, why is this different from our About page? I intend to keep updating this page with my thoughts as we go—kind of like a public journal. This is where I’m coming from and what the project aims to do. Nothing is more frustrating to me than a soulless brand. The longer we go, the more I hope this page fills up. We can look back and see how the project develops and how our thoughts evolve while staying true to our purpose. This helps keep us accountable because losing sight of the vision sucks. It’s our north star.

What is this? Why call it a "project" and not a "business"? 9997 is everything I’ve wanted from the start. Not to be corny, but this has been my dream since I was a kid—even before I knew it was possible to design products for a living.

I see it as a place where I can create the things I want. It’s a space where I can work with others who feel the same gravity toward making. Everything we put out grows from a seed of an idea into something we need to see through and share. Even though not everything we make is a life-changing invention, they’re important to us. I don’t want anything we create to feel like a quick cash grab. I want to turn concepts that sprouted from inspirational moments into reality or experiment with them and learn to keep growing the brand.

These are the ideas I’ve had in my head, an accumulation of the time I've invested, the people who inspire me, and the experience I’ve gained.