It can be quite difficult to carry all your class materials in one go, especially at a university as large as LSU.
Architecture student Max Salvant created a solution: SketchStak, a brand of magnetic notebooks that interconnect with one another like Lego bricks.
After the success of his initial version of SketchStak, he created a second version made from neodymium magnets.
Now, instead of having to connect the inside of the notebook to the inside of the other, version two is going to have the magnets embedded into the front covers of the notebook.
“The idea is with magnets on these notebooks and sketchbooks, whether through your school work or your outside of school stuff, grocery lists, notes, whatever you do, you can easily organize them with these magnetic covers,” Salvant said.
Salvant said this project started last semester, when he started posting content on TikTok and Instagram with version one, which was made from fridge magnets bound to paper.
“We sold out of those in January,” Salvant said. “We did about 200 orders of [that] version.”
It took Salvant a long time to develop the second version of the product because the manufacturing process involves shipping the magnets from up north to Louisiana. Salvant said that this product is based and designed in Louisiana, and all elements of SketchStak are made in the United States.
The new version not only allows for the notebooks to attach, like with the initial product, but also for accessories to attach to the new covers. Salvant said that it can connect to anything with metal like pens, for instance.
“It even is compatible with [Apple’s] MagSafe,” Salvant said. “Anything that has some sort of metallic element can be attached.”
Many of Salvant’s orders for version one came from TikTok Shop. He said that he had somebody from almost every state order one. The product would not be on the second iteration if the algorithm had not pushed his videos to users’ feeds.
“You can just post organic content and get people to see if it’s interesting,” Salvant said. “That’s how I did all of it. I haven’t paid for any marketing. It’s all been free content that I’ve recorded and posted — all the content I filmed was here in Louisiana.”
Salvant said that his product can help users of all professions, from electricians to artists. He said that his primary market for version two of SketchStak is students, with a tentative release date of the product before the beginning of the fall semester.
Taylor Hamilton is a digital advertising senior and said she likes the concept behind the product being great for students and faculty members to stay organized.
She said she would be willing to try the product and believes it would be quite beneficial to her field, as organization is key when times get busy.
“It’s thoughtful, practical and definitely has the potential to become something people use consistently,” Hamilton said. “I personally tend to stick with systems I use repeatedly, so I would be curious to see how it could fit into my routine in a consistent manner.”
Another field where SketchStak can be helpful is landscape architecture. Golden Richard, a first-year student in the landscape architecture program, said being able to click the notebook and sketchbook together to use both is very useful. He said it seems like a cool and convenient product.
“While I’m unsure if I’d buy it, I know where I’d go to get it,” Richard said. “I could see it being useful on-site, as being able to take notes and sketches while standing and having it not feel clunky would be useful.”
However, some students like Connor Wootan, a bioengineering freshman think the invention is too much. While he thinks the product itself is creative, he feels like it does not offer any advantage over to a regular paper notebook.
“I felt like it was trying to reinvent the wheel a little bit,” Wootan said. “The magnetic aspect is cool and all, it’s just I don’t see an actual application where you would use it consistently enough. Like I could see if you’re trying to put it up against a wall or such, but with the study rooms and where I study, there’s already whiteboards and stuff around to use.”
Salvant said that anyone interested in creating a product should attempt it as soon as possible, using the assets at their fingertips to gain traction and maintain sales.
“Every failure will lead you to a step closer to the success you’re looking for,” Salvant said.
For someone trying to create a product, Salvant said to post about it on various social media channels to test the market. He said that it is free to post on TikTok to see if the product is even something people would be interested in.
“You don’t need to wait a year to develop it and then post it after. Even if you want to keep the idea private, or if it’s a new concept, just post it,” Salvant said. “Then you’ll gain the traction to go and push even faster to get it made and delivered to the people that are looking for what you need.”
