Dylan Tellam is another person here to assist home gym owners and many others that want to get in shape. As a Director of Product Engineering, he’s helping AbMat continue to innovate and push new products to the market. Dylan has a very curious and creative mind. It’ll be very interesting to see what AbMat releases next and in the future!
Okay, let’s go!
Your job title is “Director of Product Engineering” with Abmat. Can you describe what you do?
I can say something poetic like “I turn imagination into creation” but that’s actually more of the outcome of what I do. What I build is really less than 10% of my job.
Mostly I spend my time listening to people and thinking about what I just heard. When I do have an idea, I start working on it immediately. Then, it’s just try and fail as many times as it takes until I can look at whatever it is I’m building and say, “yep… it’s perfect.”
What’s going on at AbMat these days? You are primarily known for producing the AbMat, but you do more than that, correct?
When the Abmat was created it perfected a movement. And today the name “Abmat” has become synonymous with the sit-up. Crossfit gyms don’t just do sit-ups they do Abmat sit-ups!
The product has been so successful that it actually created a keyword. We decided to continue producing and sourcing new innovative fitness accessories to roll out under the Abmat brand. Very similar to how Kleenex became synonymous with tissue yet Kleenex still sells other paper goods.
What has been your favorite product or two that you helped design?
My favorite product is always the one I worked on most recently, because I know I put everything I got into it. But the most challenging product however was the Ab Amigo “Mini”.
Chris and Dan Gronkowski challenged me to redesign the original Ab Amigo so that it would cost 50% less to manufacture and weigh 70% less to save on shipping costs. All while maintaining its functionality.
At first, it seemed impossible but that just made me want to succeed even more. Took me about 100 try’s and a few months but I enjoyed every minute of it. In the end, the product was something to be proud of.
Can you tell us about something you wanted to create, but it failed?
They say success is a combination of good decisions, and making good decisions comes from experience. But experience only comes from trying. Pass or fail I try every day because I know whatever the outcome may be I’m still going to learn something.
For example, we spent a great deal of time trying to make a low-cost foam stepper and we never ended up bringing it to market. Throughout that process though we learned an enormous amount about alternative foams. So when you asked us to design an affordable set of sound suppression pads we were able to execute and produce “Crash Cushions” pretty quickly. So I’m looking forward to our next “failure.”
Guessing that you enjoy working in this industry? If so, why?
Truth be told, in my line of work I could have worked in any industry I wanted to. The industry is not what I’m in love with. What I’m in love with is the community that surrounds this industry. I find that people who care about themselves enough to care about their own health are usually going to care about other people too. And that’s the type of community I want to be apart of. Caring people who believe the only person they need to be better than is the person they were the day before.
It appears that you got your start in this industry by creating the Ab Amigo. Is that true? If so, can you explain how that idea came to you and why you actually decided to build one?
Absolutely, I originally used the gap under my dresser to hold my feet down for sit-ups but the dresser ended up breaking over time.
I didn’t make the Ab Amigo to sell it, I made it for me. I wanted someone to hold down my feet but there was no one around. So I made a device that simulated the support that I wanted. It was my brother Hank that convinced me to start selling them.
Not long after I got In contact with Austin McCarter (The President of Abmat) and we’ve been working together ever since.)
If possible, could you give a little hint as to how you and your company develop new products?
Although my title is “Director of Product Engineering” I don’t sit around all day thinking about what someone would be willing to buy. We don’t build markets for our products, we build products for the market, which is what makes us innovative and our products desirable.
Finally a HUGE thank you to Dylan for taking the time to do this! It’s greatly appreciated and look forward to following AbMat’s journey.
Subscribe below to get articles like this sent directly to your email: