Friends,

I realize that the my silence around some changes in HSPIN has lead to all kinds of rumors. I hope to resolve them with this post. The below email was sent to the HSPIN NETWORK on July 29.

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Friends,

On July 6, I had a very important and relieving meeting with the other four shareholders of HSPIN. You don't know them, but they are my best friends who have always supported me in the background.

With the advent of my daughter, with my family moving to Switzerland in August, and with the new exciting job I accepted <...>, I will have even less time for yoyos. I know I already frustrated some of you with the lack of attention.

As for myself, I have to be honest and admit that yoyos became a burden to me, no longer fun. We lost USD >30'000 over the last two years, which is appalling. The primary reason for this, is that I was too generous. So I started to worry about finances, and the fun was out of the window.

I got married playing the yoyo, and yoyos will always be dear to me. But I need to be realistic about my capacity.

So during the above meeting, we <...> decided to go back 7 years, when I did this just for fun with my own ideas.

HSPIN will continue. I will produce 1-2 yoyo batches a year. These yoyos will be my own brain childs, and will again be my personal "extravagant", weird style - which is what made HSPIN famous 10 years ago.

I will have to cut <...> costs, including sponsoring, travel, TShirts, stickers, <...>.

I don't want to stop the Network, as many of you I have built solid friendships with. I want to revive the HSPIN Family as it was in 2005: Few people dear to me and to HSPIN, which have significantly supported HSPIN at some point in time. I will not be able to support you financially, or with yoyos (at least not with many). But I would be proud to count you in on becoming part of the HSPIN Family. Technically, this also means you are free to join other teams if you wish. But be careful, find a good one.

You are the first ones to know this. Does it come as a surprise? I don't hope so. But if it feels weird, I want to assure you, it feels weird for me too.

<...>.

As for HSPIN: I will focus on getting the BEYOND ENVY ready. Slowly though. And I have a new design in mind for afterwards. A weird, exciting and expensive one.

Talk to you soon I hope,
ChrisK

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My favority German rap band "Die Fantastischen Vier" has a line that goes

   Dieses Haus ist besetzt ohne Pause bis jetzt
   denn wir kamen zuerst und wir gehen auch zuletzt
   Buenos Dias Messias auch wenn's dir nicht paßt
   du bist nur Gast hier du faßt hier nichts an.

What they mean, is that they were the first proper German rap band, and since then, there has not been any significant competition, and that there won't be any until they decide to disappear.

What I mean with quoting them.... is obvious ;) HSPIN was the first serious, incorporated European high end yoyo maker, and looking around us now, I think we are in a similar position as Die Fantastischen Vier.

Take care, be in touch,
Chris

HSPIN NETWORK meeting in London from Chris K on Vimeo.

The HSPIN NETWORK was launched 3 years ago, as the first team intended to work as digital collaborative platform to support what it takes to run HSPIN. Here are some reflections:

1) Every single current or passed member was hand picked by me. Most decisions have turned out to be great ones. Handpicking members is crucial for creating a "family" of enthusiasts.
2) Creating a team is actually more work than less. I had hoped to let others contribute significantly to some of the core activities of HSPIN in order to move faster and get bigger with the same net workload for me. This has proven to be very difficult, or impossible. Also, managing a team, and keeping everyone happy is a big task creating additional work.
3) Few is better than more. Roles were consolidated from more than six to only three. Regular HN member, competitor member and contractor.
4) Supporting a team properly is expensive. The HN knows this, I have been lamenting this for a year now :)
5) A genuine "drive" to build, a restlessness to do something or an ambition to make a lasting difference are personal features that only some are born with. I did my best attempt to pick members with these intrinsics in mind. That and loyalty.

You will see more change in the HSPIN NETWORK. Also many exciting signature yoyos. Shinya and Corli's yoyos are next.

Above is a fantastic video clip from a get-together of the European HN members in London. Flying in Shinya and Noel from abroad would have been wonderful, but expensive. We met to exchange ideas and plan the future of HSPIN. It was a memorable few days. Since then, Hadrien and Corli have joined our team who are unfortunately (like Noel and Shinya) not in the clip. Thanks everyone. Thanks Anamorphic for filming and editing.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy,

ChrisK