Believe it or not, but some people actually dream to build a business where they produce a product in the USA with USA laborers and material giving USA people jobs. I cannot speak for Rage, as I know they do produce their actual product over seas. However, I can speak on behalf of three very good friends of mine in the hunting industry. Mike of Magnus Broadheads, and also Dave and Brad of DSD. Both could definitely have their products made over in China to offer a product that costs less to manufacture and yields them greater returns. However, I know first hand, that in both cases, the owners of these companies take greater pride in making a product in the USA and employing people right there in their home towns. Does that line up with your Shark Tank model? No. Do any of them live in $500,000 homes or drive $60,000 trucks with graphics ... No. You would be shocked if you knew the truth. Could both make more by moving to China, yep, but they don't. Both have been ripped off. Magnus is ripped off every day by sellers on Ebay and Amazon who sell using the Magnus name, broadheads made in China. I have stood right there at ATA and other trade shows when an Asian gentleman personally handed me a blade that is a the exact copy of a Magnus blade, trying to persuade us to manufacture in China. When it was explained that Mike holds the patent on that blade, he immediately went running. Then there was the time that DSD was ripped off by Dakota Decoys, Dave Constantine, and Brooks Johnson when they copied a turkey decoy and had it made in China a few years ago. Is it legally right and fair for them to be ripped off? Hell no it isn't. Magnus and DSD take it on the chin and often have to deal with warranty claims made on copy cat products that are not theirs. Further, every copy cat sale is potentially a sale that they themselves did not get.
Look, I took an idea and built a successful business of my own. I hold a patent that I license to John Deere actually. In under 10 years, I built a business from nothing, literally risking everything, using 100% USA labor and materials. I had people cry that I was too expensive. I had people try to compete through cheaper outlets ... they couldn't. At the end of 9.5 years, I sold that business and retained all of my patent rights. I personally know what goes into risking it all for a dream and it paid off for me. There is no sin in making money and achieving personal wealth. I won't apologize to anyone for my situation, as I was the one who personally put it all on the line. For anyone to criticize me for my home, my acres of personal hunting ground, and my truck ... is pure jealousy because they are not willing to risk it all like I did. I am personal friends with so many hard working American business owners who have similar dreams. Nothing pisses me off more than to see slime balls rip off someone else's intellectual property that they have worked so hard to create. What further pisses me off is when someone knowingly supports a counterfeit market.