Jon Richards is a compulsive experimenter. “Whether business, health, or personal-growth related, I’m constantly testing ideas,” he says. “Trying new things helps me progress.” That mindset has propelled Richards as he’s grown Nomatic, a travel-gear company, with his cousin Jacob Durham.
The two grew up spending summers together at Hebgen Lake in Montana. They spent the rest of the year as pen pals, sending letters between Utah, where Richards lived, and Arizona, Durham’s home state. “From a very young age, we became best friends,” Richards says.
The cousins eventually found themselves studying at BYU Marriott together. Not long after Richards graduated with his BS in business management, he and Durham, who was pursuing his MAcc, were brainstorming business ideas while watching a Utah Jazz game.
Kickstarter was relatively new, and Richards told Durham that they should look into crowdfunding—something Richards had heard about in a BYU Marriott class. “Jacob spent a ton of time researching and found that wallets had performed really well,” Richards recalls.
The duo prototyped a minimalist wallet in Durham’s basement. “The project launched on Kickstarter—probably prematurely, looking back on it now,” Richards says. They figured Durham, who was learning to sew, could make all the orders.
It was smooth sailing—until they sold 6,000 wallets on Kickstarter. “We ended up sourcing a factory in China,” Richards says, “and the rest is history.”
The company, originally called Basics Products, took off but ran into trademark challenges, a setback Richards now realizes was a blessing in disguise. Rebranded as Nomatic, the company shifted focus to designing travel bags, eventually adding apparel, luggage, and backpacks to its collection. “Our brand is much stronger and much more recognizable now,” Richards notes. “Some people start businesses with a plan, and some just push until something works. We are the latter—just trying our hand at something and refusing to quit.”
Creating gear for globe-trotters is a great fit for Richards, whose passion for exploring was cemented when he visited Uganda on a humanitarian trip soon after his mission. “I loved the people and the opportunities to serve. I taught business courses, built stoves and houses, and explored the country,” he says of his three-month excursion. “That experience opened my eyes to the world and made creating a travel brand feel natural.”
It was also an experience that would later reinforce the importance of offering first-class travel products that customers can trust. Richards says the company’s shift toward becoming a premium brand grew naturally out of designing products built to last. “Ultimately, we kind of forced ourselves into a premium brand because of the products we were designing. That wasn’t the initial goal, but people started recognizing us for quality and for the features we were offering.”
In its first nine years, Nomatic raised nearly $16 million through crowdfunding, and the company now helps its 26 employees attain personal fulfillment. “We’ve created programs to help our employees grow mentally, physically, spiritually, and socially,” Richards says. “It’s been amazing to see people achieving goals and changing their lives.”
For Richards and Durham, inspiring both customers and employees is just as important as delivering quality products. “We care deeply about people,” Richards says, “and that’s what our company is all about: empowering others to have confidence and become the best versions of themselves.”
