From “Nice Little Side Project” to... Whatever This Is Now

Somewhere back in 2021, someone described me (publicly, I might add) as “a well-intended hobbyist with a meaningful job.” He then went onto tell people to shop elsewhere at the more proper real professional vendors out there.

And honestly, it still makes me smirk.

Not because it was true — it wasn’t. JP was already over a decade old by then, with six figures worth of stock piled in the garage, industrial shelving buckling under the weight, and enough jiffy bags to wallpaper the moon. But sure. Hobbyist.

Still, it stuck with me — mostly because it highlighted something a lot of people think: that if something is born from passion, it can’t possibly be professional. That if you enjoy it, it must be just a pastime. A distraction. A bit of a faff.

It wasn’t. It isn’t. And it’s become more focused than ever.

The Turning Point

Lockdown was the start of the shift — not the whole story. It supercharged what had already been quietly growing for years. Orders multiplied, routines blurred, and JP suddenly became part of a lot of people’s “something to do” list.

But the real turning point? That came later.

2024 cemented it. A year where personal upheaval, reflection, and a few hard decisions all collided. While lockdown kicked the door open, it was the events of that year that really pushed things forward — emotionally, professionally, and mentally.

JP became a strange kind of anchor through all of it. Some days, the only reason I kept going was because someone out there needed a 3PDT board. It sounds silly, but there’s something powerful in being useful, in being part of someone’s creative process when everything else feels a bit untethered.

Funny how these things work.

Not Just a Side Project

Fast-forward to now, and things look different. JP’s still running out of a garage, but it’s well-oiled. A small team keeps orders flying out the door. My dad helps me loads, and without him, it just wouldn’t tick the way it does.

And while I’ve never shouted it from the rooftops, let’s just say JP gets my full attention these days. The shift from “part of what I do” to “this is me” has happened, slowly and quietly.

The work still means something to me. It always has. But now there’s time to think about where it’s going too.

A New Way to Set Goals

After years of running on fumes and high stress, I’m finally trying something new: setting goals that don’t wreck me.

They’re small. Quiet. Realistic. Things I can achieve without tipping over into burnout. And that’s intentional. I’m done with beating myself up for not doing enough, fast enough, well enough. The aim is to finish the year strong, not in pieces.

Maybe you can relate. If you’ve ever felt like you’re sprinting in circles, here are a few things I’ve learned about self-compassion:

• Set goals based on your capacity, not your potential.

• Small wins count — a cleared bench, a finished build, a nice email.

• You don’t need to earn rest. You’re allowed it, no questions asked.

• Talk to yourself how you’d talk to someone you love.

• Perfect doesn’t exist. Done does. That’s enough.

  
  

It sounds soft. It’s not. It’s survival. Especially if you’re rebuilding your life, one careful step at a time.

Community Wins

One of the most rewarding things this year has been watching our Circuits for Soundclips idea come to life.

We sent a few out to see what would happen — and what came back? Honest tones, amazing demos, creative uses we hadn’t imagined. People putting their spin on JP kits and sharing them proudly. It’s been brilliant.

We will be uploading a bunch of them to the JP YouTube channel slowly but surely — and if you’re one of the people who took part, seriously, thank you. You made something special.

That one small idea turned into a genuine community win. Exactly the kind of thing that makes all this feel worth it.

So What Are We Now?

We’re not just a hobby. We’re not a lockdown fluke. We've lasted longer than Peleton, Lizz Truss and Donalds Tarriffs.

JP exists because we love the process, the builds, the connection — and because people like you keep showing up.

Whether you’ve been around since the days when the “design process” involved a biro and a kitchen table (some of them still do, let’s be honest), or you just placed your first order yesterday — thank you. You’re part of it.

Here’s to steady steps, a healthier pace, and more moments that feel good.

Cheers for driving it.

Jed

Just a random photo I took recently