Kids are expensive. The cost of raising a child to age eighteen is estimated at around $300 thousand, and that’s not counting a college education or the substantial emotional toll of living with someone going through puberty. Almost every parent will say that having kids is worth it, citing how rewarding it is to watch them grow and the unconditional love you have for them and all that junk, but wouldn’t it be nice if they could provide a more tangible benefit once in awhile? Doesn’t seem like too much to ask from the little nose pickers.

Shane Oien has gotten an extra benefit from his children that he never would have expected: the initial inspiration that has spawned into his new product, the YOO Board. While riding around on some kick scooters with his six-year-old son a couple summers ago, it struck him how flawed a product he was using. It was awkward and unstable, with small wheels and a narrow deck. It gave him the idea to build a scooter model on a base more similar to that of a longboard, allowing for a smoother, more comfortable ride that people of any age could enjoy. From there, his concept evolved through numerous iterations into the product he has today.

The “YOO” half of “YOO board” is key to the product’s appeal. Oien explained how “the personalization piece became really important for me because, nowadays, people only respond to things if they relate directly to them.” The “personalization piece” he’s referring to is the wide variety of options available for his customers to design their YOO Board to their style or taste. With customization methods ranging from simple patterned skins to complex hydro-printed, laser-etched, or one-off artisan designs on the deck alongside the equally diverse options available for the wheel and component colors, every part of the YOO Board can be customized to better suit its buyer’s wishes. Like a person’s clothing, computer, tattoos, or tastes, a YOO Board will act as an outlet through which one can broadcast their individuality.

The customization, however, doesn’t stop with form. The scooter industry has long been segmented, with widely different models depending on whether the scooter is to be used as a toy, for tricks, or for transportation. Oien questioned why a single product couldn’t appeal to all three types of users. The result is what he describes as “a highly customizable scooter that allows for different ride experiences” simply by changing the modular wheel kits available for the YOO Board. One of the more exciting developments came when a design change gave the scooter the ability to be transformed into a traditional longboard for an entirely different ride, which Oien felt opened it up to a whole new market of customers.

For Oien, YOO Board is destined to be as much a brand as a product, and he’s relishing the chance to create a culture that emphasizes individuality. He sees it as an opportunity to wholly dedicate himself to his own personal project, an aspect that has been absent from his professional life over the past decade, which he has spent placing consumer products for others. An entrepreneur at heart, he’s excited to begin producing and profiting off of an idea uniquely his own. “Hopefully I can do the things to make this successful and bring the vision forward,” Oien said. “Right now I feel like it’s a lot on me to make this successful, like any business is, and I’m excited to make something happen with it.”

And he’s nearing his goal: after securing some funding and arranging a marketing and distribution strategy, he’s planning to be getting YOO Boards into customer’s hands as soon as spring 2016. It’s a safe bet that the son who started it all will be getting one on the house.

Shane Oien and his fellow participants from The Oven will be presenting and discussing their businesses on Thursday, January 21 at The Bakery.