Living it fully, taking it lightly, and enjoying it just like it comes was my original attitude at the beginning. What happened first was the surprising realization of how many people would like to have a Branchboard. For the frequent question, “Where can I get one?” I could only give one answer: “I made it myself, and there is no place you can buy something like that.” This confronted me with the thought that my creation is not only about myself and my “private experiment” but seems to be something more that could be explored on many different levels and also together with other people.

The second thing, after some months or first years and many interactions, was that most questions, feedback, and tips started to repeat, revealing patterns and limitations of the “public perspective and opinion.” In my position, thinking about this project almost daily for a very long time and going through many possible scenarios for further development, I already knew where (in which direction) and how I would love to go with it. Handling situations where people tell you what to do regarding things you’ve already thought through in great detail was also something I needed to learn in the process.

One of the most pressing things that often came from people was the vision and expectation of making money from it: “It’s a market niche; you must produce and sell them!”; “You can get rich from this!”; “You need to protect it!”; “Don’t let someone steal the idea”; “Do you have a patent?”; “You need to be fast!”; “Don’t waste this chance!”… and so on and so forth!

It messed with my head greatly, disrupting my playful, childish, and maybe naive attitude and approach to this project. I was never the type of person who puts too much importance on money. Creating something for the purpose of the process and the creation itself was always at the forefront and a natural thing for me, where the potential that came with it is just another type of value. It doesn’t mean that I didn’t think about the possible economic outcomes regarding this idea, and of course, I understand the concept, function, and necessity of money, but it never was (or should ever be) at the top of my priorities.

Especially in the case of Branchboarding, which (as a phenomenon) has much greater potential, carrying a deeper and timeless message or philosophy. If done right, it can be used as a powerful symbol or tool for something beautiful and important for all of us. But misusing it for the purpose of simply making money or representing false principles would just waste that pure potential, possibly overwriting it, making it lost or empty.

Understanding that, I felt kind of responsible for it. And I didn’t have another choice than to try to figure out how to handle this properly. I just couldn’t leave it to random chance, hoping that nobody would try to take advantage of it, drag it in some strange direction, or maybe even unconsciously (not understanding the whole potential of it) do something negative that could potentially damage the best possible outcome of this project. The idea of waking up one day and seeing something like this, or for another example, getting a message telling me that from now on, I can’t continue with the project because it was patented (or in another way taken over) by somebody else, was something that gave me a really bad feeling and anxiety at this point.

Even if it was very challenging and not easy to accept, the reality of the situation and the risks seemed to be serious to me. From this moment, Branchboarding became something that needs to be more defined, properly named, and officially represented (published).

Of course, feeling that way and knowing it is one thing, and executing it right is another! Anyway, I did what I could with my current capabilities, and I don’t think I did it badly. For sure, it served its purpose at that time. Especially because there were already some viral pictures of me riding my Branchboard, published by some other people who photographed me somewhere on the streets, without me even knowing it. So the message was already there, outside in the world: “there is someone riding tree trunks, logs, branches.” I am very happy that most of these pictures landed on some funny pages, taken likely as a joke at that point, and nobody else besides me took it (the whole idea) more seriously. Still, I really enjoyed some of the comments.

My first own publication happened in 2011; it was a very short video, more of an intro. Then, the same year, a longer one. And then, the following year, in 2013, another one, also a short one. (Now all of them are offline). In between, I published a few pictures on different websites, on my own, but I lost track of what happened with them.

Meanwhile, in 2013, with the help of a friend (an architect who had the skills and access to proper machines at the University for Applied Arts in Vienna), the first Prototype / Mimic “The Clone” was created. It opened a completely new perspective, but on the other side, also kind of “added some fuel to the fire,” drawing more attention. It can be a good and a bad thing at the same time, leading to different kinds of interest, opinions, but also triggering thoughts about mass-production of Branchboards. Which, as I described earlier, wasn’t my primary desire. Afterwards, I was really happy that we did this Prototype, of course not because of the possible business opportunity, but because of the very good experiences and thought processes we went through with it.

In the first quarter of 2014, I was with my first Branchboard “The Origin” in Shanghai/China, where I exhibited it at the Design Biennial in the Powerstation of Art, for some time. It was a kind of a side display/exhibition, so it was not a big deal, but the experience of being there, riding my Branchboard on a different type of streets and also interacting with a totally new and wild (infrastructural and cultural) system for some weeks was greater than I expected. It totally overwhelmed me!

Later the same year (back in Austria), I rode and documented my first official Downhill and Speed Record (60km/h or 37mph). It was also a transformative experience for me. (I wish I had done it more often those years, outside of Vienna.) Of course, the difference between Urban Street Style and Outdoor Downhill Branchboarding is gigantic.

In 2015, with the great support of a few good friends, and this time with an external carpentry company, further Prototypes / Mimics – a small Test Edition of 3 Branchboards were created, which happily led to (more or less) one year of intensive testing but also to better documentation of the whole thing.

In the year 2016, a new video and the official names “Branchboarding” and “Tree of Motion” came out. I have consciously published a (step by step) instruction on how to build your own Branchboard. Giving it for free to everyone and declaring a part of it as open source was a statement and reaction to my previous interactions and discussions regarding fixation on business and money. I didn’t want to completely give up the possibility of making money from this project. But first and foremost, I wanted to develop a perfect concept and infrastructure for it, placing the core and most important potential of my idea before secondary values, which is the economic part.

I still didn’t have a perfect definition of Branchboarding, but it was a good year in the sense of “grounding” the project, which contributed to further positive development. The DIY Instruction was seen by 20k people; the idea received very positive feedback and also motivated some people to make their own Branchboard in the following years. Seeing that, how over time, more and more different Branchboard models popped up around the world, was super interesting and satisfying! Not only my own personal experience, but finally, also a bit brighter, more international, and diverse kind of data began to be produced. Different places (landscapes), different people (characters and bodies), different types of wood/trees and shapes, different approaches, and riding styles. Great! I was trying to find all of them online, collecting links, pictures/videos, and descriptions. The fact that people use the term Branchboard, Branchboarding, or Tree of Motion gave me a very good feeling and a sense of gratitude and appreciation. It was a very good sign for me.

What happened also shortly after the publication of the DIY Instruction was that some digital lifestyle brand asked me for permission to publish an article about Branchboarding on their website/platform. I happily agreed, and shortly after (August 2016), it was online, looking nice, presenting Branchboarding in a positive way, and at the same time inviting people to participate (build their own Branchboards through my DIY). Kind of like I wanted. A very positive thing.

What really surprised (and a bit scared) me later (October 2016), was the video they published on their Facebook page. I wasn’t prepared for something like this. It was a remix/remake of my own raw video material from my YouTube channel (Tree of Motion). They changed it a bit, added their own music and texts (some slogans), making it a sort of an advertising video for Branchboarding, but also strongly for their own platform, putting their name and a big logo at the end of the video. You can see my name the whole time in the corner of the video, and the video was connected to the article on their website, but still, it gave me a very strange feeling. 

To see how some new dynamic is developing freely, representing my Idea in another way, narrative, and aesthetic than I personally would do. Hmmm,… It was the next major lesson for me! Real consequences of putting your materials under Creative Commons, not really informing yourself about it properly. Of course, I knew that I will never be able to control everything, so from now on, I better should be (mentally and conceptually) prepared for more things like that.

I had mixed emotions about it, but in general, I concentrated on the good side of it. Almost five million people saw this video, which of course helped me in my primary goal, namely introducing Branchboarding to the world. Shortly after, I produced and published a new, more professional Branchboarding video. I contacted and asked them if they maybe could share it on their platform again, but they never replied to me, so I also decided to let it go.

I understood in which position I actually was, and what my next steps should be. I decided to wait with further promotion and next publications till a better infrastructure for the whole project is built.

In the years 2016 and 2017, Branchboarding wasn’t my only focus. I had more things going on simultaneously and other important matters to take care of.

Among others, I was preparing for my second trip to China, and also managed to organize the production of the third edition of Mimics “The Clone – Limited 9” in cooperation with the University for Applied Arts in Vienna/Austria. The production of the Limited Art Edition totally overlapped with my trip. I also couldn’t be personally present at the opening of the exhibition “Ästhetik der Veränderung” at MAK-Vienna, where one Branchboard from the Art Edition was presented. 

I came back to Vienna a few days before New Year’s Eve and saw the exhibition in early January 2018. It was great to see my work there, being presented not only online (on websites with funny/crazy things or DIY portals) but also in its material form as an Art/Design object, in a Gallery, Museum or Academic context. From this point forward, the origins of Branchboarding were even more undeniably official. Once again, I was super happy how far I had come, elevating the project to this new level while reminiscing about its modest and unexpected beginnings. That was quite an experience!

My primary goal was to return to China as quickly as possible, to spend more time there, exploring and advancing my projects. My return to Vienna was prompted by a desire to witness (and document) the exhibition at MAK, wrap up the production of the Branchboard – Limited Art Edition, and secure additional funding, potentially through a grant, both for the project and my subsequent journey.

And again, wishful thinking met reality. What happened was not so much surprising as it was complicated, difficult, and much longer than expected. The next chapter began.

First, I finished the Art Edition. I also documented the entire process step by step. You can see the video [here]. Parallel to this, I worked on a new description and visualization of the project. I needed it for further applications. 

I also decided to try to secure the name “Branchboarding”. I didn’t want to forbid others from using it, but the idea that someone else might do it before me and then prohibit me from using it was too stressful and scary and was not acceptable. I consulted some lawyers and gathered information about potential protection for the name. I even received a small fund for it, but ultimately it didn’t worked as we had hoped. It took many months and cost much more than I anticipated, plunging me into a tough financial situation, which was already precarious. I didn’t manage to patent the name, but at least no one else can do it now. From this perspective, it was still a positive outcome.

Parallel to the effort of protecting the name “Branchboarding“, I made my first application for a grant for the project. I submitted it as an Art and Design Project to the BKA – Federal Chancellery Republic of Austria. It took weeks of preparation and months of waiting for the result. Unfortunately, it was rejected. Whether it was due to the nature of the project or its presentation at that time, I’m not sure. One piece of feedback suggested the project might fare better as a business idea rather than a design and cultural initiative or art. Wanting to develop my idea in a more professional direction and create the necessary infrastructure, which of course should be international, I took this advice and tried to explore that option, seeking funding from sources other than cultural institutions.

I connected with the Vienna Business Agency and the Austrian Wirtschafts Service (AWS). After some calls, emails, and personal meetings, I was reportedly well-informed. My idea seemed promising and innovative to them, having great potential. They gave me the impression that obtaining funding was nearly certain, emphasizing it was “definitely worth trying.”

And again! Starting something (a new application) from scratch, without having the slightest idea of how it works (where others spend years of studying in business schools, learning about economics, marketing laws, and strategies), was maybe not so wise or even a very stupid idea and thing to do. Anyway, being talked into it and convinced that it could really work, I decided to go for it. 

I really laugh now, writing it down here, remembering the whole process.

First of all, I needed to officially register a company (startup), which was also connected to mandatory insurance you need to pay every quarter of the year. The name of the company/brand “Tree of Motion” had been there since 2016, so it wasn’t a problem.

After the registration was done, it took several appointments with different advisers to determine which application format was the best option in my case. Proper descriptions, visualizations, and the applications themselves took another few months waiting for deadlines and then for the decisions. My project/application was also rejected here. They listed many different reasons and also provided some suggestions on what I could/should change in my subsequent applications.

After that, I tried to rethink and researched even more. Having come so far and invested so much energy and time, I couldn’t give up and just stop trying. So again, I spoke with several different advisors (I think five), who of course always gave me an enthusiastic feeling about my amazing idea and its potential. Motivating me even further, telling me that the next application would most likely be successful. Of course, most of that advicery wasn’t free. Overall, I spent more than two years working on it, trying to adjust the project and my applications to secure any kind of funding. On the other hand, I aimed not to lose its essence and the true purpose of it.

And again, there were many different reasons and explanations for why it didn’t work. In general, besides me not having any business experience, start-capital, or a strong business partner/investor, and mostly standing alone with my “big vision” for the project, they believed that Branchboarding is more of an art or cultural thing than a fundable business model. Especially after I mentioned that I didn’t want to go in the direction of a full-scale mass product, but more open, experimental and innovative type of concept, witch should be based more on individual design and customization.   

I even had one or two investors offer me a substantial start-capital, but I didn’t want thousands (perhaps hundreds of thousands) of copies of this one already-existing Branchboard. Producing it as quickly and cheaply as possible, flooding the market to create some new hype, and reducing the beautiful potential of Branchboarding as a whole to just another standardized product – trying to sell it for maximum profit under the guise of nature and uniqueness, would be the exact opposite of my ideals and principles. 

My goal is to promote mass individuality (where, in the best case, everyone gets their own individual product/branchbaord) instead of mass reproduction or standardization of a single functional design. I also think that mass products will no longer be as attractive in the future, given the technological trends and sustainable principles. I find it more challenging and fascinating to engage with this, and try to find better, innovative, and more enjoyable solutions. Not only through individual approaches and design methods but also by developing new economic and value systems.

So, that’s how I ended up in this peculiar position with my Branchboarding project. It’s supposedly not fundable from the Art, Design, or Cultural sectors, nor from the business side. It doesn’t seem to fit anywhere. It’s somewhat out of its time or in a unique constellation. I’ve also often heard the opinion that the location (the city/country) isn’t right for this type of project. Hmm… you name it. 

At many points during the development of the project, not only random people but also my colleagues, friends, and family began to express varying opinions about it and my involvement. For some, my work was considered done or finished because the idea was already circulating in the world, so they saw no need for further development. “Leave it as a good art project and do something else!” Others asked me why I didn’t want to seize the opportunity and make a business and money from it. “Go into mass production“, “Why are you investing so much time, energy, and money in this when there’s no clear prospect of getting a return?” “Isn’t this a waste of precious resources and time that you could invest elsewhere?” “Will it ever benefit you in some way?” And so on and so forth,…

Sure, it took a lot of time and energy, but on the other hand, it also gave me experience and a confrontation with another type of systems and ways of thinking. I was „forced“ to contemplate things I ordinarily wouldn’t have. I also found myself interpreting my project and position from many different perspectives, understanding more clearly what I really want and, perhaps even more importantly, what I didn’t want. Maybe it even helped me in ways I don’t yet recognize or understand. I try to extract as much positive experience from it as possible. 

Reflecting on it now, the entire confrontation was inevitable anyway. I’m glad to have gone through this whole thing. Although it was quite an intense, complex, and energy-consuming task or challenge, it helped me grow and led me to my current position, where I still find it incredibly fascinating. I view the entire journey as a grand adventure and am thrilled to be a part of this creative process and something so special. Watching what comes next, embracing every challenge, obstacle, and limitation. It’s a constantly evolving (growing and transforming) story for me. And it all originated from this crazy idea to make and see my art videos flying. I love it.

I still haven’t stopped thinking about or working on it. Maybe the right moment and conditions will arise. Especially given the direction in which the world is evolving. Things I visualized a few years ago, which might have seemed unrealistic, too grand or too futuristic then, seem to be almost standard nowadays. So, let’s see what will happen with it.

And of course, regardless of the hurdles, my passion for riding my Branchboard remains untouched. Organizing aspects of the project doesn’t interfere with the physical and most crucial part of it: Branchboarding itself. I continue to improve and I am still getting better and better,…