After 19 years forecasting the weather, US meteorologist Reichmuth built his own umbrella — and Weatherman is now a profitable brand

Rick Reichmuth spent 19 years as a Fox meteorologist predicting the weather, yet he still could not find an umbrella that could survive it. Staring at racks of umbrellas on the streets of New York City, he was struck by a glaring gap in the market.

Reichmuth observed that categories like bandages and tissues had iconic, trusted household names, while buying an umbrella was a total gamble. After searching for a standout umbrella brand and coming up empty, he asked himself why he should not create his own. With that, his brand Weatherman was born.

The work began in his New York City apartment. Reichmuth took apart hundreds of umbrellas to reverse-engineer how they worked and pinpoint exactly why they failed, and from that research he established the blueprint for a truly great umbrella.

He then teamed up with an industrial designer friend to build a model that was strong, durable and built to withstand the elements. Looking at the very first Weatherman prototype, Reichmuth thought the hard part was finally over. As it turned out, the work was just beginning.

Running a small business tested Reichmuth in ways forecasting never did. He describes it as a journey marked by steep trials and hard-earned lessons, and still calls it the hardest thing he has ever done.

When Weatherman debuted in 2017, the lineup consisted of just two designs: a collapsible model and a stick umbrella. Both have since been retired, a testament to how relentlessly the brand has refined and upgraded its engineering over the last nine years.

Entering a new industry without a product development background was intimidating, and early missteps hit hard. Reichmuth admits that early on, a failure or setback could really knock him down, and that sometimes he would spend weeks feeling stuck, second-guessing decisions or worrying about what went wrong.

Over time, learning to absorb those blows became Weatherman's greatest catalyst for growth. Today, Reichmuth caps his frustration at a few hours before pivoting back to problem-solving. 'Admitting what you don't know is actually one of the most valuable things you can do,' he says. 'Once you accept that failure is normal — not something to be ashamed of — it becomes a whole lot easier to keep moving forward.'

What separates Weatherman from the sea of disposable umbrellas is engineering. Its umbrellas use heavy-duty fiberglass frames and water-repellent recycled fabric, and the canopies are wind-tunnel tested to withstand gusts of up to 55 mph. They double as sun protection with built-in UPF 50+, and feature smooth auto-open mechanisms.

The brand also designs by use case. Recognising that a city commuter has different needs than a backcountry hiker or a weekend golfer, it organises its lineup into distinct categories — Walk, Trek, Travel, Golf and Kids — each with specialised features such as reflective trim or pocket-friendly sizing.

Today, Weatherman has expanded into sun shirts and ponchos for adults, kids and even pets. Reichmuth and his team are also developing a more affordable sister brand, set to debut in 2027, which will bring Weatherman's engineering to a wider, budget-conscious audience. The company has been solidly profitable over the last few years.

For Reichmuth, the ultimate validation came not from TV ratings but on the crowded sidewalks of New York. 'I'd be walking around and suddenly see someone carrying one of our umbrellas,' he says. 'That never gets old.' The sweetest moments, he says, are when customers praise the gear without any idea who he is — they bought it because a friend recommended it, they discovered it online, or they had heard it was a great umbrella.