Galt's Gulch

I made a product to help people not drop their phone in the toilet

Posted by dherik 10 years, 9 months ago to Business
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I would love some feedback on our kickstarter campaign!
SOURCE URL: http://thephonesitter.com

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  • Posted by IronMan 10 years, 9 months ago
    Good idea switching to clear plastic. Not many folks want an obtrusive looking item bolted to the wall in the house. Problems with steel also include corrosion and color selection. Polished stainless would be my only recommendation for a metal part. However, you need to run that in a dedicated stainless environment to avoid carbon contamination and the resulting red rust spots that form.

    Finally, prove your concept and build the volume using contract manufacturing before you start to capitalize your business with lasers, press brakes or molding equipment. There are a lot of companies out there with capacity to burn in this lousy economic environment.
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    • Posted by $ dherik 10 years, 9 months ago
      We've validated the basic concept through local sales, and the next rational step for me was to do a kickstarter campaign to give us a little more working capital. The biggest problem we have is finding a local contract manufacturer with the proper laser setup to cut our acrylic. I already started working on my own ghetto thermoform jig to bend the units to a uniform angle.

      As far as other materials the biggest problem is germs and bacteria that's the biggest push back we've gotten and that's why we went with an acrylic that has microban in it and a coating of it to kill bacteria growth. It is after all in some installations but inches from the toilet.

      Thanks for your feedback.
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      • Posted by IronMan 10 years, 9 months ago
        Look for waterjet cutting.
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        • Posted by $ dherik 10 years, 9 months ago
          We have looked locally and it's not available. The laser cutting has been the least expensive option available to us in the local area. Even using the guy that made our prototypes was less expensive than 90% of the other options.
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          • Posted by IronMan 10 years, 9 months ago
            Fair enough. Still I would stay away from over-investing in capital equipment before you have a reliable revenue stream that makes the ability to service the debt on this capital a non-issue. Cash flow kills new companies, not profitability.

            If you can't make a go of it with the cost structure of a variable cost business, you don't have a business. Spend your $ on developing the product and the market at the outset.
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  • Posted by Notperfect 10 years, 9 months ago
    Great idea for truckers getting in and out at rest area's. Have to keep the phone handy in case dispatch calls. I would buy one for home too. Never know the things that happen while sitting on the throne.
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  • Posted by rhinoshaw 10 years, 9 months ago
    The concept is solid, and the numbers don't lie. The hook is in. To reel 'em in, though, you may want to show how the product holds the phone. Also, try some editing to scroll or fast in some of the salient points (numbers or graphs, maybe) for those of us who think and remember more visually. Great concept, and I wish you all the best!
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  • Posted by $ Snezzy 10 years, 9 months ago
    I occasionally drop electronic things (not the phone yet!) into one of the stock tanks. I've also lost my bluetooth earpiece when I got knocked over by a horse. (I later found it.)

    I'm thinking that I'd not want the toilet device, but might go for something that would prevent other disasters.

    Rural living has its own peculiar problems.
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  • Posted by illucio 10 years, 9 months ago
    Good luck with that! I believe this artifact won´t be succesfull, since the main reason accidents happen are because of distractions (clumsiness if you will). It would be better, in my opinion, to use another option that could solve, in this case, alot of problems and not only in the bathroom.
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  • Posted by $ dherik 10 years, 9 months ago
    Just wanted to post an update, we did get a special deal for a run of 30 units the manufacturer is willing to make me a special deal so we've added a $15 reward for the thinner version of the phone sitter.
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  • Posted by iroseland 10 years, 9 months ago
    actually pretty cool idea.. I would suggest you might consider hitting the inside of the arms with some rubberizing spray or something to make it a bit less easy for the phone to get launched if someone were to accidentally bump the bracket..
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    • Posted by $ dherik 10 years, 9 months ago
      We didn't go with a rubberized arm because of the concern for germs. The acrylic we've gone with is antibacterial to keep down germs and bacteria.
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