Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jeff Whitten, CEO of Rokform, located in Irvine, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
ROKFORM creates premium handheld innovations for those who take action seriously. Our products include protective phone cases and mobile accessories that easily attach to our mounting accessories for cars, bikes, and motorcycles to enhance the lifestyle of active people. Our customers are cyclists, motorcyclists, golfers, hikers, and anyone else who has an outdoor hobby. In addition to our adventurous customers, we service police, fire, and first responder customers who need a protective phone case that can be magnetically attached to most surfaces while on the job.
Tell us about yourself
As a California native, I have always liked building and creating; whether it was a new power sports performance product, piece of furniture, or consumer electronics innovation, making stuff has always been a passion. I have always been an outdoor lover and a creator. With ROKFORM, my team and I have been able to create products that help other people like us get more out of the thing they use most, their phones. Our magnetic and twist lock phone cases have helped thousands of customers all over the world get more out of their phones. From cyclists to the military and everyone in between, ROKFORM has become the choice for those who take action seriously. We are humbled by the fact that so many customers choose ROKFORM again and again, year after year.
What keeps me motivated is hearing our customers' stories on how our phone cases impacted their day, whether it's the survival story of how their phone was saved by our case or how they were able to get the best family photo by sticking their case somewhere they never thought of before. Seeing and hearing those stories is what keeps me going every day.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
ROKFORM was founded in just 2010, and since then, our small but dedicated team has bootstrapped our way to become a leader in the active lifestyle consumer electronics niche. Since then, we have had more than ten patents and thousands of happy repeat customers and friends. Our growth has been smooth and steady even though there have been challenges along the way; our continual steady growth is what I am most proud of. I'm also incredibly proud of our small but fierce team, who has worked together to build what is now a well-oiled machine and get better every day.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
When you're a business owner, one of the hardest things is to put your ego aside. Throughout my years, I've learned that when things go well, it's never because of you, and when things don't, it usually ends up being your fault. Accepting that and then working as a team through successes and failures is crucial. When something goes wrong, because it will, learn how to take ownership, fix the problem at hand, and then reflect on what happened to ensure it doesn't happen again.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Don't start a business until you know the fundamentals of accounting: know your numbers. Having a basic knowledge of accounting, how to read an income statement and balance sheet, and forecasting cash flows is critical to the success of any entrepreneur.
- Don't overthink and just get started: how many people do you know that have told you a great business idea but then never did anything with it? It's because they overthink it and believe they need too many elements in place to start. The secret to getting ahead is just to start. Begin selling your first product or service, and then keep learning and adjusting as you go.
- Take care of your customer: even if something goes wrong in the sales process or with your product because one day it will, take care of your customer because if you do, they are going to come back and give your business another shot because of the actions you took.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.rokform.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rokform/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rokform/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ROKFORM
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rokform/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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