The idea for the Ride2NS iPod mount product line started when I bought an iPod Nano for my daughter in college and purchased one for myself.
I spent a few days figuring out the iPod. Then I purchased a cable to put it on my Electra Glide. I purchased an iSkin unit with a cool silicone cover and stylized cover, but there was no way to secure it to my bike. It flopped around and was basically dangling from the cord. Back to the Apple store and Harley dealers, looking for something to mount the iPod to my bike, the part didn’t exist.
The idea incubated and I continued to look at various mounting methods. I looked on the Internet and there was a host of mounting devices. Most were too industrial, geared toward ATVs or didn’t have much design or engineering emphasis placed on them. It was turning out that there were no attractive options for an iPod mount on your $15-20K + touring bike!
More market research ensued and while spending the Christmas holiday in Holland Ohio. I was near the big 3 U.S. automakers and their suppliers! A quick search turned up DRS Industries in Holland Ohio. They make the grill for the Cobra Mustang (a past affliction) and they were within 2 miles of my mother in laws! Design and modeling and prototyping quickly followed and we went into production, despite the economy. The best part, it’s Made in America!!!!
What struck me about DRS, were comments on the U.S. loosing market share. We won’t work offshore, when American workers manufacture competitively and we don’t have a supply chain around the world. We will utilize American design superiority, American manufacturers and small business to succeed. Ride2NS offers products that are high quality, innovative, reasonably priced and 100% Made in the U.S.A. With U.S. production, we’re protected from the issues affecting overseas production delays, inferior products and materials. And while we don’t recommend it, you can lick the Ride2NS mounts without worrying about it causing lead poisoning!
We’ve surrounded our company with some really smart people, family and encouragement and great companies. I can’t believe all of this happened while I was spending money on the kid who costs me bundles at college (even more when she comes home).
The bright side of this, if it don’t work out, hopefully it happens after undergrad and med school are paid for. If not, I need to go back to my day job! (It isn’t as fun as this stuff.) After all, where can a small guy take two great American products and bring them together with a third great American product? |
