Chris Moyer is the owner of Dockem, a simple smartphone or tablet accessory that provides you with a whole new way to store your device. The Dockem lets you dock your device on the wall, or any vertical surface, which provides convenience in many situations. You can dock your iPhone or Droid next to your bed or your iPad on the wall across from your desk. The Dockem is designed to be universal; it will fit most any smartphone, tablet, or eReader.
Dockem found its beginnings in my dorm room in college at Lehigh University, where I didn’t have a nightstand but wanted a place to safely rest my phone at night. I came up with a simple solution and decided it was marketable. I ended up getting a good job coming out of college (as an auditor in NYC for one of the big four accounting firms), but continued pursuing the Dockem and my entrepreneurial dreams on the side. I juggled the two jobs for about a year, but in the end I decided that Dockem wouldn’t ever get where I wanted it to be if I didn’t start to pursue it full-time.
It’s almost been a year now, and I’ve never looked back (although I’ll be the first to admit we still have a long ways to go!). I worked with my brother, Colby, to launch our first product, the Dockem, which is a damage-free universal smartphone and tablet wall mount. We’ve since launched another similar product, the Koala Mount (designed specifically for the iPad and similar tablets), while also picking up some other complimentary products which we now represent.
It’s been a wild learning experience, creating products and building a brand, but we’ve loved every minute of it. I’ve also thoroughly enjoyed being able to work with my brother throughout the entire process and consider myself lucky for having that opportunity.
For me, the most challenging aspect was leaving my secure job to go pursue a business venture where we really had very little idea about whether we could make it work or not, and in a field where we had very little experience. Overall so far it’s been a great learning experience, and I have no regrets.
The most rewarding part of being a startup is interacting with customers and hearing what they have to say about our products. It’s an incredible feeling knowing that people all over the world are using a product that you designed and brought to market. While our products may not be changing anyone’s life – they are definitely making it just a little bit more enjoyable – and that’s all we can ask for!
As a small business, we’re very flexible and can move fast as opportunities arise. We’re constantly looking for new ways to promote our products or to take on new ventures, and we’ve whole-heartedly embraced the ecommerce platform, which we see playing an ever-increasing role in today’s consumer markets (and quite frankly, enabling companies like ours to exist!).
I would say that innovation is the process of creating something that’s never been seen before. Whether it’s simply an improvement on another idea, or something completely new, innovation is all about developing something that changes how we interact with or think about the world around us.