David Barnett, the founder of PopSockets, says the journey from a garage project to one of the most widely recognized phone accessories began with a simple personal problem and years of experimentation, manufacturing setbacks, and retail testing.
Barnett, a former philosophy professor, created the device while searching for a way to manage his headphone cord while using his phone. The result was a small accessory attached to the back of a smartphone that functions as both a grip and a stand.
The product eventually became known as PopSockets and gained widespread adoption among smartphone users.
Barnett discussed the early stages of building the company during a conversation with the Equity podcast, describing the challenges he faced while learning how to run a consumer product business.
Early Challenges In Manufacturing And Business Operations
Barnett said he began the company without prior experience in manufacturing or business operations.
“I was a philosophy professor, so I had no experience with manufacturing,” he said.
He also said he lacked familiarity with several aspects of running a company.
“I had no experience in business, tax, accounting, and finance,” Barnett said.
During the early stages of the project, he spent significant amounts of money while the company generated little revenue.
“I burned through a lot of money with no revenue,” he said.
Barnett also described repeated manufacturing problems.
He said the product went through “wave after wave of manufacturing defects” before reaching a stable version suitable for broader distribution.
Retail Breakthrough And Product Adjustments
After resolving early production issues, Barnett placed PopSockets in a local toy store.
He said he frequently visited the store to observe how customers interacted with the product.
“The sales were quite slow,” Barnett said.
Through these observations, he made adjustments to the product’s design.
Those changes eventually led to stronger retail performance.
“That was the point where I thought, ‘Okay, this could work in retail,’” he said.
The improved product began gaining traction and later expanded into larger retail channels.
Expansion, Intellectual Property, And Online Retail Challenges
As the company grew, Barnett said PopSockets encountered several challenges while entering broader retail markets.
One issue involved a dispute with Amazon that led the company to temporarily remove its products from the platform.
Barnett also said the company spent time adapting the product design and strengthening its intellectual property protections as competitors entered the market.
Leadership Transition At PopSockets
Barnett later stepped down as chief executive of the company, transferring leadership responsibilities to another executive.
He said the decision came after recognizing the need for a different leadership approach as the company continued to expand.
Barnett said the most important lesson he learned while building the company involved the importance of assembling the right team.
“The greatest lesson I’ve learned is that it’s all about the people,” he said.
He added that this quality was one of the key factors he looked for in selecting a successor.
“I think that’s the most important skill one can have as a leader,” Barnett said.
Featured image credits: Design Bundles
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