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We all love the beach except for one thing – the commute to and from your vehicle to your desired spot on the sand. Add a family to the mix and a long beach, and that’s a lot of gear and a lot of walking. There are numerous push and pull wagons on the market but only two that are electric. Imagine unloading all your gear into one wagon and then just pressing a button to go. Sound too good to be true? Check out e-Beach Wagon! This innovative, self-propelled 2’x4’ beach wagon is equipped with a 24-volt motor; powered by two 12-volt, 22-amp hour sealed lead acid batteries. It can effortlessly carry over 300 pounds of cargo in one trip. It also features two USB charging ports, tall removable side railings, a plastic removable wagon bed, and eight built-in holders for fishing rods, flagpoles, or umbrellas. It has a long-lasting charge and recharges by plugging into a wall outlet. e-Beach Wagon is redefining the beach industry and we're super excited to introduce you to the founder and owner, Mike Mogan. Read the below interview to find out more!
How did you come up with the idea for e-Beach Wagon?
The idea hit me while unloading our vehicle on our way to the dog beach in Wildwood, New Jersey. We had a collapsible wagon with hard plastic wheels that you pull across the sand. My wife was in charge of packing the cooler and beach bags, and I was in charge of getting everything to the beach. We had a tent, umbrella, beach chairs, folding tables, and a tray that fit around the umbrella. As I’m cramming all the gear into the wagon for the hundredth time, while trying not to bury the dog in the wagon, I thought there had to be a better way. Why couldn’t there be an electric wagon that fits all your gear and follows you where you walk? It wasn’t until a couple years later after we had our first kid that I really started doing something about it. Kids equal more gear, so the payload went up even more. I first started researching YouTube and found a few do-it-yourself electric wagons. Some were actually remote control and could follow you around. Then I stumbled upon the SandHopper, which is the only other electric beach wagon on the market sold commercially. They were sold out of the 2’x4’ model at the time and the price point was well over $2K. Since I’m a handy guy, and I needed it the following month, I decided to build my own electric wagon in time for an upcoming beach vacation with my sisters. My first prototype was pretty rough, but through that process I came up with more ideas on how to make the perfect electric beach wagon. I knew it needed to have built-in umbrella and flagpole holders, a removable wagon bed, a removable handle bar, an enclosed electrical and mechanical compartment, and USB charging ports. That’s how e-Beach Wagon was born.
What is your mission?
My mission is to simplify life for the parents and people out there breaking their backs, dragging their overloaded beach carts through the sand. I want to give everyone the opportunity to enjoy the entire beach day – including the trek to and from the beach. In addition, to providing a more affordable option with a better design and available when they need it.
What has been your greatest achievement so far?
One of my greatest achievements as an entrepreneur was getting a utility patent for CustACan, a beverage can insulator that slides over the top of a can and covers the entire label. I came up with the idea ~25 years ago, but didn’t start pursuing it until 2015. I originally tried submitting my own patent application. When the patent office reviewed the application, they recommended that I get the help of a patent attorney. So, I let that application expire and enlisted the help of a patent attorney. Six years after I began the process, I was issued a utility patent for my invention. It was definitely a learning process, but my persistence paid off.
What’s your best advice for other tech entrepreneurs who are starting a business?
I would say be persistent, never give up on your dreams, and partner with others that are good at what you’re not. I went to college to be a civil engineer and I’ve been doing highway design for over 20 years. I was never totally happy because my creative urge wasn't satisfied. I had lots of good ideas, but my voice was either not heard or the client would make a decision that I felt was not the best option. I wanted to be in control of my own destiny and make decisions that I felt were right. I wanted to use my creativity to design a product that was helpful to many people. I’ve tried in the past to design a product that didn’t take off. I could have given up and stuck with civil engineering, but I persisted and kept working toward my dream. Eventually I came up with another great idea and worked hard to make that a reality. Starting a company while working a full-time job with two kids isn’t easy. If you are persistent and don’t give up on your dream, it will happen.
Partnering with others that are good at what you’re not is very important to being successful. You’re not going to be able to do everything yourself. Stick to what you’re good at, and let others help you with the things that you’re not. I came up with a good idea, but I couldn’t have completed the detailed design, development and sourcing to build it. I partnered with Gembah, who is a product development company that helps inventors make their dreams a reality. They partnered with Spline Product Development to complete the detailed design of e-Beach Wagon. Gembah is overseeing manufacturing so that I receive a high quality product ready to distribute to my customers. Thankfully, I married a very talented marketing executive, who is leading the marketing and getting the word out.
Original Article: https://www.noragouma.com/interview-with-the-founder-of-e-beach-wagon/
