Origins & Inspiration
Q1. How Did You Get The Idea For Powerboot?
While remodeling our single-family rental homes here in Central Florida, I found that during the demo-phase of the job, I was constantly changing out my drill driver tips as I removed old cabinets, vanities, shutters etc. I had no perfect place to keep each tip handy while changing them for the different fasteners around the remodel.
And then I thought: a secure attachment would be perfect at the base of any cordless power tool! That would keep the weight of the tool towards the bottom and always out of the way while working. That’s when I started imagining how PowerBoot might work and look like.
Q2. What Were Some Of The Biggest Frustrations You Faced When Losing Drill Bits, Tips, Or Fasteners?
The main frustration was the amount of time lost searching for the correct bit or driver tip. The aggravation made the job way harder and less satisfying than it needed to be.
Q3. How Did Your Background In Remodeling And Construction Influence The Design Of Powerboot?
While imagining something attached to my cordless tool battery, I realized it would be valuable to design PowerBoots’ base with flared sides, enabling a stable base for many of my cordless tools while not in use.
Product Development
Q4. What Challenges Did You Encounter While Designing And Prototyping Powerboot?
The biggest challenge was finding a company that would help us take my sketches and turn them into a viable solution.
Q5. How Did You Decide That A Magnetic On-Tool Storage Solution Was The Best Approach?
First: most driver tips, bits, blades and fasteners are made of ferrous materials which enable them to magnetically attach to any of the three different surfaces (two internally and one externally on the bottom) on a PowerBoot.
Second: worksites can get cluttered. I always knew where my cordless power tools were, but I could never tell you where I last placed the right drill bit or tip. That’s why we trademarked our slogan: Keep your stuff with your tool.™
Q6. Can You Describe The Process Of Testing And Refining Powerboot Before Bringing It To Market?
Yes, I finally found a company that could help us go from concept to fulfillment. Through this process, we were introduced to some seriously skilled design engineers that shared in my frustration regarding their own projects. They were super enthusiastic from the start; we even became friends along the way! Working with real tool users made this daunting process easier than we imagined.
Functionality & Benefits
Q7. How Does Powerboot Improve Efficiency And Organization For Professionals And Diyers?
PowerBoot enables the professional or DIYer to keep the many different driver tips, drill bits, blades, and fasteners with the tool that can utilize those specific attachments. Organizing and storing these vital accessories with the exact tool that utilizes them is reason enough to rely on PowerBoot’s internal and external storage capabilities.
Q8. What Are The Key Features That Set Powerboot Apart From Other Tool Accessories?
PowerBoot and/or the PowerBoot Switch attach directly to your favorite cordless tool battery via industrial grade double-sided tape. The PowerBoot can permanently attach to one battery or can dock with all your cordless tool batteries when used with the PowerBoot Switch.
Some other bit holders rely on the user to wrap a kind of rubber strap around the body of their drills. I’ve tried those in the past and found them flimsy and limited: they’re only designed to work with drills! PowerBoot works with drills, drill drivers, jigsaws, oscillating tools, cordless routers, and even cordless hot glue guns. The smaller glue sticks fit perfectly inside a PowerBoot.
Q9. Can Powerboot Withstand Harsh Job Site Conditions? How Durable Is It?
PowerBoot was purposely over-built. We used the same materials that the cordless tool manufacturers use. Tough ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) plastic for the main body and lid. We also use TPR (thermoplastic rubber) for the base and sides.
The TPR both protects the ABS body of the PowerBoot, and enables PowerBoot’s anti-skid properties, gripping any work surface while protecting the project materials from being marred.
PowerBoots can survive most every kind of mishap on the job. When using PowerBoot with the PowerBoot Switch, the PowerBoot magnetically docks to the PowerBoot Switch. This enables the PowerBoot to simply disconnect or break away from the power tool battery when dropped. The user simply redocks their PowerBoot with the PowerBoot Switch and they’re back in business!
Market & Business
Q10. What Was The Initial Response When You First Introduced Powerboot?
We got a lot of people saying that they wished they had thought of it. Others told us that they always forgot something after they’d climbed a ladder or left tools in different rooms.
They loved the fact that they had everything they needed to complete the task right in their hand. We heard many stories of misplaced tips or bits or blades that caused delays in projects.
Q11. How Did You Go About Getting Powerboot Into The Hands Of Customers?
We first had a beautiful website designed by a great company. We then reached out to friends and family to see what they thought. That helped spread the word in a big way. We also started to utilize social media sites, such as Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. We are still very much in the learning process when it comes to marketing and social media. And, just this week, we received our first purchase orders from Acme Tools who will be carrying PowerBoot and PowerBoot Switch in their retail stores as well as their online store. Acme Tools is ranked as America’s Best Online Tool Store and we are honored that they reached out to us to sell PowerBoot!
Q12. What Major Tool Brands Is Powerboot Compatible With, And How Did You Ensure Its Versatility?
We took great care to measure all the major manufacturers of cordless tool batteries and sized PowerBoot appropriately. It fits on all the traditional 3”x 4” batteries made today. It is not compatible with smaller batteries that live inside the handles of lighter duty cordless tools.
Personal & Future Vision
Q13. How Has Working With Your Wife, Patti, Influenced The Journey Of Powerboot?
When we stopped acquiring single-family rental homes at the outset of COVID, we found ourselves with a lot more time on our hands. That’s when Patti encouraged me to start the development process for PowerBoot. She’s been a terrific business partner throughout our 40 years together. To have her encouragement and support for PowerBoot at the outset meant everything to me.
We’ve learned the hard way that developing and bringing to market any kind of product is not for the faint of heart!
Q14. What Has Been The Most Rewarding Part Of Seeing Powerboot Become A Reality?
Seeing total strangers purchase, appreciate, and successfully use our product is surreal. We’ve received so many great reviews, positive feedback, and encouragement—that’s made all the time and dollars invested a lot easier to justify.
Q15. Do You Have Any Future Innovations Or Expansions Planned For Powerboot?
We developed the PowerBoot Switch after receiving early construction forum feedback. Users suggested we make the PowerBoot transferable between the multiple batteries that are on a typical commercial job site. That’s exactly what the PowerBoot Switch allows our customers to do now.
