Strategy
A Phone Charger that Works with any Auto Battery
Tyson Petty shares his breakthrough moment and how he was able to capitalize and create his product, HYJAX.
By Lillian Stone | Photo courtesy Hyjax
Jul 2017
The Problem
Tyson Petty knows that some of the best business is done on the golf course. Petty works in information technology, and often golfs with clients. However, he grew tired of lugging his devices around only to lose power halfway through a round. “By noon, if we haven’t charged our phone, it’s probably starting to wear out,” Petty says.
The Big Idea
Three years ago, Petty was out of power and out of patience. That’s when he realized that golf carts are a power gold mine. Petty bought two small gator clips and attached them to a cigarette lighter adapter, hoping to give his phone a “jump” on the cart. To his surprise, it worked.
The Learning Curve
When Petty started making chargers for his friends, he realized that his product was in high demand. Manufacturing, however, was another story. “It looked very dangerous at the time,” he says. Petty configured the device with a car fuse battery to make it safer. He called the product HYJAX, and spent about a year working with a manufacturer in China to get it right.
The Takeaway
The manufacturing roller coaster instilled a sense of meticulousness that Petty applies to his marketing strategy. “Most creators or people like me can barely spell their name,” he laughs, explaining that writing press releases doesn’t come easily. He’s selling HYJAX on Amazon and hyjaxpower.com, and is working on putting HYJAX on store shelves. “Once people get their hands on the thing, they’ll gladly shell out $40 to stay charged,” he says. In the meantime, he’ll be conducting business as usual—without wasting a second on charging.
