Dorrian Porter, CEO of Vestaboard, on Pushing a Rock Up a Mountain (EP.193)
You know what we do here on Panic. We talk about entrepreneurs and founders and investors looking for inspiration and trends. Today’s guest is the epitome of a grinder. Dorrian Porter is the founder and CEO of Vestaboard. Maybe I’m biased because I’m a small personal investor, but it took him a long time to create the hardware. It’s really where art meets science meets technology. And I love it. It’s rare you meet a founder who is truly pushing a rock up a mountain. I hope you enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed my conversation with Dorrian. Guest - Dorrian Porter, Founder & CEO at Vestaboard howardlindzon.com, vestaboard.com Twitter: @howardlindzon, @PanicwFriends, @dgp, @vestaboard, @knutjensen linkedin.com/in/dorrianporter #fintech #invest #investment #venturecapital #stockmarket #finance Show Notes: (00:39) – Intro (05:17) – Welcome Dorrian (05:57) – The elevator pitch (08:02) – The inspiration for Vestaboard (15:12) – Designing and manufacturing (17:26) – Concept to shipping product (21:10) – The reality of the supply chain (26:10) – Economies of scale to lower prices (28:45) – The magic and aesthetic for kids (31:26) – Getting the software right (32:49) – Celebrity customers (35:11) – Using data to delight customers (40:50) – Getting the core product right first (43:45) – Art as a communication platform (51:01) – Closing thoughts