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Nocs Provisions
Bringing an iconic exploration tool
A much-needed modernization
To find out more about how Nocs Provisions got its start and what’s in store for the future, Matt interviews Nocs Provisions founder, Chris McKleroy
More about the episode
Matt sits down with Nocs Provisions founder Chris McKleroy. Nocs Provisions has reimagined one of the most iconic tools of exploration, adventuring, and the great outdoors; Binoculars.
Nocs Provisions is bringing binoculars back into vogue and bringing them into the 21st century. It’s interesting how binoculars have been pretty synonymous with time spent outdoors and general adventures of all kinds. Despite being such a recognizable tool it’s not something that’s really been modernized…until now. Nocs is raising the quality, dropping the price, and making binoculars cool again. Their designs are awesome and make this dusty tool more of a functional accessory. Beyond a long-needed update to the classic tool, Nocs is using their products as a jumping-off point to break down barriers in the outdoor space and open it up for people to enjoy getting outside and experience how life-changing it can be.
In this episode of Built On Passion Chris McKleroy shares a more sustainable approach and attitude to bring into a new and budding business, some pitfalls he faced in his first entrepreneurial endeavor and how he managed to avoid them the second time around, and the “How” and “Why” behind Nocs Provisions.
Have an opinion? We want to hear it! Join the conversation and leave a comment, check out show notes, and get all the links mentioned in this episode below
Key Points From This Episode:
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How Chris got interested in entrepreneurship through experiences with finance, marketing, and design.
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The story of Chris’s involvement with a portable speaker startup (Boombotix) that he helped scale.
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Going from working with Wu-Tang on Boombotix products to ultimately tanking the company.
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Seeing a gap in the market for small binoculars with a bent toward social consciousness.
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Forays into dentistry design and how Chris entered the job market with Nocs on the back burner.
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How Chris found new confidence in Nocs after he got asked for a prototype.
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Taking a page out of the Boombotixs book and how Chris developed the Nocs branding.
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The approach Chris took to building a minimum viable product and how it took off.
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Phases of the product rollout beginning with an initial leak and how word began to spread.
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Challenges of matching supply with demand requiring a creative approach to overcome.
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The unsustainable process of some products and how Nocs differentiates itself.
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How Nocs are fighting for environmental and social justice in their business model.
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The role of emotional detachment in the product-to-market fit phase of founding Nocs.
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How authentically Chris is trying to make Nocs embody its values and build a community.
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The many sides of Chris’s role as a founder and what he loves most about working on Nocs.
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New products in the pipeline and what lies on the horizon for Nocs.
Links/Resources:
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