Small Business Stories - Goboxes

Alex Fees: I’m Alex Fees on sbtv.com and joining me at SEMA 2007 is John Whitaker. John, thank you sir. John Whitaker: Hey, how are you doing? Good to see you. Alex Fees: I appreciate you being here. John Whitaker: Thank you. Alex Fees: John’s company is called Goboxes. One word, Goboxes, G-O-B-O-X-E-S. First time at SEMA John? John Whitaker: That’s correct. First time we’re here. Alex Fees: You guys are out of Birmingham, Alabama. John Whitaker: That’s correct, in the southeast and in United States. Alex Fees: What is Goboxes? John Whitaker: Goboxes was a concept we are trying to develop logo style boxes—two boxes. So we drop off the LO just went Goboxes and primarily we got a license with General Motors to build a toolbox in the shape of the Chevrolet Bowtie and we also have agreement with Ford to do a toolbox in the shape of Ford oval. Alex Fees: Wow! John Whitaker: So it’s kind of a unique toolbox instead of just a typical square-rectangle box that you can buy in every hardware store or auto store. These have a little designer style to them. Alex Fees: So you already have contracts with Ford and Chevy? John Whitaker: We have a license agreement with both General Motors and also Ford Motor Company. Alex Fees: How long have you been in business with them? John Whitaker: We actually started this program in March of this year really. A very quick start up and we got it at SEMA to try to introduce it to the automotive vender at the market. We had quite a response here. It’s been a quick trip from concept to license agreement to production of parts—from March to November here. Alex Fees: Alright. We are at SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) SEMA’07 here in Las Vegas. So what do you guys do in something like this John? You said you’ve been to trade shows before but this is you r first time in SEMA. John Whitaker: Yeah this is our first time in SEMA and we’ve basically set-up a 10 by 20 exhibit over in the tune and equipment area. We’ve got seven or eight products. We have four or five people here to help me work the booth and we pass out—I actually have some small stress balls in the shape of the bowtie and then in the shape of the oval that we’ve handed out as you know—people coming through our exhibits and we’ve crossed with a lot of people through our exhibit and had a good response. Alex Fees: And so where do you go from here if you already have contracts with Ford and GM, what’s next? John Whitaker: Well we’re—you know, distribution. This is the key. We basically went to several of the Ford’s automotive restoration type shows in the first part of the year and did some market studies and market surveys to see what kind of response we do have. So now what we are trying to do is get in and develop our distribution network. We have got a manufacture set-up in production parts then we just got to get it to market. We got to get it to where people can go through your local facility and our local store and buy one. Alex Fees: Let me see what you got here John. John Whitaker: Okay. Alex Fees: This is your product. Tell me about it. In addition to the ones for Ford and Chevy—who’s this for, who is your client? John Whitaker: These are the Chevrolet—all Chevrolet fans that restore cars. This particular toolbox is patterned after the vintage from the 1940s to the 1950s that Chevrolet produced then the black and red is more of the racing—traditional racing style boxes. If you look on the back here we have got portable boxes that basically are designed for a detailing kit, so that when you go to your car show these are all your waxes and polishers on your vehicle, you put all your towels and rags and everything in that box. And then it kind of displays the brand of the automobile you have. Alex Fees: These looks pretty detailed. Is this for the week in or the—somebody who makes his living with tools? John Whitaker: No, absolutely we kind of get it for both markets. We really like to have the guy that has got the Ford Mustang or the Camaro to be able to display his brand, but also have a functional utility kit that he can store all of his detailing supplies in when he goes to the local car show in the weekends. But then also, through the dealership—working with the dealership the mechanics that work on Chevrolet are brand specific, you know, they will be able to display that and the dealers will be able to do the promotion and advertising for their brands. Alex Fees: John you got a lot of competition in this industry. What sets Goboxes apart? John Whitaker: Well I think there is a lot of competition in the traditional rectangle toolbox. There’s plenty of people making toolboxes that’s for sure. We are taking it one step level—a step higher to the premium style, logo style box. I think what sets us apart is that we are offering a product that is not only functional product but its also the logo and brand that the customers can display their— Alex Fees: Oh yeah, definitely. John Whitaker: So that sets us apart I think. Alex Fees: What kind of a price range are we looking at for these products? John Whitaker: Well we have got the kind of the whole game out there. We kind of start out with the small portable boxes that are in the you know less than $100.00 range, $89.95 is the suggested retail, and then we get up at the larger boxes that basically is going to be $600.00 or $700.00. Then we have a wall mounted unit that’s only half the depths of the full sized boxes kind of designed for the, I guess the weekend mechanic to just kind of decorate his garage. I guess what—I’ve kind of sensed in some of my market research is that guys spend a ton of money on their automobiles. When they get these cars produced and get everything cleaned up, they like to have it down and they start working on their garage and tools and toolboxes go right along with the automobile that they like to have looking good. So we try to give them the option to have a good looking toolbox—with style. Alex Fees: So with the deals you’re making, you are hoping just to make this a part of the package when they purchase the pick-up truck, right? John Whitaker: It would be a fantastic way to do that. If we could put one of these boxes in every one of the Chevrolet pickup they sell it would be fantastic. Absolutely! Alex Fees: Alright John, thank you very much. I appreciate it. John Whitaker: Thank you for your time. Alex Fees: I see a website on here. Where will they go to get more information on toolboxes? John Whitaker: goboxes.com. Alex Fees: goboxes.com. What about SEMA, do you have good experience? Are you coming back? John Whitaker: Very good experience and I think we are going to have a larger space next year, more products. Alex Fees: Again, he is John Whitaker with Goboxes. I’m Alex Fees, you’re watching sbtv.com.