Why is the OpenCase PopHolder 3D Printed?

There is a famous book by Geoffrey A. Moore titled Crossing the Chasm, which describes the gap between early adopters and mainstream users of a new product. That ‘chasm’ is where many startups fail — where early innovation hasn’t yet met the scale of mainstream adoption. Right now, as a very early startup innovating in the phone case space, OpenCase is living in that chasm. Every day, more customers, just like you, are learning about, purchasing and using our products. At the same time, OpenCase is not a household name. We're growing all the time, but not enough that we have the same resources as our competitors. With that in mind, we have to get scrappy and resourceful to continue to exist, and a great example of that is our 3D printed PopHolder.

Nearly 2 years ago, I was diligently thinking through the OpenCase product line for our Kickstarter campaign. While some advised us to just sell the case, I felt it was really important to create a MagSafe system that would seamlessly work with the OpenCase MagSafe case, but also any iPhone with MagSafe. Our system would include a Magsafe wallet, pop grip, stationary charger, car charger and a FillerPlate. Out of all the items, the PopHolder ended up being the most difficult to execute.

First, we tried working with a factory overseas. The magnets were either not strong enough, or the existing molds at the factories were too big or too small. This led to a discussion about what it would cost to get a custom made PopHolder. For months, we went back and forth with CAD drawings and material specifications. And just when I thought we were making headway, I learned that the mold would cost $10-40K to get made, and we'd need to buy 1,000 units. I had confidence in our Kickstarter, but raising that amount of money for just the PopHolder felt untenable. I realized this was not going to be the way to solve adding a PopHolder to our line-up. At least, not right now.

I decided to pivot. Instead of finding a factory overseas, maybe I could work with a local plastic injection molding company in the U.S.?. Maybe they would let me do a smaller run than the overseas factory needed to get started? 

So, I walked into a local place and asked to speak with someone about making the PopHolder. They were really fantastic. At first, they pulled me into a conference room with a sales person, who pulled in an engineer, who then, pulled in someone from production and off we went. After that, they went cold for about a month and ultimately. told me that I was too small to work with. I would need to provide them with a bigger contract to make it worth their wile and mine. And that this would be true with any U.S. partner.

If you have an entrepreneurial spirit, you don't stay resigned for long. With the news that neither the overseas factory nor the local place would work, I did what any small business owner does. I figured it out. I took my CAD drawings and decided to 3D print the PopHolder myself. It took a lot of prototypes and testing to get it just right. From magnet strength to the right adhesive to the perfect fit inside the "open" space of the OpenCase MagSafe case, I lovingly crafted each PopHolder for each of our customers. 

Phone cases and accessories require hefty investment in inventory every single year, and that product has a limited shelf life. In a lot of ways, that 3D printed PopHolder is a symbol of what it takes to exist in the chasm. It's a symbol of being a start-up and the ingenuity it takes to serve you, the customer. 3D printing gave us the flexibility to rapidly prototype, test, and produce without massive upfront costs — a game-changer for a tiny husband and wife startup like ours. Plus, there's something really punk rock about making a 3D printed PopHolder with a super strong magnet. 

If you’ve got your own scrappy startup story, I’d love to hear it — drop us a message or follow along as we grow. And, if you don't already have one of our PopHolders, you can find them here!