We’re looking forward to introducing you to Brian Hoffman. Check out our conversation below.
Brian, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: Are you walking a path—or wandering?
I have done both at different times, I think we all do. When you are looking for meaning and purpose… you wander, you explore, you cultivate ideas. At this point in my journey, I know my purpose, I have distilled my best ideas and I am walking on a path to building good businesses and trying to share my ideas with the world.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Brian Hoffman, I am an inventor, shipwright, social impact entrepreneur and bike mobility advocate. I am passionate about sustainability, social justice and telling the truth, no matter how uncomfortable. My team and I run a marine repair and provisioning business called Revolution Marine Outfitting where we prepare our customers and their boats for offshore adventures. We also run Doghook Inc, which designs and manufactures heavy duty dog leash hitches for petcare, hospitality, home and office use. We are also responsible for Ebike Cargo Products, which makes locking cargo systems for e-bikes, intended to make e-bike mobility and logistics realistic for many more people. Lastly, we produce a podcast and Youtube series called Bike Rebellion, where I interview notable bicycle commuters and share their stories, hoping to inspire more people to use bikes for transportation.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
I think that money is what often breaks the bonds between people. We have been told for generations that capitalism and the pursuit of profits is how the world works. It has become obvious to those of us that are paying attention, that this system actually is rigged and is not serving us well as a society. Today corporations and billionaires are purchasing favor in our increasingly corrupt political system, further disadvantaging normal working people and making the world a less equitable, safe and sustainable place.
I find that having an actual mission, outside of making profits can build bonds between people. For example, at Doghook our mission is to make the world a safer and more inclusive place for dogs and dog owners. This clearly stated goal has solidified our team and has created a bond with our customers, who truly appreciate what we are doing.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
A few years ago I lost both of my parents and our family home in a period of 2 months. Without going into too much detail, it was the most tragic and challenging time of my life. Before this traumatic event, I felt like I had plenty of time to accomplish what I wanted to do in life. I had always worked hard but I was also very cautious not to get out over my skis. After my folks passed and I processed their loss, I came back with a new sense of urgency, now intimately understanding the preciousness of time.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What important truth do very few people agree with you on?
I strongly believe that we must quickly transition away from cars and toward bikes and trains for our daily mobility needs.
For most of my life I was an automobile enthusiast, then about 10 years ago I started to realize that the automobile was responsible for so much that was going wrong in the world. Over the last 100 years consumers in the US have been programmed to believe that a car is necessary to lead a productive and normal life.
When US drivers are ready to have adult conversations about how cars directly cause climate change, resource depletion, poor health and financial hardship, only then can we make real, transformational change.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What are you doing today that won’t pay off for 7–10 years?
I hope that Ebike Cargo will pay off in less than 10 years, but given our slow progress so far, I expect that building out this company will be a decade long project. We are trying to do big things, changing the way people use bikes for transportation and that takes time. I believe that in 10 years our Velocker products will be in use around the world, helping to make sustainable transportation possible for millions of people.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.doghook.com https://www.ebikecargo.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doghook/ https://www.instagram.com/ebikecargo/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-hoffman-40b07764/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ebikecargocom-405859616648182/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@doghookinc130 https://www.youtube.com/@BikeRebellion
Image Credits
Photos courtesy of Brian Hoffman, Ron Miriello and Adam McCain
