Hidden Gems: Meet Brian Hoffman of Ebike Cargo and Doghook

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brian Hoffman.

Brian, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin? 
In 2008, I was a tech working on boats at the San Diego waterfront. It was a challenging job that I enjoyed immensely. Then one Monday in September, I showed up to work, and the business I worked for was gone. 

The financial crisis decimated the marine industry, and many great shops went out of business. However, I had the skills, tools, and contacts to build a nice little marine service business out of the wreckage. I was in the right place at the right time, and I was willing and able, but most importantly, I had friends who supported me. 

A few years later, my girlfriend and I were out walking in North Park, and we watched a dog tied to a plastic patio chair run out of a cafe into the street in front of a car. As long-time dog owners who take our dogs everywhere, we got to thinking. How cool would it be if dog-friendly restaurants had a way to safely secure dogs so their owners could relax and eat with both hands-free? 

I made some simple dog hitch prototypes, and Doghook was born. Since then, we have sold 36,000 Doghooks for a surprising variety of applications. Since its inception, Doghook has been challenging financially because we manufacture in the US, pay living wages, and uphold sustainable business practices. Now that we have built a solid brand and achieved some traction, we are scaling manufacturing and operations to take Doghook to profitability. 

In 2017, I was reeling from the recent US presidential election and the IPCC report on climate change. Anxiety and despair about the future weighed heavily on me, especially every time I filled up my SUV. So, I decided to make a few changes in my behavior and lifestyle, hoping it would help with my anxiety. One of those changes was using an electric assist cargo bike for my daily transportation. 

On a typical day, I rode 25-30 miles carrying heavy tools, boat parts, and Doghooks. With the electric assist, the miles and hills were no problem, but carrying and securing everything I needed every day was a big problem. I searched online and in all of the bike shops and found nothing that suited my needs. Then one night I woke up from a dream and roughly drew a locking bicycle cargo case system very similar to what now call a Velocker. To make that dream a reality has been a long, uphill, rough path but we feel that this is an important idea worth sharing. 

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Being an entrepreneur is by far the most challenging and rewarding work I have ever done. I find that inventing things is pretty easy. Making things that are affordable and people will buy is much harder. Convincing people that they should change their behavior and make personal sacrifices for the greater good is almost impossible. 

In recent years, raising capital for a business that creates physical products rather than software, apps, or AI has become increasingly difficult. Not to mention, being a collapse-aware, socialist, and eco-entrepreneur seems to alarm most investors. 

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am 52 now and have lived what most would consider a storied life. Out of college, I ran bars and nightclubs in Florida. I was living on a sailboat and thought it was time for a change, so I sailed up to the Chesapeake Bay. I lived there for many years working in bars, then one night, met a crazy crew of people that were building fiber optic networks all over the northeast. I learned the trade, worked hard, living on the road for as long as I could but I needed to settle down. So, my girlfriend and I made a decision to move to San Diego. Eventually, I got a good job down in Shelter Island working on boats and have been there ever since. 

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
I am fortunate to be able to work on projects that I really love, and I think add to our collective wellbeing. Working on boats, dog safety and bicycle transportation are my dream jobs. 

My dog Otis and girlfriend Jannine bring me incredible joy. I hope that I make them as happy as they make me. 

Also, my team and network of friends around San Diego make me smile every day. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.doghook.com and https://www.ebikecargo.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doghook/ and https://www.instagram.com/ebikecargo/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/doghook.inc and https://www.facebook.com/people/Ebikecargocom/100063674245146/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLEa6ont3III-el11c0ry2w