Today we’d like to introduce you to Missy Kelly.
Hi Missy, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hi! My name is Missy Kelly and I am Co-Founder and CEO of CatTongue Grips. My entrepreneurial journey began in February 2015 when my husband, Matt, walked into a Verizon store to upgrade his phone. He noticed how slippery the phone was and made a comment to the salesperson. She tried to sell him insurance and not wanting another bill, the light bulb went off. He drove to a nearby skateboard store, bought a skateboard grip tape, and slapped it on his phone. Later that night, I said to him “What do you have going on here? This feels like a cat tongue and it’s going to scratch every surface in our house.” He challenged me to find something like it, I couldn’t, so we decided to make it. We sourced out a manufacturer and 18 months and 8 prototypes later we had our material. CatTongue Grips was born.
We launched our phone grip in November 2017. Today I am proud to say CatTongue Grips has become the world’s leader in providing non-abrasive, non-slip solutions that eliminate the frustration and dangers associated with items slipping, spilling, sliding, or dropping. We have transformed our patented material into 10 product types and over 200 SKUS, including our best-selling Gription Roll which allows the customer to customize anything on which they need grip. We are a global company with retail partners in the US, South America, and Australia.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has definitely not been smooth! Entrepreneurship is a lonely, topsy-turvy road.
It’s been quite the ride! We’ve seen unprecedented growth in a short period. Neither my husband nor I had experience in running a business and I like to say that we are building the plane as we fly it! Success has not come over night. Fortunately, we have built an incredible team. We have had to be adaptable and flexible. We also have mentors that have helped us along the way. I feel that having a Big Picture Vision has been the game-changer. And I focus on it every day. My vision is why I get up and put myself out there, live life in the uncomfortable zone, take risks and whether the bumps and bruises that come with running a business. What started as a solution to my husband’s slippery phone has now evolved into improving the lives of millions of people around the globe. Our mission is transforming lives and for that I am extremely grateful.
As you know, we’re big fans of CatTongue Grips. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
CatTongue Grips is an innovative gripping material that is waterproof, durable, antimicrobial and recyclable. Our company has three channels of revenue. We have a Business to Consumer channel which includes QVC, Lowes, Ace, Do it Best, Tractor Supply, and Meijer stores. Our products are also maximizing safety for Fortune 500 companies, helping to reduce OSHA claims and improve safety in the workplace. Corporate partners include Amazon, SpaceX, Blue Origin (yes, CatTongue Grips has been to space), Sony Pictures Entertainment, Schneider Electric, Corning, the University of Colorado and many others not mentioned here. We also have a custom division where companies use our material in their own manufacturing process. And lastly, we have recently been catching the eye of the Government who recognize the value of our products for military use.
In 2019, I met hall-of-fame Paralympian Chris Waddell at an event. Chris said to me that stuff falls off his lap every day and he could use our products. I gave him our phone grip, the laptop grip, and the Gription Roll. When I checked in two weeks later, he exclaimed to me that we had created a life hack for the adaptive community.
It wasn’t long before additional members of this community began sharing countless stories of how our products were making a powerful difference in their lives. Wheelchair users said Gription® helped them secure their feet to the footplates of their chairs, as well as prevented items from sliding in their cars, hands, and home. Those who had trouble feeding themselves, because they couldn’t get a good grip on their flatware, told us they applied a small strip of the Gription® to the stem of their eating utensils and regained their independence.
I am thrilled that our products have become “life hacks” for people, making their day-to-day lives easier. I love hearing from customers what we are doing right and what we can do better. I especially love hearing how our products are being used – the creativity among our customers is inspiring.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Spunky! I am the youngest of three girls and grew up in San Diego, California. I have a love for adventure and love to push my boundaries. Whether it’s exploring new cultures around the world, hanging out on at the beach, scuba-diving clear waters, or ripping down the slopes on skis, I’ve always felt at home in the outdoors. I thrive on stepping outside my comfort zone because that’s where I feel the real magic happens in life.
Pricing:
- Gription Roll $19.99
- Happy to provide a 20% code to your readers. VOYAGE20
Contact Info:
- Website: cattonguegrips.com
- Instagram: @cattonguegrips
- Facebook: CatTongue Grips
- Youtube: CatTongue Grips
