PART 6: Brandon Hardin’s Command Glove puts you in control
(EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the sixth article in a series spotlighting the East Knoxville start-ups that are pitching in the upcoming “Paradigm Challenge” competition set for this Saturday {June 17} at the Eternal Harvest Life Center East Campus, 2410 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Festivities begin at 10 a.m., and the public is invited.)
The “Paradigm Challenge” is a Launch Tennessee-supported and Knoxville Area Urban League-led (KAUL) effort to bring new business starts into the East Knoxville community. As noted in this previous teknovation.biz article about the program, KAUL has been supported in the programming by a number of organizations including the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center, Knoxville Chamber and its Propel program, Tennessee Small Business Development Center, and Greater Knoxville SCORE chapter.
We asked the Entrepreneurs who will be pitching their ideas to answer a set of questions. Today, we feature Brandon Hardin and his Command Glove which was the subject of this earlier teknovation.biz post.
- Tell us about yourself and, if applicable, your other team members . . . names(s), background(s), experience, etc. My Name is Brandon Hardin. I’m the Founder and President of Joyce Development LLC. We are developing an exciting new product we call the Command Glove. I am a Knoxville, TN native that grew up in Tennessee. Due to my military background and experience as an airline pilot, I have traveled the world and embraced many different cultures. I have an amazingly talented and motivated team helping Joyce Development and Command Glove grow into an incredibly productive company and successful product. Erik Stevenson, my Partner, grew-up in Memphis, TN, and is a very close college friend. Erik is smart, educated, and very frank at telling his opinion on a subject or situation involving Joyce Development. Erik holds a Master’s Degree in Project Management with four years of experience. He is also a licensed real estate agent with two years of experience in sells. Erik will help to organize, manage, and set strategic goals for the operation of Joyce Development. Todd Johnson (Marketing) grew-up in Nashville, TN, and embodies professionalism. Todd is an absolute guru in the field of marketing. He holds an MBA in Marketing from Vanderbilt University and has experience as a marketing executive with both Kraft and Proctor & Gamble. Todd has managed the launch of many multi-million dollar marketing campaigns and is committed to molding and managing the Launch of the Command Glove. John Stirling (Lead Engineer) is a native of San Francisco, CA, where he grew-up in the culture of tech. His relationship with the interworking of Silicon Valley is extensive. He transplanted to Nashville, TN, in 2011 where he helped found a start-up called Ankr, a Bluetooth tracking device that is sold by most major US retailers. He served as lead engineer with Ankr and will fill the same role on our team. John has extensive experience in Bluetooth and firmware programming. He will bring his breath of tech knowledge and distribution experience to Joyce Development. Van Iron (Legal) is an experienced and licensed intellectual property and litigation attorney. He grew-up in East Tennessee and ran for Congress at one point in his esteemed career. Van is a vested partner in Joyce Development and dedicated to the company’s success.
- Describe the focus of your start-up and the problem you are trying to address. Technology isn’t confined to the desktop computer anymore, it is all around us. It is being more and more incorporated into our everyday lives. Smartphones, tablets, smart watches, VR headsets, etc., are enhancing our everyday lives and bringing technology and virtual experiences directly to us. They are being strapped to our bodies in the form of a massive emerging market called wearables. Many of the major U.S. technology companies have weighed into the industry with their own products, including Google’s Oculus, Apple’s Watch, and recently Facebook vision with augmented reality glasses. The question that we raise here at Joyce Development is, “What’s the best way to interface and use these new wearable devices as we incorporate them more and more into the motion of our everyday lives?” We are focused on answering that question with our product, The Command Glove. The Command Glove already connects to some, but will be able to connect to all of these devices wirelessly, and allow you to have complete control over them with a simple tap of your finger, all this without looking down or interrupting your focus. The Command Glove is rugged enough to incorporate into your everyday life and leaves your hands free from having to hold your phone or various controllers. The Command Glove is the natural evolution of the computer mouse utilized to control the electronics in a mobile world.
- How did the idea to start the company originate? What was the catalyst? The idea to start the company came a few years ago while on a run. I always listen to music while I run. One day, during a timed run, I didn’t want to listen to the particular song that was in my ear, but I didn’t want to stop or even slowdown my run to change the song. After getting home, I looked for a product on the market that would allow me to control my music during my run without distracting from my pace. I couldn’t find one, so I decided to make my own.
- What was the impetus for applying to participate in the Paradigm Challenge? I was raised in and by the East Knoxville community and have a vested interest in the community’s success. This “Paradigm Challenge” focuses on companies with the potential to help develop and make a positive economic impact on that community. If Joyce Development and my efforts to grow Command Glove can help make the goals of the “Paradigm Challenge” a reality, then I’m more than happy to partner and participate in the event.
- What has been the greatest value the programming and mentoring have provided thus far? Validation of the work that I’ve accomplished thus far, a framework, and plan to continue the progress of my company’s goals is the greatest value my mentors have provided me and my team to this point. Their energy towards our project and optimistic vision has helped to breathe new excitement into our efforts. They’ve helped to identify both strengths and weaknesses in our plan and offered unbiased input on how to positively deal with it all.
- What do you expect to accomplish by the June 17 Demo Day? The Command Glove is a new idea and concept with very little to compare it with on the market. This makes it hard for many people to visualize its amazing versatility and proper place in the consumer market. I hope to connect the dots at Demo Day by creating a picture of how Command Glove will allow you to better control the electronics in your everyday life, allowing you to Command Your World.
