Television Reality TV
ByMikael Trench/
While the experience of listening to vinyl on a record player is unmatched, it comes with its obvious limitations. For those who want to take the crisp sounds of their vinyl records on the go, entrepreneur Logan Riley came up with a solution. Enter RokBlok, a portable record-playing device.
Now, instead of requiring an expensive setup to play your records, the RokBlok provides a quick and easy method. By simply placing the wooden block atop a record and lifting its lever, the device can spin the vinyl and play the music. The product also has Bluetooth capabilities for users who want to connect it to their speakers. An avid vinyl listener, Riley came up with RokBlok while hanging out with friends at a park who wanted to listen to his albums. Unable to invite all his friends to his small apartment, Riley began working on a small, portable solution that would allow him to play his music anywhere.
Riley taught himself electrical engineering by watching YouTube videos to create the prototype. From there, he launched a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2016 that made over $350,000 out of a $50,000 goal. It was clear that Riley was on to something with RokBlok and the entrepreneur's next big step would put his ambition to the ultimate test.
What happened to RokBlok on Shark Tank?
Logan Riley brought the beat to Season 9 of "Shark Tank" where he hoped to nab $300,000 for 15% of his company. RokBlok proved itself by surpassing expectations on Kickstarter, but without any proven sales, it may be tough for Riley to secure a deal.
The sharks are amazed by the invention itself, loving its design and functionality. Kevin O'Leary raises concerns about the sound quality on a speaker, to which Riley states that, despite the noise compression, most users aren't apt to hone in on that factor. He also shares that he sees the product as having rich potential amongst both music fans and those who are just starting their vinyl-collecting journey but may not have the money or space to accommodate a full setup. Predictably, when Riley shares that he has just now started production, the sharks become nervous, unsure if they can trust in his enthusiasm alone.
Barbara Corcoran thinks things are too early while Mark Cuban is afraid that Riley will get bored once he moves on to his next invention. O'Leary wants 50% of the business for the $350,000. Before Lori Grenier can make her decision, Robert Herjavec comes in with an unorthodox proposal. He is willing to buy the entire company for $500,000 and give Riley a two-year, six-figure contract plus a $5 per product royalty deal. Despite the odd structure, Riley excitedly takes the deal. But it was far from smooth sailing afterward.
RokBlok after Shark Tank
Following his time on "Shark Tank," it didn't take long for Logan Riley's portable vinyl player, RokBlok, to get noticed. In fact, Riley experienced the "Shark Tank" effect almost immediately, with the product selling out only four hours after his episode aired.Rapid growth followed,with the company going from around 15 sales a day to hundreds. He was also able to receive his utility patent, which opened the door to deals and partnerships with such outlets as Walmart and West Elm.
Riley also had plenty good to say about Robert Herjavec's involvement. In a Reddit AMA, he shared,"While I can't say too much about our relationship at this point ... I can tell you that Robert and his team are incredible. They've given me a lot of great ideas and already provided an amazing amount of advice on how RokBlok can get even better."
However, RokBlok experienced some notable bumps in the road. It seemed that Kevin O'Leary's concerns should have been taken more seriously, as several negative reviews from customers onReddit and Kickstartercentered on RokBlok's audio quality. Additionally, the company was sold out of the product for some time, likely a result of therising demand. During this time, Riley allowed customers to reserve a RokBlok with a 10% discount added.
The increased exposure from "Shark Tank" seemed to be both a blessing and a curse for RokBlok at the same time. But was the company able to jump back?
Is RokBlok still in business?
Since RokBlok's problems fulfilling demand, it appears that the company has gotten back on track. Additionally, they have also improved the product itself based on the feedback from customers and the sharks.
Following the negative criticism, Logan Riley got to helping his customers who had defunct RokBloks, which he claims only made up 5% of users. He and his team also began making updates to the product itself.With this initiative, they developed the RokBlok 1.5. Not only did the new and improved model fix up the audio issues of the original product, but it also upgraded the use of its stylus, Bluetooth, and speaker capabilities. Currently, the RokBlok 2.0 is available through Mashable for $89.99. You can also purchase a RokBlok on the company's website for the original price of $99, although it's not stated which model is available. Currently, RokBlok is estimated to have a net worth of $5 million.
Now that the business appears to be on more stable ground following its initial setbacks, what does the future hold for Logan Riley and RokBlok?
What's next for RokBlok?
While RokBlok is perhaps Logan Riley's best-known creation, it's far from his only one. RokBlok is just one of several concepts thought up by Riley under Pink Donut, which Riley described in a 2018 interview with Entrepreneurs Handbookas, " ... an idea company to create ideas. I throw ideas out there. If people like it, cool. If people don't like it, whatever." Some of his other projects include the navigation app LookFor, the San Francisco-centric scavenger hunt game International Orange, and the 3D audio series City Under Karl.
But that only scratches the surface of Riley's imagination. He also shared more of his creations ready and waiting, stating, "I have a few hundred more ideas ... I'll be working on a home furniture product, a music-related app, and (hopefully) an augmented reality app." Lately, he has been tweeting extensively about his new phone accessory, the Snapback.
As for RokBlok, Riley is continuing to find new places to take his nifty music tool. In a 2022 interview withBusiness2Community,he shared the company's next steps. "We have started to partner with musicians and other organizations for all sorts of fun projects," Riley said. "We are looking to help continue finding new ways to showcase both RokBlok and the resurgence of vinyl in popular culture." When asked where he sees the company in five to 10 years, Riley stood firm in believing in the relevancy of the vinyl market in the coming years.
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