PHAT SCOOTERS
What started as an idea between three friends to create a new type of scooter they could use to get around their neighborhood has grown to an impressive business with a reach beyond the Valley. While product offerings and reach have grown, they've also managed to maintain a great local connection and community presence.
Photo: Schultz Digital
Q & A
Q: Phat Scooters gives you the option to customize your scooter accommodating many requests (company brands, school pride, special color schemes) with some pretty unique designs out there. Can you share some of the most interesting requests you've had over the years? Tell us about the process that allows Phat Scooters to meet these requests.
A: We get requests in all shapes and sizes. Probably the most interesting requests have been matching a scooter to a tattoo or custom artwork they have on their body or in their home. We’ve partnered with incredible artists to make limited edition artist series scooters and have had clients submit their own custom art pieces for us to design a scooter around. We’ve had sneakerheads that have designed their scooter to align with the colorway of their favorite Nike or Golden Goose sneakers. Past that we get a lot of sport/collegiate colorways to bring home the team and alma mater. Businesses of all industries and sizes have come to use brand scooters for them to use for marketing or incentive contests. We’ve also had a handful of family names, nicknames, and artwork from a son or daughter make its way to a scooter. Our favorite part of the design process is when a client finally receives their scooter and sends me photos of it in the wild because they are so proud to show it off.
Q: The company has had impressive growth in the past four years. Anything exciting on the horizon we can share with our audience?
A: Later this year we will be launching a new unit that pulls inspiration from industry trends, innovation on elements that have been engineered by our in-house designer, and changes that have come based on the past 4 years of riding and customer input. Phat is the leader in the custom electric scooter space and has no plans to stop pivoting and executing on the best possible product. The new unit will be our best scooter in the company’s history. This summer we will be launching a reality TV show to air on Crackle that gives a look into to our design/build/deliver process with some of our favorite celebrity clients. We’ve continued to expand the options for customization based on what customers want and what we recommend for the best riding experience around. From an in-house upholstery studio, to LED underlighting and 5 Rockford Fosgate speakers, to the perfect color powder coated frame, if you can dream it, we’ll try to find a way to build it.
Q: Phat Golf is changing the way golf is played with the electric scooter. Can you share what sets this type of scooter apart and what players find appealing about using a scooter on the course?
A: Our Scooter is the leader in the single ride golf space. The wide tires are easy to balance which makes them easy for a rider of any experience, are also less wear and tear on the green. The scooters provide value to the golfers by making the game more fun and to the course by speeding up the pace of play because each player can go to their own ball. Even the most advanced golfer enjoys using a scooter over a cart because it allows them to stay focused on their game because it limits the distractions and interruptions that can happen when you share a cart. Our scooters are beloved by amateur golfers, pro golfers and courses alike.
Q: You made a big move into a beautiful new 44,000 square foot building in Phoenix last year. We had the chance to get a behind-the-scenes tour last year and learned why it was important for the company's new headquarters to also include a large space for manufacturing. Can you share a bit more about what prompted the move and how this has impacted your business?
A: With exceptional growth comes a demand for space and people. We had outgrown our last space quite a bit, and with our plans to continue innovating products, expanding into new markets, and building our production, sales and marketing teams, finding a new home where we could all be in the same place became a priority. As we finalize moving our manufacturing to North America and import less from overseas, having the space to store, build and manufacture is more important than ever.
Q: What would you like our TSG community to know about the business?
A: Family is the most important part of our business – we take care of our customers like family, which makes Phat Scooters like no other e-vehicle company out there.
