Two teenage brothers are developing an idea that is gaining local support. Dakota and Garret Porter have been spending every waking hour on their new business. The name of this new startup is 45 Parallel Lighting, LLC, and their products are illuminating the outdoor sports industry.
They specialize in LED lighting that go on things like bikes, wake boards, and surf boards. All of the lights are a part of 16 year old dakota and 13 year old garret's new sports product line. An idea that started on a day out to the slopes.
"I just kind of started off with seeing what everyone thought of it. Going, putting them on our own boards and going to the hill and seeing what other people thought of it. So we did that and we got a huge reaction out of it and thought we actually might be able to make a living off of this," Garret explained.
When they got home they began to brainstorm. Then they developed ideas on how to expand the business. Ever since they have been moving forward.
"It's definitely an adventure, it's a very fun bumpy ride and me and my brother have had a whole bunch of fun with it," Dakota said.
The brothers competed in BOOST! Traverse City, which pitted them against other local entrepreneurs. The sponsors of the program felt like their idea was the most stable of them all.
"The idea has a lot of traction to it, its applicable to a lot of different sporting good products and they've done a wonderful job basically in scaling it from one product to really being applicable to many different products in the market place," BOOST! Sponsor Robert Fenton said.
They currently have ten sponsors supporting their product and they have also received order requests from people in some European countries and dakota is looking forward to seeing his business grow.
"I think my favorite part is going to be the marketing. Once we actually get to sell these to people and be running downtown and being like, hey they got our lights now," Dakota said.
Winning the Traverse City BOOST! competition will give Dakota and Garret the opportunity to seek funding and guidance from the Northern Michigan Angels.
You can check out their website at www.45lights.com
