Tesla Enthusiasts Need A Way To Personalize Their Rides. This Chattanooga Founder Wants To Help.
A Chattanooga entrepreneur providing Tesla enthusiasts a way to personalize their vehicles
In Chattanooga, Tennessee, Ji Hoon Heo, an enthusiastic entrepreneur, has taken the initiative to help Tesla fans add a personal touch to their rides. His journey began with his own dissatisfaction with certain aspects of his Tesla, that he purchased in 2018. From a button that replaced the traditional door handle to limited color options and expensive chrome trims, Heo found it challenging to tweak his vehicle to his tastes.
With his friend, Heo began a blog named Tesla Bros, serving as a hub for Tesla fans who felt the same way as Heo about the limitations in Tesla’s design options. Utilizing a Cricut smart cutting machine and vinyl from a craft store, he designed customized door labels. This entrepreneurial venture began without an official digital storefront, relying on PayPal and Facebook Messenger to sell 300 items in the first weekend alone.
TESBROS: Helping Tesla owners customize, protect, and maintain their vehicles
Following this initial success, Heo turbocharged his business, launching TESBROS with a larger range of hand-designed products for Tesla owners. These products aimed to enable Tesla owners to customize, protect, and maintain their vehicles. TESBROS product line boasts self-applying kits for changing the color of the vehicle’s trims, logos, and door handles at a fraction of the shop-prescribed cost. Added to this are front protection kits, console wraps, and custom seat covers.
TESBROS has quickly become a major hit among Tesla owners, generating more than $3.4 million in organic revenue thus far. The company offers Tesla drivers personalization options that, according to Heo, “help unlock the creative side for [car owners]”.
The journey of TESBROS CEO
Heo’s journey from his garage to an 11,000 square foot warehouse speaks of the success of his venture. Despite not being a car enthusiast himself, Heo was always an entrepreneur at heart and an early adopter of technology, which was reflected in him buying a Tesla Model 3 shortly after its launch.
TESBROS, bootstrapped for five years, has only recently embraced outside capital, guided by Chattanooga-based startup hub, Brickyard. This has played a crucial role in guiding TESBROS, especially during turbulent times in its early stages of operation.
Looking towards new horizons beyond Tesla
While Tesla was the starting point for TESBROS, Heo is already aiming at new horizons. His vision is to expand TESBROS’ service to other vehicle markets. Rivian, Jeep, and Bronco drivers represent the next potential markets, given their strong vehicle-related identity.
