Do you want to learn how to start a successful business while still in school? Do you want to hear from someone who has done it and made it big? If so, you don’t want to miss this episode of Graduate a CEO with Jim Hunter. Jim interviews Caitie Gehlhausen, the Founder & CEO of Lock-It, a phone case accessory that holds your cards and works with any phone grip. Caitie invented Socket Lock-It when she was a student at High Point University and has since grown her brand into a nationwide sensation. She has won dozens of pitch competitions and landed her product in over 3,000 Walmart stores. In this episode, Caitie reveals how she came up with her idea, how she balanced her studies and her business, and what tips she has for aspiring student entrepreneurs. Tune in and get inspired by Caitie’s story of passion, perseverance, and success.
About Caitie Gehlhausen: Lock-It truly was made by the everyday person, for the everyday person. Caitie Gehlhausen, Founder and CEO, founded Lock-It her freshman year of college, in 2018, when she noticed that all her friends and classmates had either their phone grip or their phone wallet, but never both at the same time. She thought to herself, “why wasn't anyone using these two extremely popular phone accessories together?” She began searching for a product that combined the two, and to her surprise, there was nothing on the market!
Starting from that moment, she made it her mission to create a product that offers both the convenience of a wallet and the functionality of a phone grip. From all of this, Lock-It was born, and today Lock-It is proud to be the accessory that lets you have it all!
The business quickly became a family operation, as a mother-daughter duo. Caitie’s mom, Carrie, jumped aboard as the company’s President and business partner, qualifying the company as a proud, WBENC Certified company. As a part of their family values, Lock-It is commitment to supporting local jobs and is honored to say that their products are made in the USA in their home state of Indiana.
Lock-It has grown to well over 7-figures in sales, and can now be found in over 2,800 Walmart locations nationwide! Gehlhausen is focused on expanding its online and in-store footprint through product innovation. Their mission is to continue to create unique solutions for customers to carry their essentials with both confidence and convenience.
James H Hunter III
He is the president/managing member of three companies, CFO of one company, executive vice president of one company, and director of three companies/organizations. Jim has mentored students and others as they have purchased or started a business. He continues teaching, acting as an advisor to individuals starting and running companies, and serving on free-market-oriented nonprofit boards.
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