Meet Tina Hobbs: Creator of the Side Pocket

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tina Hobbs and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tina, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
My son was my inspiration. He was constantly losing his wallet. I would constantly tell him that he would lose his head if it wasn’t attached to his body. That is where the concept of the Side Pocket was born. I wanted to create a trendy, stylish accessory that would help people keep up with important items like money, keys, phone chargers and debit cards.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
In addition to being a mother of 3, I am very active in my local film community, casting and producing various feature films, short films, web-series, etc. I host an annual networking event called The Schmooze for the entertainment industry and teach a Media Arts class at Cuyahoga Community College for aspiring filmmakers. Adding the title of inventor was never on the radar. But whenever I see a new product come to the market, I always think to myself, ‘I could have done that’. When the idea of the Side Pocket cropped up into my mind, I decided to act on it. It wasn’t easy and definitely outside of my comfort zone. I had a crash course on patents, copyrights, working with manufacturers, inventory, branding, marketing, finding my audience, etc. I was determined to make it happen and I am very grateful for the people along the way that helped me see it through.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Believe it or not, Cleveland is quite the foody place. We have some excellent restaurants. My favorite places include Mallorca, known for it’s Spanish cuisine and Pier W known for its amazing brunch. When friends visit they know we are going to spend quite a bit of time stuffing our faces. But we also have some cool spots in the city where you can people watch, grab an ice cream cone or shop. 4th street or the Flats in downtown comes to mind. For a more extended visit, we would most likely drive outside an hour or so to enjoy Geneva on the Lake or take a ferry to Put In Bay. Always a good time.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to shoutout my son Donovan for helping me getting this product off the ground, my daughters, Sarah and Arikka, as well as my family and friends for their overwhelming support.

Website: https://side-pocket.com/

Instagram: @side_pocket_bag

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Side-Pocket-Bag