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

Hi Logan, every day, we about how much execution matters, but we think ideas matter as well. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
In Spring of 2017, we were assigned a college class project to create an idea that solved a problem we faced. That problem? Warm beer!

We all had expensive coolers that could keep our drinks cold for 3 weeks, but we never used them to keep our drinks cold for 3 hours! They were too bulky to carry, and getting ice each time was a hassle. So, we would just grab a cold case from the store and just drink it as it got warm.

That’s when it hit us: if we’re already getting a cold case from the store, why not just keep it cold for the entire time we’re actually going to enjoy it? The concept behind the Kase Mate was born: a soft cooler that slides around a cold case of beer, and keeps it cold for up to 7 hours without the need for ice!

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We set ourselves apart by approaching the conventional with a convenient and minimalistic spin. Our product is an iceless beer cooler, which is a completely different conceptual approach to the traditional coolers we’re all familiar with. We strive to take the path less traveled, find ways to innovate and differentiate, and ultimately create better & more seamless user experiences for those who value having fun along life’s journey.

It’s taken us 6.5 years, countless sleepless nights, tons of stress, and most of all wrestling the beast that is endless uncertainty about the future. It’s been a stressful but highly rewarding experience, and we’re just happy that we’re still in the game & growing!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
In Greenville, I would start off with breakfast at Biscuit Head, go downtown and walk to falls park. We’d grab some lunch at a spot nearby, then I’d head up towards Sunset and show them the mountains. We’d go up to Sassafrass mountain and the lookout point up there, and then we’d go to Jocassee Valley Brewing off of HWY 11 and grab some drinks & a good dinner. I think Greenville has a lot to offer in the city, but I would also love to throw in some adventure time in the nearby mountains/ lakes.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’m a firm believer that you can’t achieve success alone. Our story is full of mentors and books that have helped shape our perspectives on the pursuit of success and what it takes to build a successful business.

We started in a college class project, so our initial “Shoutouts” go to all of our professors and mentors in the Business/ Entrepreneurship Departments at Clemson that invested considerable time and energy to help guide us in the process of going from class project to real, operating business. Thank you, Chad Navis, Hope Parnell, John Hannon, and many others!

From there, I’ve had an incredible group of mentors through the Greenville NEXT Innovation Center including Steve Bailey, Tim Reed, Bruce Braun, and Joe Gibson. They constantly challenge me to be the best I can be and provide invaluable insight at each stage of growing the business.

And finally, a few books along the way that have helped tremendously are: The Slight Edge, As a Man Thinketh, How to Win Friends and Influence People, Can’t Hurt Me, and many others!

Website: kangacoolers.com

Instagram: @kangacoolers

Twitter: @kangacoolers

Facebook: @kangacoolers

Youtube: Kanga Coolers

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