Rising StarOEN Member Spotlight – Tom Worley, Tater Tot Designs
Portland-based Tator Tot Designs is a creative digital solutions company that designs, engineers, and brings compelling content and ambient web experiences to life for clients, their customers, and their things.
Q: What does your business do?
A: Our areas of focus are…
…Mobile development
People live mobile, so we’ve gathered a team of developers and designers fluent in native app development for iOS and Android, mobile platform development in PhoneGap, and mobile-friendly responsive web design.
…Web development and user experience design
We build compelling user experiences from the ground up—both on the web and through ambient and persistent interactive experiences. Using information architecture, branding and identity design, we make it all come together with front-end, back-end, and database development.
…Native app development
Our team is well-versed in application re-engineering and migration as well as development for Windows 8, OSX, and HTML5 for the Tizen platform. We support enterprise customers requiring reliability and scalability as well as Agile startups.
…Product design for the internet of things:
With decades of experience in consumer electronics and product development, the Tater Tot team can bring your products to market with concepting, cost optimization, and turn-key manufacturing.
…Digital strategy and consulting
Our Digital Strategists help your brand tell its story. We will collaborate with you to analyze your current operations, provide custom solutions, develop best practices, and guide your technical and marketing teams in executing solutions that deliver results. Finally, our Branding experts have the technical and creative chops to help you refine your brand for a consistent digital experience.
Q: What problem do you solve?
A: We provide end-to-end digital solutions and can create the things we sell.
Q: How did you come up with this business idea?
A: We wanted a “no frills” answer to deliver value to our clients.
Q: What are your biggest challenges?
A: Rubiks Cubes. And finding affordable space in the Pearl.
Q: What are your goals for the company?
A: First, we create a team of passionate, driven creatives and technicians. Second, we let them do what they love, the way they love to do it. Lastly, we make our clients and partners happy.
Q: Do you have any news to share about your company’s evolution, new products or partnerships?
A: We recently launched http://www.heybigfish.com with our buddies Waggener Edstrom and Little Bird at this year’s SXSWi and re-launched http://www.tatertotdesigns.com. So, there was that.
Q: Are you looking for funding?
A: No. We are self-funded.
Q: Have you been an entrepreneur before?
A: Yes.
Q: What brought you to OEN?
A: Free cake.
Q: What has been the biggest surprise in your entrepreneurial experience to date?
A: How open people are to partnering and bringing big ideas to life.
Q: What has been the best entrepreneurial advice you’ve received?
A: Watch out for wooden nickels.
