Most startup stories begin with a dramatic flash of inspiration.
Ours began with a text message.
Kate and I met in college and have somehow managed to stay close despite living in different states and taking very different paths through life. We have one thing in common, though: we're both constantly noticing problems and wondering if there's a better way to solve them.
One day, Kate sent over a handful of ideas she'd been kicking around. One of them was surprisingly simple: a long coiled charging cable.
She'd been looking for one for herself. Not a boring black cable. Not a short cable. A long, retro-inspired coiled charger that came in fun colors and felt more intentional and higher quality than the sea of generic cords available online.
At the same time, I was reading Johann Hari's book *Stolen Focus*. Coming from a background in youth development, I'm acutely aware of the role excessive screen time plays in the youth mental health crisis. I've also spent years thinking about how environments shape behavior and was also trying to build healthier phone habits myself.
Somewhere between a retro charging cable and a book about attention, a bigger idea emerged.
Old landlines had something modern phones don't: a place they belonged.
The phone lived in one spot. You walked to it. You used it. You hung it up.
Today, our phones follow us everywhere. Kitchen. Couch. Bedroom. Bathroom. Repeat.
What if we recreated some of what made landlines work — not the technology, but the relationship?
What if a phone had a home?
The idea evolved from a coiled cord into a wall-mounted perch that feels a little like a modern landline. A place to charge your phone, keep it accessible, and create a little bit of intentional distance all at the same time.
Once we started talking about it, we couldn't stop.
We've spent months researching, sketching, prototyping, talking to manufacturers, debating colors, arguing over logos, and obsessing over details that most people would never notice.
And honestly? We've loved every minute of it.
Coilie is still early. But it's already become much bigger than a charging cable.
It's our attempt to help people create a healthier relationship with one of the most important — and most debilitating — objects in modern life. Our phones.