‍At a Glance

In 2011, twenty-two-year-old Noah Dentzel was living in Spain and, like many Blackberry users at the time, kept running into the same problem: constant messaging and app use drained his battery fast. His solution was to build a USB cable small enough to carry anywhere. Backed by successful crowdfunding campaigns, that idea became Nomad's first product, the ChargeCard, and the launchpad for the company itself. Here's how Noah's approach to entrepreneurship – rooted in product innovation, brand lifestyle, and a customer-first philosophy – helped turn Nomad into a leader in mobile smart tech accessories.

Who is Noah?

Meet Noah Dentzel, Co-Founder and Founder-in-Residence of Nomad!

About Nomad

Nomad dreams up and builds out builds out award-winning modern, minimalist smartphone and smartwatch and everyday carry accessories. They successfully crowdfunded on Kickstarter (2012), Indiegogo (2013) and CircleUp (2014) and sell through select retail and distribution partners in the US and globally, as well as direct to consumer to Nomad customers around the world.

Noah’s Entrepreneurial Journey 

"Nomad started as an idea," Noah begins. "It was 2011, I was twenty-two and living in Spain at the time." Blackberry was still at the height of its popularity, and the device sat at the cutting edge of the mobile experience. While working for his brother's social network company, Noah noticed that the combination of apps and constant messaging was draining Blackberry batteries fast. "There's got to be a better way," he recalls thinking. "So I got focused on this  idea of a hyper-minimalist cable you could always have on you." That concept evolved into a credit-card-shaped USB cable — eventually named the ChargeCard.

Business Growth and Revenue Strategies

The Evolution of Nomad: From Product to Lifestyle

Startups, Kickstarter, and the culture of crowdfunding were gaining momentum. "I came back to the US on a mission to put this idea on a crowdfunding platform. And I needed a co-founder and team to do it," Noah remembers. After partnering with Brian Hahn and Adam Miller and diving headfirst into all aspects of a hardware startup, the team launched ChargeCard on Kickstarter, eventually expanding the USB cable lineup to include the ChargeKey and Carabiner. "Nomad was evolving through all these products," Noah shares, adding, "we build tools for the modern nomad. We keep you charged. We keep you protected. We keep you organized on the go."

For Noah and his co-founders, Nomad was more than just a product – it was a lifestyle philosophy. "We were pushing the use of minimalist tools and embracing modern technology while going through these experiences and coming of age in a world where your phone can empower modern mobility in a new way."

Key Growth Factors: Accessorizing the Apple Watch‍

Following Nomad’s 2012 launch, Adam stepped away, and Noah and Brian continued to build on the company’s early momentum. They expanded the product lineup and moved from Santa Barbara to San Francisco in pursuit of inspiration from the big tech capital, before returning to Santa Barbara – much inspiration in hand – to refocus on a simple goal: building a great company that earns customers’ trust through thoughtfully designed, well-made products. “We don’t need to do everything and be everywhere so long as we can build great, useful products that stoke out our customers,” Noah says.

"2015 was massive for us. We took on Apple Watch in a really deep way," Noah reflects. So much so that Nomad started working on products for the Apple Watch before it even launched. "Any little rumor of information, we would dive into, because we just wholeheartedly believed that Apple Watch was going to be big," he says. Nomad would go on to create the first portable power unit and charging stand for the electronic wearable device.

The CX Philosophy at Nomad

"Our customers come first" is not a tagline that Nomad takes lightly. The company understands that without its early supporters, it wouldn't be where it is today. "Our customers backed us on Kickstarter and Indiegogo. They backordered on our website and would wait for months before they got their product, because that's how crowdfunding works," Noah says. "So our customers quite literally came first. They funded us, and we deliver to them – we owe them."

A Customer-Built Brand

"Mark Cuban says, 'Who owns the company? The customers own the company,'" Noah says. From day one, Nomad has prioritized trust, value, and long-term customer relationships over high-churn acquisition. When CX issues have arisen over the years, Noah treats them as learning opportunities, chances to sharpen response and resolution strategies rather than setbacks. "At the end of the day, it's the customers coming back that give life to a company," he says. "So you've got to take care of them. You've got to grow with them, and earn them back again and again."

Innovation and Adaptability

Minimalist Smart Tech Accessory Innovation: What is Means to Be a Modern Nomad

We carry our smartphones and wear smartwatches nearly every waking moment of the day. Putting a cheap accessory on these expensive, always-visible personal devices doesn't seem fitting. Nomad's mission is to elevate the smart tech accessory with superior design and materials. Noah explains, "We take these items very seriously, from the materials to the build quality to the plastics – plastics may sound boring and basic, but there is a world of plastics you can use." In addition to sourcing plastics from Germany, Nomad partnered with a sixth-generation tannery for its leather. Today, many of Nomad's minimalist design-driven USB-C products are universally compatible across devices – users can charge their phone, Apple Watch, and AirPods from their keychain. 

“We took the space really seriously and ended up meeting a lot of customers who really appreciated that,” Noah shares. “We just continue to find more relevance for the company.”