We had a chat with Dean Verhoeven, Founder and CEO of The Temperfect Mug By Joeveo, and got the 411 on their new product, where the inspiration came from, and advice they’d give to other entrepreneurs just starting out.

Q: What does the Temperfect Mug do and how does it work?

A: We make a new kind of travel mug that keeps your hot drink at a perfect drinking temperature—not too hot after pouring, and it stays just right for hours.

Q: Break down your product for us, piece by piece!

A: The Temperfect appears to be an ordinary mug, but it has an extra layer of insulation in its wall which quickly absorbs the excess energy from your freshly-brewed beverage, stores it, and then uses that energy over time to keep your drink at a comfortable drinking temperature. This special insulation layer contains a phase change material. Water is a common example of a phase change material: it changes phase from solid to liquid as it melts, keeping your drink at 0°C while melting. In the same fashion, the phase change material in our mug keeps your beverage at about 60°C (140°F) while it changes phase from liquid (melted) to solid.

Q: Our inspiration for our startup came from:

A: Our coffee and tea was always too hot initially, and then suddenly too cold!

Q: What sets you apart?

A: We make the only mug with this Temperfect phase change technology. It lets you drink your fresh brew right away, while not worrying about it getting cold for hours.

Q: What is the smartest move you’ve made so far?

A: We did a Kickstarter campaign initially to get things off the ground, and were very successful, raising over $250k in seed funding from 5000 very supportive backers. The Kickstarter campaign also served as a platform for introducing our product to the world.

Q: What is the biggest mistake you’ve made so far?

A: We worked initially with a manufacturing sourcing agency in China which was not a good fit for us, and relied too much on them and their advice in the project’s early phase. This slowed the development of our supply chain and was very expensive.

Q: What is one piece of advice you’d give to other entrepreneurs just starting out?

A: If you’re doing a hardware project, picking the right manufacturing partners is paramount, so spend plenty of time doing the due diligence. Find someone who’s already done a project similar to yours and ask if they have enthusiastic recommendations for manufacturers or sourcing agents. Don’t be afraid to drop a supplier which is under-performing and find another.

For more information, visit their Indiegogo page!