PopSockets Founder David Barnett Says He Built One Of The Most Viral Phone Accessories

David Barnett, described in TechCrunch as a former philosophy professor, created PopSockets more than a decade ago after seeking an easy way to hold his headphones.

“David Barnett has learned a lot since first launching PopSockets more than a decade ago”

TechCrunch

The product began in his garage and grew into a viral phone accessory.

TechCrunch

Users know it as a grip that attaches to the back of a phone and doubles as a kickstand or handle.

According to TechCrunch's account of his conversation with the Equity podcast, Barnett explained that he deliberately avoided traditional venture capital.

He said he instead scaled the business through other means, sharing lessons from that growth process.

TechCrunch

TechCrunch emphasizes the product’s practical origin and rapid popularization.

“David Barnett has learned a lot since first launching PopSockets more than a decade ago”

TechCrunch

Barnett invented the PopSocket to solve a simple problem—holding headphones.

That practical design became a defining consumer accessory over the past decade.

Barnett’s story, as reported in TechCrunch, frames PopSockets as a garage-born innovation turned viral phenomenon.

The founder shared practical scaling lessons on Equity and attributed the product’s longevity to its simple, multipurpose design.

TechCrunch