Ground Floor: Event Trikes bring different approach to mobile marketing

Kyle Hane has been searching for the right business idea for a long time.

'I've started and failed several businesses over the years,” the former stand-up comedian said with a laugh.

One of Hane's early efforts was 'Piano Pals,” a business he founded when he was in his early 20s. Piano pals were old pianos

outfitted with colorful fake fur, stuffing and big eyeballs to resemble giant plush toys. Hane's idea was to use the pianos in

preschools to get young children interested in playing piano, but he couldn't figure out how to turn the concept into a viable

business model.

With his latest endeavor, Event Trikes, Hane believes he finally has an idea with some traction.

Event Trikes is a patent-pending approach to outdoor marketing using tricycles equipped with custom billboards.

'It's the newest, coolest, most exciting outdoor advertising method since sign spinners,” Hane said.

In fact, Hane created Event Trikes to compete with sign spinners, those people who twirl signs on street corners to attract attention to a business. Hane says his approach is better because it covers a lot more ground.

Hane launched Event Trikes in early 2014 while living in Arizona. Most of that first year was spent in the research and development phase.

Working with an engineering company, he developed a tricycle design that features 32 square feet of double-sided sign display. Additional features, depending on the particular advertising campaign, may include streaming bubble machines, smoke machines, lighting, or streaming music or video.

'The trike could pull a cart behind it if a customer wanted us to hand out T-shirts or hot dogs,” Hane said. 'We can be as crazy, wild and experimental as customers want us to be.”

After an initial, successful advertising campaign for a Mesa, Ariz., restaurant, Hane and his wife and business partner, Nicole, relocated to Cedar Rapids in January for family reasons.

In May, they received approval from the city of Cedar Rapids to bring Events Trikes to the city's streets and sidewalks. Since then, they have been busy marketing their business to prospective customers.

Hane noted that in addition to providing a unique marketing approach for customers, Event Trikes also provides an opportunity for people to earn some cash while getting a good workout. All Event Trikes riders will receive two hours of rider safety training.

Hane's advice to other entrepreneurs is to keep going despite challenges and setbacks.

'The one thing that's changed my life is perseverance,” he said. 'I looked for something that businesses need - outdoor marketing - and found a way to do it better.”

At a Glance

Owners: Kyle and Nicole Hane

Business: Event Trikes

Email: contact@eventtrikes.com

Telephone: (319) 899-0265

Website: www.eventtrikes.com

l Know a company or manager who has been in business for less than a year that would be ideal for 'Ground Floor”? Contact Francie Williamson at francie.williamson@thegazette.com