Client Name: Chas Sullivan
Business Name: Radmoto
Business Website: https://radmotousa.com/
Industry: Electric vehicles (i.e. e-mopeds)
Location: Portsmouth, NH
SBDC Advisor's Name: Ed Miles
At Radmoto in Portsmouth, NH, business truly is a family affair, and it all started with a dream - a dream that has come true for Chas Sullivan who always wanted to start a business with his father, Jeff.
Chas is the founder of Radmoto, which offers a diverse range of electric motorcycles, mopeds, scooters, and bicycles, along with expert service for both electric and gas mopeds. Radmoto offers sales, service, and custom builds with a product lineup that includes a wide range of Personal Electronic Vehicles (PEVs). Along with his father as co-founder, Chas also has other family members involved in the business: his mother as the interior designer, his brother who designs the clothes, and his sister who does all the art.
The Radmoto seed was planted long ago when Chas was just a child, working with his father on bikes and cars, and developing a deep love for motorcycles. Chas describes his father as a tinkerer who helped him explore many curiosities as a child, especially in the automotive space. At just 15 years old, Chas recalls receiving the birthday gift of an old 1961 Austin Healy Sprite, a British sports car that belonged to his grandfather. It hadn’t run in about 20 years, and Chas and his father spent the next year restoring it together, essentially rebuilding it from scratch.
Chas would go on to work in automotive shops and the like, but his father, a business owner himself, always encouraged him to enter the entrepreneurial space. As early as high school, Chas started a car detailing business and went on to have a vintage moped and motorcycle company.
Years later, Chas went to UNH, earning degrees in mechanical engineering and business. After working in California tech for eight years and getting a Master of Science in Innovation in Germany, he moved back to NH where he discovered the state was far behind on sustainability and electric vehicles. Chas explains, “I just looked around and noticed that none of the really cool, fun electric vehicles have made it out to the seacoast or into New England yet, but they're all over California, Europe, and Asia. So I just started to carve out that niche.”
Chas first contacted SBDC at the end of 2022, when Radmoto was just a concept. He had been gone for a decade and coming back to New England, he wanted to understand the business dynamics of the region. He had no business plan, no funding, not even a space yet. With only his concept, Chas contacted SBDC where he was connected to SBDC Regional Director Ed Miles, who helped Chas through all the next steps.
Chas says the biggest hurdle was in securing financing, something that’s especially challenging for a startup. Radmoto had a significant amount of up front costs to acquire the needed inventory before they could even open their doors. Ed helped him understand what a reasonable amount to ask for would be, and how to put together projections to back that up. He also guided Chas on what banks would be best to approach, what do they want to see, and how do they want to see it. Ed reviewed the business plan, helping Chas to highlight what’s important and leave out what wasn’t.
“Ed immediately understood our business, the hurdles we faced at launch, and, better yet, how to navigate them successfully.”
Ed was also instrumental in connecting Radmoto with UNH where they’ve enjoyed working with multiple capstone projects and interns, which has been especially helpful. “Ed's always just been cheering us on and introducing us to key people,” shares Chas.
Ed’s assistance was helpful in all areas of business for Chas. Sometimes it entailed making a simple connection to a valuable network, reviewing important documents, and the overall general mental coaching / encouragement to keep going. Chas says working with Ed is “an absolute blast.” A fellow moped enthusiast, the two have taken a few rides together, which Chas says is especially great because he gets to experience Radmoto’s products being used firsthand and can provide feedback.
Today, Radmoto is experiencing monumental growth. They recently had their patent accepted on their Electric Nomad, a portable and weatherproof outdoor EV charging station enclosure with remote control.
“In the last year, Ed has helped us transition from prototype to scale-up. We have increased our sales six times year over year, acquired hundreds of customers throughout the country, and with every hurdle we face, our advisor knows how to overcome it.”