April 23, 2024

067: [MINDFULNESS] Off the grid: breaking your phone addiction & going "light" with Joe Hollier

59 minutes

Hi everyone! Today I'm speaking with Joe Hollier, Co-Founder of Light -> a minimalistic, non-addictive smartphone alternative.
For those of you who have known me for a while I've been on a long-time mission to become more intention with the information I'm taking in and to cultivate more focus and flow into my day. Partner that with my long-time meditation practice and over the past few years it has become obvious to me that my phone... as convenient as it is... is definitely part of a larger problem.
This year I "upgraded" to a Lightphone and started to set more serious boundaries with my phone. I noticed that on retreats/vacations/weekends when I don't have a traditional smartphone on me I feel more focused, intentional, and peaceful. On days when I am on my phone a lot I feel overwhelmed, more anxious, and "rushing" non-stop. I also found it more difficult to participate in things I loved: reading, learning, and tapping into that state of "deep focus".
Well, it turns out I'm not alone. According to recent research:

Checking phones has become so prevalent that more than 40 percent of consumers said they look at the devices within five minutes of waking up, according to a 2016 survey by Deloitte.

Fifty percent said they check them in the middle of the night.

“The brain starts learning how to switch rapidly from one task to another to another,” says William Klemm, senior professor of neuroscience at Texas A&M University and author of Teach Your Kids How to Learn. “It becomes a habit. But this habit conflicts with focused attentiveness.”

Y'all, IDK about you but I don't feel good feeling so distracted - I want more peace and a sense of calm groundedness in my day-to-day. Enter Light - and this conversation.

What we talk about:

Joe and Kaiwei's journey of creating a "light" phone in the era of "more is more" (more apps, more features, more addiction)

What it was like building towards a very polarizing vision: the challenge of fundraising in an era where smartphones were all the rage & VC's were looking for "hockey stick" growth

The power of community: bringing customers along the journey of building a complex, multi-year hardware tech product (How crowdfunding made all the difference)

The research behind going light + the benefits seen from case studies like schools that went 100% light phone and the benefits seen from customers

What "actually" makes smartphones addictive?

Why "screentime" often isn't enough

Joe's own journey of cultivating an "intentional" life (as an artist and multidisciplinary designer)

What Joe predicts the future of social might look like AND tech companies he's loving these days

+ so much more!
About Joe:

I'm a multi-disciplinary artist and entrepreneur. I studied design at the School of Visual Arts and graduated as the valedictorian. I started a design studio & skateboard company called Five on That, working as an animator, film maker, and illustrator mostly. I was also selling and exhibiting my painting and collage work. The Smithsonian commissioned a short film called "Diary". Other clients include Nike, CNN, the Lincoln Center, Debbie Millman, Office of Paul Sahre and Sagmeister & Walsh. Print Magazine recognized me as one of the top 20 visual artists under the age of 30 in 2014. I was invited to participate in Google’s inaugural incubator in 2014, which is where I began building the Light Phone with my partner Kai. In 2016 I received the A.D.C. Young Guns award. In 2020, I was named one of Forbes 30 under 30 for consumer technology products. I love my cat, walking the bridge, reading, camping, piano and the color yellow.
To connect with Joe:

IG: thelightphone&

...more

View all episodes

By Kasia Stiggelbout

4.8

3838 ratings