Smoking Vapor: Mi-Pod
Innovation, Simplicity, Fashion
It is often said that necessity is the mother of invention, true.
In this case, however, perhaps a “stink eye” added to the inspiration.
Smoking Vapor was founded in 2008 by Amir Hakak in
Phoenix, AZ. Amir was a smoker for 16 years. Growing
up in Israel smoking was much more accepted and commonplace,
thus he was surprised when he received negative
looks and almost “disgust” from others whenever he smoked
in the US. One day while cooking at a BBQ in his own back
yard, he got the ‘stink-eye’ from one of his guests and realized
that something needed to change.
While talking with a friend about the unpleasant incident,
his friend mentioned that he had quit smoking using an
electronic cigarette. Intrigued, Amir tried an electronic
cigarette and within a month quit smoking. Astonished by
his personal success and realizing this could help others, he
then reached out to the company to pursue wholesale opportunities
and opened a retail kiosk. In 2008, Smoking Vapor was created to help people move from Smoking to
Vapor. (Vape wasn’t even a word yet.) Within a year, he
had opened more than a half dozen retail kiosks with great
success. An innovator at heart, he began having ideas on
how to improve the product quality and overcome common
consumer issues, but his supplier didn’t want to change.
Then, unbeknownst to many in the vape industry today, in
2009 the FDA shut the borders and froze all electronic cigarette
sales claiming that it was a cessation device and thus
subject to pharmaceutical FDA guidelines. No one could get
product and Smoking Vapor was almost doomed from the
start. Amir reached out to his friends from Smoking Everywhere
who then joined forces with Njoy to battle the FDA ban
in court to get the product back on the market.
After the historic 2010 lawsuit that overturned the FDA’s
blockade on e-cigs, Smoking Vapor was back in the game.
Amir wanted a better performing product and started designing
and manufacturing cig-a-like products instead of just
outsourcing from suppliers. Amir spent 2010-2012 attempting
to perfect the early vape technology. Then, in 2013, after
a chance meeting with Geoff Habicht that led to a powerful
partnership, Geoff bought half of the business and joined
Amir, bringing in his own background of working as an executive
in a Fortune 500 company. Together, Amir and Geoff
rebranded and restructured the business in 2013. SV®, was
born from a love story between vapor products and a team of
dedicated individuals who were determined to offer only the
best, and most unique vaping products to their consumers.
While innovation and perhaps social criticism were instigating
factors of SV, their mission has always been to improve
the lives of the world’s adult smokers and their families. Their
vision is to enhance the lives, delight the senses and provide
extraordinary experiences to our customers, employees and
partners around the world.
Innovation Continues
What began as a retail operation with 4 employees and a small
400 sqft office has grown into a global design, engineering,
manufacturing and distribution consumer products business
with more than 40 talented and dedicated people in a new
+10,000 sqft US corporate headquarters.
Additionally, in 2016 they made the strategic decision to create
their own hardware manufacturing facility and build from the
ground up. After years of using contract manufacturers and
running into issues in Asia with suppliers, quality, and distribution controls, they decided to build out their own facility to
be able to control all aspects of our engineering, supply chain
and quality control. This has also allowed SV to have greater
control over intellectual property globally and help protect distribution
channels against counterfeits and clones.
In the US market they are focused on providing the best quality,
support, service and marketing tools to their partners and
customers. They continue to invest in people and are fortunate
with the design structure of the Mi-Pod and its fashion component
which has allowed them to continue to rollout out new
color collections. However, much has changed in the past few
years with new product development due to FDA restrictions
in the US market, so they have shifted much of R&D to the
international markets (we are now in more than 40 countries)
where regulations like the TPD are manageable and also into
the cannabis space where their technology is applicable.
The Mi-Pod™ was designed to delight all the senses of the discerning
adult smoker. Sight, feel, taste, smell, sound and intuition.
From the luxury materials and fashion-forward design,
to how it feels in the hand, to the best possible flavor and the
satisfying airflow and vapor production intuitively designed
to make one say, “Wow.” When innovation is combined with
simplicity and fashion, it becomes the ultimate sophistication.
Based in the USA, the Mi-Pod™ by Smoking Vapor is rapidly
becoming an e-cig category leader and takes vaping to another
level designed to satisfy and delight the adult smoker. Backed
by a 100% warranty, the Mi-Pod™ is a unique pod system that
uses 2mL refillable pods that can be refilled 4-6 times and works
with ANY e-liquid, including CBD, allowing one to sell profitable
e-liquids. With 3x the battery life of other pod systems, the
950mAh battery makes the Mi-Pod™ a true all-day vape. The device is discreet, compact and is available in a number of luxury
styles which can also be accessorized with a lanyard or chain.
The Mi-Pod™ starter kit comes with: a Mi-Pod™ device, a USB
charging cable, a neck lanyard and two empty refillable 2mL
pods. Store display cases available. For more information from
Mi-Pod™, 1-800-775-8970 http://mi-one.com/downloads.
With the success of the Mi-Pod™ and it’s compact, discreet, and
versatile fashion forward design, the female demographic has
grown to be +50% of the consumer base. This specific growth
has really helped adapt and craft the strategy in Smoking Vapor’s
marketing. Marketing to women smokers as well as men
in a professional and respectful manner has been hugely successful.
Also, since they are international, they adjust their
marketing approach appropriately based on the demographics
of each region coupled with cultural sensitivities necessary for
any successful global business.
Other products include:
Mi-Salt® - Your Mi-Pod™ needs the perfect pairing! Our premier
line of salt-nicotine E-liquid is taking the market by storm
and is available in four exquisite fruit flavors plus our award
winning tobacco and premium menthol. Mi-Salt® was designed
to tantalize your senses and evolve your Mi-Pod™ experience
with flavorings from around the world. The 30mL bottles are available in 20mg and 40mg.
Wi-Pod™ (coming 4/20) – The Wi-pod™ is a game changer for
the oil and distillate vaping market. It has been designed and
engineered by passionate vaping enthusiasts here in the USA
to deliver an experience that exceeds all expectations. It consists
of a super compact innovative electronic vaporizer with
a large oil capacity and a custom made built-in battery. Featuring
a patented OAS system (Oil and Air Separated), with
top air flow and no leaking, the Wi-pod™ has amazing airflow
and flavor production that is elevating the oil vaping experience
to new highs. It supports both disposable cartridges and
refillable cartridges. Furthermore, the Wi-pod™ comes with an
auto draw function, 3-color power indicators and a micro-USB
port, which makes it very convenient to use and charge. Please
read the user manual carefully before using. Pods are reverse
compatible with Mi-Pod™.
Wi-One™ (formerly the Swan) - We insist on only making
top quality concentrate items using state of the art manufacturing
process implementing a high standard of safety in all of
our products’ protective measures. This cannot be said about
the countless cheap knock-offs and counterfeits on the market.
With a 4 temperature settings and a 650mAh battery, the
Wi-One™ is engineered specifically to maximize the flavor and
vapor profiles of any thick oil cartridge. Every piece is inspected
in-house, and all of our kits come protected by our 100%
warranty to help provide you with peace of mind that your vaporizer
will be extremely durable and perform at its best for a
long time. Each is designed to optimize convenience, and to
maintain a stealthy appearance so customers can feel comfortable
using it wherever they go. Our discrete Wi-One™ thick oil
vaporizer comes in a variety of colors to help match everyone’s
style and preference, making them not only convenient and
powerful, but fashionable as well.
Quality is a core driver of Smoking Vapor. Quality means dedication
to craftsmanship, this starts with design conception, goes
into manufacturing, and lasts through the life of a product.
As Geoff explains, “Our products are not meant to fulfill the innate desire to live your life to the fullest, but rather to stimulate your senses and be a subtle way to express your own unique style while you make better choices for yourself. This is our passion that we are grateful to be able to share it with the world.”
Smoking Vapor’s quality has been recognized.
In addition to their customers’ accolades they
have received the following awards:
INC5000 4 years in a row (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018)
– America’s Fastest Growing Private Companies
ACQ5 Awards – 2018 Game Changer of the Year
ACQ5 Awards – 2018 Company of the Year
(Consumer Technologies)
ACQ5 Awards – 2018 Scale-Up Company of the
Year (Consumer Products & Services)
Amir, Geoff and their team are dedicated to creating a personal
connection with their customers. “We believe in people
first and being a customer-centric organization. This is done
firstly through our dedication to listening to the customers and
providing unparalleled customer service to gain insights on the
always improving quality & product details to deliver a better
user experience. Second, and just as important, by building
business relationships that are about people and on a foundation
of trust and mutual benefit.”
“It is important that stores and consumers know that we are a US-based company. We stand behind everything we do 100% and any issues, concerns, questions, we are always here to support and help. It is at the foundation of our values as a business and we believe in complete transparency to build relationships for the long term.” “We want to make a personal connection to deliver the best possible service, so please Call US! We have a dedicate team of support personnel to ensure you are taken care of 100%.”
Geoff Habicht – President & Co-Founder
Amir Hakak – CEO & Co-Founder
www.smokingvapor.com
800-768-9982 CONSUMER
www.svdistro.com
800-775-8970 WHOLESALE/DISTRO
You can also reach Smoking Vapor by email at
support@smokingvapor.com, or through DM
on Instagram @mionevape.