Wiley's Mission & Story

Story of Wiley - The Problem We Experienced As Parents

(Wiley Founders Bailey, Left. Chris, Right. + Our Twins.)

As parents we want to do everything possible for our kids to look back at their childhood as some of the most magical time of their lives.

We're a family with kiddos growing up quick.

About a year ago we were walking out the door for a date & realized the babysitter we hired didn’t have a cell phone. There was no way for her to reach us if anything happened or for us to let her know we were running a little behind.

We realized our kids didn’t have an easy way to call up grandparents to say hello or to call a neighborhood friend to play without us as the go-between. We looked at a way for our children to have a way to connect with family & community.

Traditional Landlines? They were super expensive (like $50-$80/mo!) & our house was unserviceable.

Cell Phone-Based Childhoods

Research shows screen's like TV & laptops aren't the culprit, it's CELL PHONE SCREENS. Social media companies try to hook kids early, especially in their early teen years, their brains are still developing the parts that control decision-making, emotions, and impulses.

How our children's brains are wired

As kids learn they build neural pathways — little brain roads that get stronger the more they’re used — helping them remember and learn new things. These pathways get insulated through a process called myelination, which locks in their habits and controls the ways their brain will run.

Kids today on average get their first cell phones around 11–12 years old, and FOMO grows as kids' peers get cell phones. Families end up battling kiddos addicted to cell phones with issues like mental health (anxiety, depression), cyberbullying, age-inappropriate content, and sleep problems. 

The Solution - A Landline Phone??

Chris is somewhat of a nerd & built the first Wiley home phone prototype with an old vintage phone he liked off eBay & got it to work over the home internet. The idea was to replicate the experience we had growing up with a landline phone. We set up speed dial with a little sticky note & our kids started calling Chris when he was working late at the office, calling grandparents, & their nanny...all on their own. We knew we were onto something special...

We set up other home phones for friends across Utah & the responses we get are nothing short of magic. Kids were literally jumping up & down when they hear they're getting their own home phone, calling all their friends & cousins, & even one kid made flyers for her very own dog walking business because now she "has her own number".

Parents from all around got word and wanted to get a phone. We partnered with IT experts, an industrial designer, & software engineers to make home phones easily accessible & safe...without needing to spend tons of money.

We're not anti-screen at all...we love Mario Kart & family movie night...but we know parents have been looking for some options to give kids something they want while also holding a boundary until they feel it's the right time.

We think there's a big opportunity to help with adults too that are looking to detox a little more from phones. We've got some fun ideas in the works!

As technology evolves we want to be a refuge for those seeking relief.

Thank you for checking out Wiley! We're glad you're here & hope our service can be a tool to give your family more freedom & connection ❤️

*High Five Over The Miles*
Bailey & Chris
Wiley Founders