Get To Know The CEO Behind Cellairis, A Company In The Business Of Connecting Businesses
We spoke to Taki Skouras about the origins of Cellairis and what is next for the growing Metro Atlanta company.
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For the last quarter of a century, Taki Skouras has been helping businesses get the devices they need.
As the CEO and co-founder of Cellairis, Skouras is leading a team of over 120 employees across the Metro Atlanta area as they look to provide retail solutions for enterprise-level mobile device and accessory needs.
25 years into its operation, Cellairis is finding new ways to bring technology to users, including its recently-launched Cyber Pouch. The pouch helps schools reduce cell phone distractions in classrooms.
As the new school year gets off the ground, we spoke to Skouras about the Cyber Pouch, along with the origins of Cellairis, tariff realities, and what is next for the company.
Read our CEO Q&A here:
Question: Take us back to the origin of Cellairis. What was missing in the market in 2000 that made it the right time to launch such a company?
Answer: In 2000, the wireless industry was booming, but there was a gap in the market for quality wireless accessories. While mobile carriers were expanding, there wasn’t a centralized retail solution for consumers to easily access the products they needed to complement their devices. We saw an opportunity to provide those products in a more accessible and efficient way, and that’s what drove us to launch Cellairis.
Of your service offerings, what has been the fastest growing over the last five years?
The fastest-growing aspect of our business in the last five years has been our enterprise services. We’ve seen significant demand from mid to large-sized companies needing device management and productivity tools. Our products are helping businesses streamline their operations and keep their devices running smoothly, and the growth in this area has been really exciting for us.
Why was it important to design the Cyber Pouch? How long did it take to bring it to market?
The Cyber Pouch was created to address the growing problem of distracted learning. In schools, students were often distracted by their phones, and it was difficult for teachers to manage this issue. The Cyber Pouch is designed to help schools and teachers control distractions while helping students stay focused on their work. It took us about eight months to develop and bring it to market, and it’s been a game-changer in the education sector.
How are you marketing the Cyber Pouch and how are you getting it into the hands of your customers?
We’ve been marketing the Cyber Pouch through partnerships with resellers such as Delcom and Lenovo, as well as directly with schools and educational organizations. We’ve also been reaching out to schools directly and working with education-focused retailers to ensure the product gets into the hands of educators. It’s important to us that the Cyber Pouch is widely accessible and can make a meaningful impact on the learning environment.
In addition, we attended the ISTELive 25 conference, where we were honored with the Best of Show award for the Cyber Pouch by Tech & Learning Magazine. This event provided us with a fantastic opportunity to connect with a wide range of professionals in the education space and successfully launch our product. The recognition we received at ISTELive 25 helped us further establish our presence in the market and demonstrate the value of the Cyber Pouch to educators and schools nationwide.
Who do you see as your largest customer segment?
Enterprise solutions are our largest customer segment, but with the aggressive legislation around blocking cellular devices in schools we are working hard to expand our education business.
How big is your team? How many people are based in the Metro Atlanta area?
We have around 120 employees based in the Metro Atlanta area, including our retail and warehouse staff. Worldwide, our company employs over 2,000 people, with a significant portion of them working in international locations. We’re a global company, and our team is spread across several countries, but Metro Atlanta remains our headquarters and a core hub for operations.
Have tariffs/tariff uncertainty impacted any part of your business?
Yes, very much. The tariffs have had an impact, especially since most of our products are manufactured in China. We’ve worked hard to mitigate the effects by absorbing some of the costs ourselves and trying to minimize the impact on our customers. Tariff uncertainty continues to be a challenge, but we’re doing everything we can to minimize price increases and keep our products affordable.
As a CEO, what keeps you up at night?
The sheer size and complexity of the wireless industry are always on my mind. We’re operating in a highly competitive market, and it’s critical that we stay ahead of trends and continue offering the best solutions to our customers. Whether it’s managing new technological challenges or adapting to changing consumer behavior, staying ahead of the curve is key. The uncertainty in global markets and supply chains also keeps me on my toes, but we’re committed to doing what it takes to maintain our leadership in the industry.
