Behind the Moon Vehicle Experts (MVE) Program

We introduced our Moon Vehicle Expert program last week. If you missed it, check it out here. In a nutshell: It’s a way for real-life MoonShade users to show our community how best to install and utilize their awning, depending on their vehicle type. 

So we tapped the two architects of the program—CEO Henry and Product Expert/MVE Program Director Eric—to talk about what the MVE program means to them, and how it's going to shape the future of the company. 

Henry
The purpose of this program is to solidify something that’s always been true for Moon: we’re only here because people recommended us to their friends.  We wanted to harness the energy and enthusiasm inherent in a word-of-mouth recommendation. We’ve seen that one of the prime ways those recommendations happen is in online communities that form around vehicle types. So, we thought that vehicle-specific content would be a great place to begin talking to our community in a more direct and intimate way.  

Eric
To me, the MVE program is really a knowledge sharing platform. As a product developer by trade, I’m always looking for the best solution to a given problem. The MVE program allows real-life experts and enthusiasts to connect and share their tested and proven solutions, tricks and tips and more.

Right now, our Experts are only speaking to gear directly related to the installation of their awnings. But as the program grows, we envision it as a place where you can go not only to learn how to set up a MoonShade on a Jeep, but also where you can find a recommendation for the best possible lantern on the market or the best beach camping spots in Baja. I want it to be something of a Digital Campfire: a way to introduce the community to the best that’s out there in the nomad world.

Henry
We’ve always tried to celebrate the nomad community in everything we do. The MVE program is an attempt at expanding beyond that. To not only celebrate the community, but also to directly foster education, growth, and connection within it. We hope the MVE program will provide an opportunity for us to delve into deeper conversations with this world. 

We also hope that it will serve as an opportunity for us to introduce the nomad community to the rest of the world. A way to start to educate “outsiders” about the lifestyle: Why do people do this? How are their vehicles a reflection of themselves and their values?

Eric
I initially looked at Moon as just a product company, but over time, my mind has been changed. The relationships we’ve built are just as—if not more—valuable. And that’s what we want to celebrate and facilitate here.

Henry
Exactly. But this is uncharted territory for us! It’s very much an experiment. We’ve been a product company, and now we’re trying to build a product-focused community.  We feel like we’re onto something, but it is going to be a collaborative effort. We’re going to try some new and very interactive things—message boards, discords, tutorials… and some of them might not work. But it’s important that we do this all out in the open. And people know how to contact us if they have ideas on how we can make it better. (Please do contact us.)