Popdarts creators share the values that make their business stick
When Liberty University alumni Josh (’10) and Jason (’13, ’15) Carman first decided to create a new, safe dart game for all ages in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, they never imagined the heights their invention would one day take them, from a family game in the garage to a national championship tournament broadcast on ESPN.
Josh said the concept for suction-cup darts first came to him after he went axe throwing, when he thought, “What if I could get that same, satisfying stick but in a fun, safe, and portable way that people can play anytime, anywhere?”
The brothers experimented with different materials that would be safe for indoor and outdoor use. They shrugged off traditional business methods, and without investors or an advertising budget, they spent hours livestreaming themselves playing the game with friends and family, on tables in their home and on kitchen islands. When one video hit 20 million views on TikTok, they knew they had something big. With an outpouring of support and interest, they had multiple preorder sellouts of their new game, Popdarts.
“The beautiful thing is we were playing the game, and that was selling the product,” Josh said. “The game is super demonstrable. You can easily understand (the game) the minute you look at it.”
Brothers Jason (right) and Josh Carman (beside him) speak with hosts during the first Popdarts National Championship broadcast live from the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Fla., in August.
The Popdarts brand continued to build rapidly. The brothers quit their jobs in Charleston, S.C., to manage the company full time, Josh as CEO and Jason as COO. The game was featured on the “Today” show and soon became widely available for purchase online.
Now, the company has reached $40 million in sales and recently secured partnerships with Dick’s Sporting Goods, Walmart, and other major retailers.
Avid players became serious about taking their skills to the next level of competition, and local leagues have formed as part of the American Popdarts League. There are leagues in over 20 states.
Last August, the first Popdarts National Championship was held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Fla., and broadcast on ESPN2.
Liberty students play Popdarts on campus. The tabletop game is played with three darts per team. Players score points by landing near the target marker (the short piece), on top of it, or touching it. They can also score by landing on top of other darts (this is called a “wigglenobber”).
“The community doesn’t happen overnight,” Josh said. “There were a lot of core people from when we first launched, but then we continued to build that community through word of mouth. To see it on that stage (in Florida) was awesome because the energy in the stadium and on the court we were playing on was through the roof.”
As their product rose in popularity, Josh and Jason continued to emphasize their company’s Christian roots. The Popdarts website features several Bible verses and a place to submit prayer requests. They have refused past marketing opportunities they believed went against their morals.
Jason Carman and family
Perhaps the largest way the brothers infuse their faith into their business is the way they approach customer service.
“We really try to put the customer first and see what their needs are but then also care for them,” Josh said. “It goes a long way, especially with your core group of people you follow. I don’t think they feel they’re just another number on our Shopify site or Amazon store. We genuinely care about them.”
Their dedication to Christian values has also bled into a heart for missions and supporting organizations such as Samaritan’s Purse. The Carman family donates thousands of Popdarts units each year to Operation Christmas Child, and they partner with other Christian nonprofits to spark positive change in their communities and around the world.
Jason said the family’s generous spirit stems from a desire to give back to others, recognizing that monetary success doesn’t provide true joy or happiness.
“It’s really important to recognize what we are actually here for and what brings actual meaning and satisfaction,” Jason said. “It’s partnering with people like (Samaritan’s Purse), living a life that is honorable, treating people with respect, and knowing that there is always going to be something out there to chase, but that isn’t the end goal. Understanding that goes a long way.”
Josh Carman and family
Josh added that, ironically, he feels more anxiety when Popdarts sales rise during the Christmas gift-giving season, so being able to give back to the community provides a chance for him to reset and focus on what truly matters.
“When we give, it is one of the most freeing things you can possibly do,” he said. “To be able to give to our church, give to capital campaigns for different people’s missions, it’s almost like (taking) a breath. You can breathe easy. You are literally sending money away, but it just feels better. Seeing that principle play out in real life is pretty cool.”
The brothers said that in business and in life, they have relied heavily on the education they received at Liberty. Josh arrived on campus in 2006 and earned a B.S. in Business Administration, specializing in finance. He met his wife, Dana, in the dining hall.
Jason followed his brother to campus a few years later to pursue a B.S. in Psychology: Human Development. He later worked for Liberty University Online Programs while earning his MBA.
Josh said his time at Liberty prepared him to enter the world as a financial advisor before launching Popdarts. He said he appreciated Liberty’s focus on practical application.
“(Liberty) professors brought the life out of the textbooks and tried to teach you their real-world experience,” he said. “That was probably the most impactful for me. I struggled with textbooks. I think a lot of people do. We’re big on real-world experiences. The more a university can tap into almost an apprenticeship program, where you know what you’re getting into and you shadow someone doing this, that is so valuable. … Liberty does a good job of mirroring real life through the professors there.”
Jason said his psychology degree helps him every day as he develops relationships and seeks to expand the Popdarts platform. He specifically credited Associate Professor Dr. Dan Logan.
“(Dr. Logan) taught us so many principles, and I use those principles of psychology so much in what I do with marketing and messaging to reach people for interest in our game,” he said. “Marketing is all messaging. If you can’t understand how people think, why they think that way, what they are thinking, and what will move them, then you really have nothing.”
The Carmans were joined by several family members at the championships.
Jason Carman demonstrates throwing techniques to ESPN announcers.
