From Y2K Fan to CEO: How a 28-Year-Old Built a Business Selling Retro Tech

May 26, 2026 - 17:53

London Jackson was a kid in the early 2000s, watching his parents toss out bulky CRT monitors and clunky Nokia phones for sleeker flat-screens and smartphones. He never forgot the look of those old devices. Now, at 28, he is the CEO of Kickback, a company that has turned nostalgia into a profitable venture by selling tech gadgets inspired by the Y2K era.

Jackson started Kickback in his college dorm room three years ago. He noticed that his generation, often called "digital natives," had a strange affection for the clunky, colorful tech of their childhood. "We grew up with the first iPods, the transparent Game Boys, and those silver flip phones," Jackson says. "There is a warmth to that design that modern minimalism just doesn't have."

The company's bestsellers include a retro-styled Bluetooth speaker that looks like a 1990s boombox, a USB drive encased in a translucent plastic shell, and a line of wired headphones with neon accents. Jackson sources vintage molds from old factories in China and Japan, then updates the internal components with modern technology. The result is a product that feels familiar but works with today's devices.

Kickback has grown quickly. Revenue hit $2 million last year, and Jackson expects that number to double in 2024. He credits social media for the boom. Videos of unboxing the products, set to lo-fi beats and grainy filters, rack up millions of views on TikTok and Instagram. "People want to feel something," Jackson says. "A sleek black slab of glass doesn't make you feel anything. A chunky, colorful gadget with a wire? That takes you back."

The company now employs 12 people and operates out of a warehouse in Austin, Texas. Jackson says he has no plans to stop with gadgets. He is already working on a line of Y2K-inspired furniture and clothing. "The 2000s are coming back," he says. "And I am going to be the one selling the ticket."