My Story
Paying it forward…
Growing up with attention deficit disorder presented me with some unique challenges early in life. I had a lot of energy, which led some adults to call me a “problem child,” the kind you don’t want negatively influencing your kids. If you hear that label enough growing up, you start to believe it and act accordingly. With the benefit of hindsight, it wasn’t that I was a bad kid. I was just a handful…a big handful. My sister and I fought constantly, and my parents went through babysitters like wildfire. In fact, one babysitter told my mom in no uncertain terms, “Do not call me again.” It was 1996 when my mom finally broke down. She needed a break, so she asked her brother if I could come up to Northern Minnesota and stay with him for a few weeks. I couldn’t have known then that the next few weeks would drastically alter the trajectory of my life, that I’d learn what it means to be an entrepreneur and develop a life-long passion for hunting.
I always loved spending time with my Uncle Mike. He liked so many of the same things I liked, and I looked up to him. He was an avid hunter and took me out with him any chance he got. He was also a gifted entrepreneur. My uncle taught me how to spot an opportunity and how to run a business. He had an uncanny ability to see value where others didn’t. Where one person might see an outdated MRI machine, my uncle saw a fortune in MRI replacement parts. Where some people saw a problem child, he saw a good kid who liked to hunt. He treated me like I was normal, and I acted accordingly. For the first time in my life, I had a sense that I belonged, and it was the greatest gift I’ve ever received. Over the next few years, I had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with my Uncle Mike in Northern Minnesota. He was my mentor, and I would not be where I am today without his caring guidance.
The Boy Scouts were also incredibly formative for me. I progressed all the way from cub scout to eagle scout, and I owe that to an infinitely patient scoutmaster, coincidentally also named Mike. He showed me how to tie knots, use a compass and start a fire. More importantly, he showed me that I could be a valuable part of something bigger than myself.
After graduating from Cretin-Durham Hall in St. Paul, Minnesota, I went on to study engineering at the University of St. Thomas. When I wasn’t in school, I would spend my time fishing, hiking, biking, hunting, and just being outside. After graduation, I was busy finding innovative ways to convert various byproducts to cash. At a local gun range, I noticed that there was an abundance of spent brass accumulating. Where others saw a pile of discards, I saw an opportunity. I started purchasing bulk spent brass, processing it, and selling it to reloaders. I spent the next few years building up a collection of tools and equipment that would later allow me to experiment with target designs. My favorite places to find tools were pawn shops and estate sales.
My love for the outdoors and the shooting sports got me interested in shooting steel targets. Unfortunately, every product on the market seemed overly expensive. It occurred to me that there’s no reason I couldn’t make my own. I loaded up my truck with a few steel plates, and I experimented with different shapes and materials. It wasn’t easy. It’s simple to cut a piece of steel. However, it’s incredibly difficult to produce something that holds up to tens of thousands of high-velocity ballistic impacts. I stuck to it, though. Over time, I learned how to produce very high-quality targets at a very reasonable price. My friends in the shooting community took notice and started asking for targets of their own. Just like that, Shoot Steel was born, and we’ve been growing exponentially ever since. The company I built from nothing now resides in a brand new, 20,000 sf facility in Elk River, Minnesota.
I’ve been successful, and I know that I didn’t get here alone. I have an amazing team of employees who work to improve the business every day, and none of this would be possible without their efforts. Just like my Uncle Mike, I keep my eyes and ears open for new opportunities, so when one of my employees came to me with an idea to produce steel cooking plates, I listened. That conversation led to the creation of Conductive Cooking. It was a natural addition to our business, and it has proven to be incredibly popular.
I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for some key mentors in my life. My uncle and my scoutmaster instilled in me a confidence that I had never known. I hope my story will inspire other “problem children” to shed that label and use their energy to achieve what others say is impossible. My mentors gave me something I can never pay back, but I do hope to pay it forward...