Evan Hafer is a former Green Beret in the United States Army and also did contracts for the CIA. He grew up in Idaho in a family of loggers. Everyone in his family joined the military, did their time, and then returned home to work in the forest as loggers. He followed in the footsteps of his family and joined the National Guard but after years of teenage delinquency, he decided to go to college and graduated from the University of Idaho. After he graduated, he decided to return to the military where he climbed up the ranks over 20 years eventually becoming a Green Beret where he was involved in the invasion of Iraq. He eventually became a contractor and continued to serve in the military until he began to suffer from mental and psychological problems. One thing that took his mind off of the stress of war, however, is coffee. Throughout his tenure in the military, he became infatuated with coffee and began roasting his own coffee. After he left the military, he decided he wanted to tie his love for coffee into his love for the country. In 2015, Hafer founded Black Rifle Coffee along with two other veterans, Tom Davin and Matt Best. They founded the company with the goal of supporting veterans, first responders, and law enforcement. While Black Rifle Coffee supports those who serve the nation and fall into line with certain political views, they do not endorse one party or another. Black Rifle Coffee has made the commitment to only hire veterans based on their work ethic and discipline. Hafer also made sure when he was founding the company that every purchase of his coffee would give back to veteran organizations and funds. One thing I feel young entrepreneurs can take from Evan’s story is his dedication to what he loves. As someone who has veterans in their family, Evan’s dedication to them and giving back to veterans who need it through donations and the BRCC fund is something I can stand behind fully. Not only does his company make great tasting coffee and support a great cause, he also sets a standard for all young entrepreneurs.
Archive for USA
Lancaster Cast Iron is a Pennsylvania based company that produces skillets, cutting boards, wooden utensils, and other accessories for the pans. Everything that they sell is made in the United States and strives for quality and perfection. This company was actually started by two Grove City graduates which makes the whole company better in my opinion. Mark Longenecker and Brandon Moore started this company in 2018 and it has grown ever since. These pans are very high quality and the company clearly put a lot of time and thought into the design and production of them.
This company is especially inspirational and interesting since they are both Grove City graduates, fairly young ones at that. You would not immediately think of cast iron pans when you think of something that you could innovate. Cast iron pans have basically stayed the same forever. I think it is very interesting how Mark and Brandon saw issues with the basic cast iron pans and decided to improve them. The co-founders seem very motivated by slowing down to embrace the little parts of life and getting the little details perfect. My grandparents have some of their pans and utensils and love them. Not only did they like the first few items the purchased, but they were repeat customers with not complaints.
Hope Outfitters is a small business started by Ryan Welch that creates cute, comfortable clothing and accessories, and then donates all of the profits to charity. They believe that even the smallest things can add up to the biggest difference. Part of what makes Hope Outfitters an interesting business model is that not only do they donate all of their profits to charity, but they pick a different charity every year. I think this is a great idea because this way, they can spread around their profits and pick relevant causes each year. I believe this also makes it more appealing to customers, drives interest and incentivizes repeat customers because if they like the new charity they will want to support it. Most of the products on the website are made in the United States which is also a nice plus. Hope Outfitters also provides the guarantee that none of their products have been made in sweatshops or unethical ways, allowing the customer to buy with a clean conscience. I believe that this company is a great example of how with 25 dollar shirts, one company can make a huge impact all across the world.
Dude Perfect started out as just a group of friends wanting to have some fun. Cory and Coby Cotton, Garrett Hilbert, Cody Jones, and Tyler “Ty” Toney, were your typical friend group. They had been buddies for years and loved to have fun. Eventually, they all decided to try something; “Why not film some trick shots and post them on YouTube?”, they thought. I mean what is the worst that could happen. On April 9th, 2009, the friends posted their first video on their brand-new channel: Dude Perfect. The group had no expectation for the video would fare on the YouTube landscape, and left it thinking it would maybe amount to a few hundred views. But they were wrong. The video grew into an overnight sensation, garnering hundreds of thousands of views and attention from several top media outlets. Over the next few months, the friend group would continue dropping trick shot video after trick shot video, each one trumping the previous. As the attention and popularity of the channel grew over the years, the group had a choice, give up on the channel to pursue a “normal” career, or quite each of their jobs and go all in. The choice was clear, and not long after each of the friends had quit their jobs in pursuit of their passion. Almost immediately the channel exploded yet again, with tons of deals and sponsors pouring in, and the views and subscribers continuing to rack up.
As the channel grew in popularity, the videos and deals grew in magnitude. Through their channel, Dude Perfect broke numerous Guinness World Records, traveled the world, partnered with big brands like Nerf, made videos with many celebrity appearances, and even went on tour.
Throughout it all, there were three things always at the center of Dude Perfect: faith, family, and friends. Through these cornerstones, Dude Perfect was able to not only excel, but reach levels far beyond their imagination. Each member of the group admits that if it were not for their strong family connection, friendship, and Christian faith, Dude Perfect would have been nowhere close to its current level.
Dude Perfect is an excellent example of what is possible when pursuing one’s passion. Each member of the group made a risk when chasing their dreams. Through hard work, focus, prayer, and dedication, these friends reached new heights; but the best may be yet to come.
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George Matus is the founder of Teal Drones which is the first company to mass-produce drones that are entirely made in the United States. George started this business in 2014 when he was a sophomore in high school. George Matus’s drones are heavily used by the US Army for surveillance and information recovery. George was driven to make drones user-friendly to allow for new applications and learning with the drones. In April of 2019, the US Army selected six companies to compete to manufacture light-weight drones for them to use. After just five years of being in business George’s team won a bid in the competition and would soon win the manufacturing contract.
George’s company has innovated the drone by taking the technology that is used in large drones and has been able to compress this technology into a smaller and lighter weight. George’s company has also implemented multiple measuring devices to make it easier for researchers to collect data from the surrounding area. The Golden Eagle has been innovated to have situational awareness while in flight, this was specifically made for the US Army but has since been implemented into other drones that have been manufactured by Teal Drones.
Co-workers have commented that George is willing to listen to other ideas and embraces other people’s thoughts. Since he is the CEO of his company this shows a good character trait to have as an entrepreneur that you should be open to new ideas and listen to all thoughts. George demonstrated many skills of an entrepreneur which has allowed him to succeed at such a young age. He followed a passion of his in drones and flight equipment and it ultimately leads to allowing him to have a very successful company.
RCP Drum Company was started in 2018, by the father-son duo Brian and Robert Pettry. The idea originated when Brian and his wife ordered a drum pad for their son Robert from a different company, and were unsatisfied by the pad, the shipping time, and the customer service the company provided.
By using Brian’s business knowledge that he acquired from running another family business, and Robert’s skills as a drummer, the father-son team created what they believe is the best practice pad on the market. Many practice pads that are currently available do not provide a similar feel to a real drum, nor do they always have a rim or sound anything like a real drum. Using Robert’s knowledge as a drummer, as well as feedback from others, they designed the pads to be flexible enough to meet many different types of drummers’ needs. By placing different types of rubber under the head, each pad can have a different feel. Their mindset was not to make the most profit, but to create the best practice pad they could. Brian and Robert also made the pads so that if a part breaks or wears out, or the drummer just wants to change up the look, each piece is easily replaceable and interchangeable. The head of the pad is made out of an epoxy coated anodized aluminum fabric, which can only be sourced from two companies in the U.S., but it sounds the best. Every pad is custom built for each order and is guaranteed to be shipped within two business days of placing an order.
Brian and Robert wanted all of the parts to be sourced locally so that they could have personal relationships with the manufacturers, while also allowing them to have easier access for faster shipping times. All the parts for the pads are made in the USA, many of which are made in Illinois and Wisconsin. The pads are then assembled by Robert and his dad. They also realize the opportunity they have been given to start this company and try to give credit to God as often as they can. While setting oneself apart as a Christian company can have a negative impact, Robert and his dad have said that more often than not, they have received wonderful support and have had some great groups purchase from them because of it.
RCP Drum Company really strives to create a local and personal connection both with their customers and their manufacturers. They believe that a personalized connection is important for a company, and something that is not often found today. Sometimes this means answering phone calls late at night, replying to countless emails, answering questions on social media, helping someone with a broken product or who isn’t satisfied with the product, and numerous other ways of making the customer feel like they aren’t just another dollar. Robert and Brian also use a local college student to film their product videos and a local high school student who takes a lot of the stock photos and designed their logo. This gives a young person in the community the opportunity to be a part of something bigger.
Looking for a custom practice pad, made in the USA, from a company that gives wonderful customer service? You will find all of that at RCP Drum Company.
Bees, they’re pes
ky, buzzing, and can cause a pretty painful sting. Lemonade, it’s a tasty, cool, refreshing drink on a summer’s day. The two don’t have much in common but, Mikaila Ulmer decided to bring these ideas together with her business Me and the Bees Lemonade. Mikalia Ulmer was born in Austin, Texas to parents who inspired her to be innovative.
When she was four years old, they encouraged her to sign up for a children’s business competition, where she had to come up with an idea for a business and pitch it to judges. Before the competition, a big idea came to her after two surprises happened.
The first surprise came in the mail when her great grandmother sent her an old family cookbook from the 1940s. This cookbook contained a particularly delicious recipe for Flaxseed Lemonade.
The second came from a less exciting surprise, a pretty painful one to experience as a kid playing outside in the summer, a bee sting. There were two bee stings, to be exact. Mikalia was scared at first, scared of bees and their hurtful sting. Yet, something about bees captivated her, she wanted to learn all about them. She learned how crucial bees were to our ecosystem, why even though they bring a painful sting, they also bring beautiful things, like flowers. She knew that wanted to help them.
That’s where she brought her ideas together, bees and lemonade, and started with a lemonade stand. This lemonade stand led to her business Me and the Bees Lemonade. Here, she sells Flaxseed Lemonade sweetened with honey and donates 10% of the money that she makes to organizations that help the honeybees. She started her own non-profit, the Healthy Hive Foundation, which works to raise awareness and to create more safe environments for honeybees.
Since, then, her business has grown from a lemonade stand and a recipe in her great grandmother’s cookbook. Makaila went on Shark Tank when she was 9 and got a deal with Daymond John for $60,000. The business has grown over the years, Me & The Bees Lemonade has expanded from the website and small grocery stores to grocery chains like Whole Foods and Wegman’s. In 2017, she was named as one of TIME’s most influential teens. She’s used her experience to help out others who are interested in entrepreneurship. She travels with the Dell Women Entrepreneurship Network and helps out with their youth program, where she taught with a Finance 101 class in Cape Town, South Africa.
She’s currently writing a book on story and how she came to be the CEO of her own company. Mikalia says to young entrepreneurs, “You’re never too young to start a business. ” She wants to inspire kids, and adults, to create something based on their passions. On her own future, she says, “I definitely have a lot of goals, but as my dad always said, it’s important to work step by step and take each little goal at a time.” Mikalia really is an example of a young entrepreneur taking steps to grow a business, one goal at a time.
Nine Line Apparel is a patriotic clothing company based out of Savannah, Georgia. It was created by now military vet, Tyler Merritt and his wife in 2012. They started as a small t-shirt company based out of their garage while Tyler was still on active duty, deployed overseas. His wife successfully managed the company for a little over a year and over that period of time, they expanded into a small house, and then purchased a storefront in 2014. The company started gaining a lot of traction and over the next several years they made the decision to expand yet again. In 2017, Nine Line Apparel opened the doors of their 60,000 sq. ft. facility outside of Savannah, Georgia, where they operate today.
Nine Line Apparel is dedicated to uniting Americans. They are committed to their values which are stated on their website as: 1. Respect the flag and what it stands for. 2. Support the military, police, fire departments, and any other public service who have and continue to serve the United States honorably. 3. Being patriotic is not something to be ashamed of.
Nine Line Apparel, under the guidance and leadership of Tyler Merritt, is continually innovating to ensure they can stay profitable while still manufacturing their items in the U.S. While it may not always maximize profits, they are committed to upholding their values and serving the American people. They now carry numerous t-shirt designs and styles, sweatshirts, hats, jackets, accessories for dogs, a new women’s line featuring athletic wear, and many more patriotic apparel related items. Tyler Merritt has built this company from the ground up and is now seeing incredible success with numerous interviews and bits being aired on Fox News, the brand being carried at large stores such as Cabela’s and Field and Stream, and countless online orders being placed every day.
Many of Nine Line Apparel’s employees are current and retired military, and they specifically seek to give jobs to former military members who are searching for jobs. Tyler Merritt also created the Nine Line Foundation, which is a non-profit organization, partially funded by the profits of Nine Line Apparel, that is dedicated to meeting the special and financial needs of severely injured soldiers and their families. Their latest project is building a Veterans Village, which will provide housing and training needed for homeless veterans to get back on their feet. Tyler Merritt with his businesses has found a way to be both profitable and make a social impact without compromising his morals and values. It is inspiring to see a company take a stand, stick to it, and even with a considerable amount of backlash, still be successful.
https://www.ninelineapparel.com/pages/about-us
https://ninelinefoundation.org/about-us/
Evan Spiegel is someone who has accumulated great wealth at a young age through the popular multimedia messaging app Snapchat. Being a California native, he grew up surrounded by all sorts of innovation and developments. Evan attended Stanford University to study product design, which eventually led him to come up with the concept of Snapchat. This idea received lots of criticism from his peers, but Evan decided to pursue it with two of his peers by creating a prototype. It was first named “Picaboo”, which would later be renamed Snapchat. He then decided to leave Stanford to focus on Snapchat fulltime. From 2012 to 2018, the daily active users went from 1 million to a staggering 400 million. Spiegel reached billionaire status by his mid-twenties and is now worth $1.8 billion. This goes to show how someone’s age does not limit them to achieving a high level of success. Perseverance and vision were very integral to Evan’s pursuit for achieving big things, even when his peers thought the idea was bad. 
Lt. Emily Núñez Cavness was a millennial on a mission. She was an “Army Brat” her whole life and was continuously surrounded by military influences. Even at a young age she knew she wanted to help veterans. However, her vision wasn’t realized until she was deployed. It was in Afghanistan of all places that she decided to officially start Sword & Plough. The name was a clever play on the idea of taking military supplies and repurposing them for civilian products, which is exactly what they do. The company recycles military supplies and materials that would otherwise be left to waste and pollute the earth, and turn them into totes, backpacks, accessories, and handbags.
She started the company with her sister Betsy, and is currently still the CEO as well as serving as a Captain in the U.S. armed forces. Over the last several years Sword & Plough has recycled 30,000 pounds of materials and sold over 7,000 bags and accessories. The real mission is found in the fact that they currently employ 38 veterans.
Núñez Cavness was one of the first 100 women to attempt the U.S. Army’s Ranger Training Assessment Course as well as named a White House Champion of Changed and Forbes 30 under 30 fellow. Emily and Betsy are definitely a powerhouse duo and have quite the vision. Their mission has a real purpose and their product is of the quality. It will be great to see where Sword & Plough ends up.