How an Uncomfortable Flight Led to an Innovative New Product Solution

Curt Anderson  00:01

Hey, Damon, happy Monday. I really I think this is a different time than we normally it goes.

Damon Pistulka  00:08

Yeah, I’m a little late.

Curt Anderson  00:10

Yeah. So while you know when you sleep in like that, right? So hey, happy Monday. It’s the last Monday, June already is you know, it’s the last Monday of the quarter. We’re halfway through the year. Like what I got 2024 Just started in it. Yeah,

Damon Pistulka  00:25

it seemed like, just like

Curt Anderson  00:27

I thought it was just yesterday. So, all right. Hey, thank you for commenting. And later time, we’re doing a little dinner time with most timezones, I guess. And so, happy Monday, Damon, I want to we have a dear dear close friend that we’re bringing on? Yeah. Wonderful, fierce entrepreneur, incredible manufacturer, our dear friend candy FitzPatrick  is an artist. Candy. Happy Monday. How are you?

Candy FitzPatrick  00:50

Happy Monday. You guys. Good to see you here. Oh,

Curt Anderson  00:54

this awesome. So hey, you know, we’ve been in person a couple of times. So I’d much rather be in person. But I guess you know, this is the next best step is hanging out here. So, Damon, you’ve met candy. You had a little little we had a little soiree up in Alaska. Right. So yeah, candies, Alaskan manufacturer just as wonderful entrepreneurs. So candy, I think you popped into the show or the time or two. Right? You’ve you’ve you’ve come on and some of our guests over the years. So we have a little little question that we’d love to ask. Candy, when you’re a little girl growing up?

01:29

Who is your hero?

Curt Anderson  01:31

So it was a little girl growing up? Who did you look up to? Who was your hero?

Candy FitzPatrick  01:40

Wow. I guess I wasn’t prepared for that question.

Curt Anderson  01:46

That’s a stalker. Damon. How about that one? Good one. Anybody come to mind? We’ve had? We’ve had, we’ve had Wonder Woman. We’ve had people’s parents, grandparents. We’ve had baseball stars. Well, so we had Chuck. We’ve had Charlie’s Angels. So Kenny was the first one that comes to your mind.

Candy FitzPatrick  02:09

Well, the first one that comes to mind was Kimba the White Lion. Oh,

Curt Anderson  02:15

wow. Cool. Good answer cards. Very good. Way

Candy FitzPatrick  02:19

back. I don’t even know how it was. I was funny. Watch that.

Curt Anderson  02:26

Do chair why why, Kimbo? Let’s go there. Why was Kimbo a hero to us a little girl growing up? Well,

Candy FitzPatricK  02:32

I’m not sure about that. I don’t even remember why it just came to just my mind. I must have been on some great adventures and helping people is what I’m thinking.

Curt Anderson  02:44

Well, yeah, I Damon, I think that’s a great answer. Your Yes. Oh,

Damon Pistulka  02:49

yeah. 100% Because wasn’t Kimball the line that took care of people and took care of the other one? Isn’t it the mother line in it? I can’t remember the exact one because my kids are just watching us all the time. But

Candy FitzPatricK  03:05

I think so. I’m gonna have to look that up again. It’s just Yeah,

Damon Pistulka  03:09

I will. I will continue on. I will look it up because I have this little Google machine right here.

Curt Anderson  03:16

Team is gonna fact check for us to fact check. So Candy, as we type in you are founder and extraordinaire of an incredible company. We’re going to dive into this but I want to do a little lead in to up to how this this wonderful, brilliant, innovative idea came to you. So just Could you share a little girl growing up Candy, what was your hero of course, and but your early adult life? What talked a little talk to us a little bit about? I think you traveled you traveled just a little bit right in your in your lifetime. Right if you traveled just a little bit. Yeah,

Candy FitzPatrick  03:49

I mean, we started young, my parents, when they were together, when we went we lived in Jersey. And we used to drive out west to go on vacation. So that started it. And then when my parents got divorced, my mom and those kids moved to Minnesota. And then we continued with the traveling. And we didn’t have a lot of money growing up. So it was always drive drive drive and camp and you know, on the Download type vacations, and so that just sparked interest in traveling in general. And, and then I had this goal before I was 25. I wanted to go to all 50 states, which I did in DC and Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico state someday, and I’ll still be able to save until what was your favorite? Well, that’s the thing. I wanted to pick where I was going to live. And so here I am in Alaska. So Alaska was my favorite.

Curt Anderson  04:48

Alaska was your favorite. So what about Alaska? What was the other buy? Did you buy? Did your heartstrings pull to Alaska?

Candy FitzPatricK  04:59

I liked It’s remoteness. I wanted to learn how to fly fish. It’s beautiful. I was in aviation for over 30 years. And there’s a lot of aviation up here. And there was a lot of guys.

Curt Anderson  05:15

It’s always about the guy. Who doesn’t go to Alaska for the guys.

Candy FitzPatricK  05:22

I’d say it’s about even now. Really? Yes. Which is nice. So

Curt Anderson  05:26

Excellent. Well, let’s go here. Hey, we’ve got Harry’s in house, Harry, Harry, they too, buddy appreciate, oh, here you got Candy FitzPatrick, founder and CEO of a wonderful company, we’re going to dive into this, can you just share a little background on your aviation career, because I find it absolutely fascinating. And again, this is going to lead up to the product that you discovered that you found it that you are rocking it with. So just share a little bit on your aviation aviation career.

Candy FitzPatrick  05:55

Well, I started being an interested in aviation. And when I was in high school, and even though my dad lived in New Jersey, he was into aviation as well. And so I think maybe that’s where it came from. But it always just really interested me. And I went on a college visit with one of my friends. And she was going to a school in North Dakota, which had a huge aviation program. And I said, this is it, this is where I want to be. And initially, I wanted to become a pilot, but really didn’t have the funds for that. And everyone has to get at least their private pilot’s license to graduate from University of North Dakota and aviation. So I did that. And soloing was excellent and wonderful. But flying was not for me, I didn’t love it. And you really got to love it to spend all that money and time doing it. So kudos to the people that do that. And but I got a job, a work study program job at the school being a dispatcher, we had over 100 airplanes and a few helicopters. And so I would dispatch those to the students. And I did that for the whole time I was in college, and I did an internship down at FedEx in Tennessee. And so that just kept the ball rolling. And after I graduated, I got hired back at FedEx, and that’s how I transferred from I was in Tennessee, then Indiana and then Alaska. So my jobs down there were all in Aviation Flight coordination, but my job in Alaska was career and customer service, which I did because I just wanted to go to Alaska. So that you know, snowballed into. I lived in Anchorage in the beginning, it didn’t really want to be in the city. And so I was always looking for other opportunities. And I ended up in southeast Alaska working for the Forest Service. As an aircraft dispatcher, it’s the the two largest forests in the whole country are both in Alaska, the Tongass, which is the largest, and the to get where I am now is the second largest. And from there, that was aircraft dispatching for me government resources and that sort of thing. And I did aircraft index investigation, stuff as well nationwide, and aircraft accident investigations. And, and then when we moved to the road system, I got I met my husband down there, we moved to the road system. Again. So up here I got interested in Antarctica and researching and reading a lot about the Heroic Age of Antarctica, and then it just couldn’t rest until I got to Antarctica. So I was commuting from Alaska, down to Antarctica, where eventually I did Mac ops, which is the first year which is communicating with like South Pole and other outlying stations, checking in with people. And then the second and third year I did, Assistant Supervisor of helicopter operations. And then the next seven years, I did helicopter flight following which is in the air traffic control division, but I’m not an air traffic controller. It was all uncontrolled airspace. And those were some of the funnest jobs I’ve ever had. And Antarctica is just McMurdo Station, just a wonderful community. And I learned so much about lots of things. So yeah, so that’s where we’re at. It was commuting from Alaska to Antarctica, which is when I was in pain sitting on the flights, very long flights very long days to get down there. There and Back.

Curt Anderson  09:31

Wow, all right. Damon, what do you have?

Damon Pistulka  09:33

I just it’s amazing when I hear people talking about going to Antarctica, because I just, I mean, yeah, it’s gotta be something so what was the what was the thing that just blew you away about about it when you went to Antarctica? I mean, you were there. No, I mean, when you were there, what just blew you away? Like oh, my goodness, I just I still can’t believe this.

Candy FitzPatrick  10:00

Uh, well, it was the jobs being really fun. It’s mostly the people that are there probably anywhere you work. But the people who are down there. Most of them are traveling and don’t have home bases. They have like containers, they put their stuff in storage, you know, but I was lucky. Yeah, you know, I have a house and. And so it’s actually like the trips that people would talk about that they were going on things you would never imagine. Just just out there. And then, like, I wanted to learn how to play the bass guitar. And some two of my friends stepped up and helped me do that. super nervous to play in front of people talk in front of people, but that kind of kind of disappeared when I had a bass guitar between me and them. And it was like, I started playing it. And a month later, we were doing open mic nights, and I’m like, I’ll do the talking. It was just weird to me. Anyway, so we had a few different iterations of bands over the years. And sometimes they played some percussion stuff. And sometimes they played the bass, which is kind of a percussion type of thing, keeping the beat. So that was really fun. And, like, I had some friends that were really into cross country skiing, which I had sort of learned how to do, but not right before. So they were really patient and they taught me how to do that. And skate skiing is one of my favorite things to do ever than I learned how to do it down there. And it was really cold. Yeah, so. Oh, well, I Yeah. Well,

Damon Pistulka  11:31

because who? Allison? I forget Allison’s last name, but we interviewed her. Oh, it’s been a while now. But she has some loving Alison Levine. She skied to the South Pole,

Curt Anderson  11:46

right? Yeah, yeah. Across the end ours. Antarctica. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Damon Pistulka  11:50

Something like that. I was like, Oh, my goodness. Yeah. And I just think it’s got a first of all, of course, it’s cold and all that stuff. But not just just the remoteness of it. Because like, yeah, you’re remote in Alaska, but if you really had to, you could get a plane out to you or something. kinda, you know,

12:08

there you just don’t. Yeah, yeah. And,

Curt Anderson  12:11

and, and demons came in. I have a surprise for you. Candy. Are you ready? So she’s gonna break out the bass and she’s gonna do a song for us can I

Damon Pistulka  12:21

do he’s gonna play a little rush days from we’re gonna

Curt Anderson  12:25

do a little rush That’s right. So just just teasing candy just eat but if you do have the bass, we’d love to hear sounds. Alright, so hey, let’s dive in. We’re alright, so you’re the founder and brainchild of a wonderful company called rest angles. We’re going to dive into it we’re going to take a peek at it but sure what happened on that flight that triggered because you know Damon week you you hear so many entrepreneurs stories in America I’m traveling today and I was I was out to lunch with a client this morning or this afternoon and same thing you know, there’s a problem and I’m going to solve it when a southern for myself well, maybe there’s somebody else on the planet has the same problem. I’m going to bring my solution to them. Then all sudden it becomes like a little bit of a hobby then else in the hobby becomes a bit of a side hustle side hustle becomes a business. So can you please share what was going on with this this flight from Alaska to Antarctica? That then in turn, and who did you ever? Please share the problem? Did you ever have anticipation or did you have a hunger for an entrepreneurial journey? Or like what? Let’s take us through this whole mindset.

Candy FitzPatrick  13:30

So entrepreneur, not so much but this is a list I wrote in high school of things I wanted to do in life in high school in high school, and it says invent something. Oh, really? No kidding. Yeah. Yeah. Oh my goodness, you need to do

Curt Anderson  13:51

paper. Yeah, that is that is why it

Candy FitzPatrick  13:56

was your 11th or 12th grade I had this pad of purple paper in in both grades i i Really hoarded paper because I was always afraid there was not going to be any more paper available to me. So I had this purple pad of paper for about two years so it was either 11th or 12th grade and then you know the teacher sends it to you they said write down your goals and they send it to you later that’s what this was. Yeah. Events

Curt Anderson  14:26

Yeah. So take us there so that you have this this treacherous long flight what was going on in the flight?

Candy FitzPatrick  14:34

Yeah, so first, I have to drag to Anchorage, which is two hours then I go from Anchorage to either San Francisco or LA, which you know, is five to six hours in there and sitting in airports if you have to sit in Seattle depending on how they route you. And then over to Auckland, New Zealand is like 12 to 13 hours. And then after that to Christchurch, so it’s a lot of sitting. And the first year I went there, which was oh four, I got off the plane in Auckland and I pretty much couldn’t walk. I had a really hard time standing up, you know, people make fun of people who stand up right? When the plane gets in the into the gate pulls in. Because you can’t you’re at the back of the plane, you’re not gonna be getting off for a while people are like, Why are you standing up and you’re like, because my legs are killing me. That’s one reason people stand up, or your back or whatever. So if there’s a reason. And so I get off the plane, and I’m just walking on terra firma. Like, oh my gosh, I cannot, my legs are so much in pain right now. And it took me a while to realize why. So the next year, when I went down, I had this cardboard box that I brought with me. And I use that for lots of years, and it helps so much and I was able to walk was still a little uncomfortable. You know, and that’s a long flight. So eventually, the cardboard box morphed into something more that I could use more than twice or three times because they eventually collapse. Right? And so I had a prototype made from a fabricator. It’s this which a fabricator there in Anchorage made for me, then it has leather as hinges, and it’s two and a half pounds. And I use this for seven years

16:28

old did you really like for seven years you use that

Candy FitzPatrick  16:31

I brought this everywhere, I realized that it was bringing my knees up and level with my hips. Or even if I turned it like this or like this above my hips was way more comfortable. And like I’d use it at restaurants. If I was in a class, I would use it everywhere. And it looks like a Harley kind of thing. Because the fabricator was a Harley rider. And when we came up with it, he’s like leather will work for that. And I was like, I know where you’re coming from. Let’s do that. So eventually, that was too heavy to carry around. And I was like, I know, I can do better. Lots of people said, I have that same problem. I’m like, this is a problem. A lot of people have this problem. And mostly it’s people realize it when they’re traveling. And they’re thinking about it. And they’re like, Man, my legs are killing me right now. And they do their exercises in their seat. And that helps they get up and walk around. But it’s still it’s still going to be there for you. And there are other products. You know, out there. There’s the sling. And there’s another standalone foot rest for this purpose. And I tried them and they’re all fine, we’ll have our favorites of everything right. So I said, I know I can make this better. And so in 2017, I was kind of wanted to get out of aviation and worrying about weather every day. So even though I worked seasonally, I had lots of time to to do what I wanted as well, which was great. But um, and then I just kind of left the aviation little bit behind me and started concentrating on the making it better. So I don’t know if I can show it at this point. So now with this, and it only weighs 12 and five eighths ounces. So yeah, huge improvement. And I got some help from the anchorage Makerspace people. Two guys that are over six feet tall helped me with this. And they’re like, I think I know where you’re coming from. And, and one of them actually went around town and found seats that were too tall for him mostly stools and let his legs dangle so he could get the idea. Yeah. So they helped me a lot during the MakerSpace. And, and they they helped me start my business as well. So it all depends on who is at the makerspace that you’re working with and what their specialties are. So I I pay them to help me start. And so that was in 2018 2017 and 2018 is when I started working on it. So it’s been a journey from there.

Curt Anderson  19:07

And a journey. So isn’t it fascinating how you know how many how many products how many businesses come out of somebody’s own, you know, problem, hassle, frustration, hurt pain, and you know, hey, I’m going to solve this and then you know, it sparks a fire. And now you know, hey, I’m going to solve this for other people. Damon, I’m going to pull up the website so we can show people Yeah, let’s do let’s do using job any comments that you have anything going through your mind? Or he’s well

Damon Pistulka  19:36

it’s this I mean, it really hurts when you when you got your legs hanging. I mean it does and especially for hours and hours. And so it doesn’t really matter if you’re if you’re setting and you have to you know you could be in an office setting. I’ve seen a lot of people that have foot rests under their desk, because you if you want to be high enough to be right with the desktop, especially now when we have like My desk has got an extra, because I’ve got the standing desk on top of my regular desk, it makes it a little taller. So if people aren’t tall enough, their feet are dangling for a long time, and that’s bad, or you get too low, and your hands are up high. And it’s really an ergonomic thing.

Candy FitzPatricK  20:16

Yes, exactly that Damon, that is exactly what it is. Yes.

Damon Pistulka  20:21

Yeah. All right, let’s

Curt Anderson  20:23

dive in. We’re gonna take a peek in the grab website right here in here. And how’s that look? So candy. So let’s, let’s go through your entrepreneurial journey, if you will. Okay. So you start working on a prototype, you know, big clunky, you know, Harley Davidson replica, right? And then you find a couple guys who are over six feet tall, who knock it out of the park. And so now you have this little collapsible piece, walk us through, like 2018 19, like one, you know, was there a tipping point or a time where you’re like, you know, I think this could be a business. Can you take us or like you remember those, that timeframe?

Candy FitzPatrick  21:05

Yeah, there was a lot of I spent a lot of years in research and development. And because I’m bootstrapping, I still am. And so I had to take it. And the rate that I could manage myself, so we started the makerspace folks to help me with the laser cut some wood models, which I painted, because they have a hard time touching on finished work. And, and they were held together with duct tape, and I did some pitch competitions, using that. And that was kind of fun. And I was super nervous to talk in front of people. And my entrepreneurial journey is hand in hand with my, my journey is to be able to talk in front of people. It’s scary. And the more you do it, the better you get at it, right. So. So the entrepreneurial journey. So I had some testers, the alpha testing group and a beta testing group. Eventually the what they could do for me at the makerspace, I outgrew their resources, and I found in Fairbanks, a manufacturer that had a CNC cutter. So which is you know, deductive manufacturing and take away so I wanted to live in hinge. Because I had some great advice from someone in New Zealand, who created the insides of the aircraft for Air New Zealand, he was talking about living hinges, and it hadn’t really crossed my mind that that actually had a name. And so I really wanted that instead of having some kind of a pin or something in there. And to be able to do that was not as easy as it sounds, that you know, structurally, we’ll stay together. And so that part was hard to convince people that it was possible and also just to get it done. So the CNC, people in Fairbanks were wonderful. And there was an engineer there, that helped me a lot. And we did the alpha beta testing units from there. And then that was the most that they could do for me. And then another entrepreneur, who was one of my mentors, and now friend, he’s in Sitka. You might know him Tim Fulton, Ranbir innervations. Is know him. No,

Curt Anderson  23:27

I have not met him. No, I’m not Montana. Okay.

Candy FitzPatrick  23:32

So he helped me find someone in Idaho that was able to redesign my what I had CNC machines into injection molded material, which is what you see there, it’s STW design works. And that’s the model that they put together for me. And, and so, from there, they helped me find a manufacturer and then it’s just been a slow process. And we’re still I’m still now working with my manufacturer who’s awesome in Malaysia. And they they they don’t do the engineering for you but once the tool is made, they can they tweak it for you and you say can you help me with this and so I don’t use STW design works for this part. I am working with her directly with the awesome manufacturer. And we’re doing an improved version. I mean, this is perfectly fine. This is my baby. It’s my baby and but the next ones are going to be dark blue. I didn’t bring the chip up here but and so it’s going to be a different color and has some little tiny improvements. So I’m gonna be doing my next purchase order here soon, which is scary. And I had to get my first business loan which is The Alaska Small Business Development Center helped me a lot with and sewer. I don’t think I could have done the whole process without their help. So you got to help, you got to get help along the way. Like you guys helped me with my customer discovery, which has been going on for a couple years now, and personas and all of those things that you guys helped with. So I don’t know, there’s like two sides, there’s like the manufacturing side. And then the side of the entrepreneurial side, that includes the customer discovery in there. So and that was put together by the Alaska Manufacturing Extension Partnership that you guys work with. So the classes that they put on are great mostly involves you guys. Your partner my story?

Curt Anderson  25:47

Well, it’s an honor in blue or not. We you and I met over three years ago. So it was 2021. We were doing a cohort Damon and you know, Candy came on, and some other wonderful manufacturers that we’ve become friends with and meeting in person when we’ve done workshops and in person in Alaska. And so Candy, it’s I so I want to unpack a few things here. Daymond. So yeah, for new entrepreneurs, you know, when you take you have a vision, you have a dream, and you’re like, you know what, I so firmly believe in this. This is like, this isn’t acceptable. And I’m not the only person that’s fine, you know, not only you know, from from Alaska to Antarctica, but you know, any long flight early, you know, like you’re describing Kenny sitting in an office going to a movie. Damon before we went online, you’re describing you, your spouse, you know, faces these I have family members that are you know, that faces. So candy, how take us here, talk a little bit say there’s a manufacturer out there that has an idea has a concept. Do you have any advice for them? You’ve mentioned Small Business Development Center. You’ve mentioned your friend Tim, you’ve mentioned engineers, you’ve mentioned Idaho, you’ve mentioned Alaska, our dear dear, dear friends at the Alaska Manufacturing Extension Partnership, shout out to Dr. Alyssa Sami Jo Madigan, Peyton, the whole team at at the Alaska BP any any advice that you would give for other entrepreneurs that have a dream of vision or products similar to what you’ve done?

Candy FitzPatricK  27:25

I would say it would be the rare exception, that someone can do all of this on their own. And that you really need other people to help you. And I would say that it’s hard to be a manufacturer in Alaska. And mostly we have to, for things like this and bigger things. And like she was ever friend that does shoes, pander shoes, you kind of have to go elsewhere. So you just have to be open to finding the resources and then not being afraid to go elsewhere. I wanted to stay in Alaska as much as I could. But I needed something outside of Alaska or outside of the US. And it’s a scary thing to try to figure out. And there’s people to help. So it’s hard, it would be hard to do it. Everything on your own, especially if you’re solopreneur. Or even if you’re in a partnership for your business, you’re not going to know everything. So the people,

Curt Anderson  28:31

village, right, it takes a village to raise a child as they say it takes a village to raise a product. Amen. What are your thoughts? Yeah, I

Damon Pistulka  28:37

just thinking about this, this whole process and how cool it is that, you know, sticking with it, that there had to be tough along the ways and going oh, my goodness, you know, here and there. And the the just the challenges, but then, like you said, finding the right resources, you talk about working with somebody in Malaysia and I think about

29:00

Yeah, it’s, it’s a big process to get to where you’re at. It’s a big process. Yeah.

Candy FitzPatrick  29:06

And when you say like, it’s hard to always have bad days often and some days are good, but mostly it’s even or you know, kind of hard days. And you have to have the person that understands or people that understand where you’re coming from. And I joined the women inventors club on Facebook, it’s run by Marci McKenna who sells things on HSN and she’s just a wonderful mentor. And she is also involved with the grommet and I have launched on the grommet which is a great resource for inventors as well once you get to selling so the grommet, have you Are you guys familiar with the grommet? Oh no. So it’s basically like I think they have up to 900 inventors on there now that have their products. And it’s like you go there and you say So you can search for your, what you’re looking for. And then it sends the person to your website to buy. So you get the customer information, and you can find out what their demographics are viewing and all of that stuff. It’s wonderful. They launched 20 products every Thursday. So Marcy got us involved in that. And she has a group of women in and also is in there moderating. And I’ve made a lot of friends there in, in the women inventors club and Facebook, and they they really like a few of them. We were talking on instant messenger and just lifting each other up and helping each other out as much as we can. I just shared a booth at the travel goods Association trade show with one of them, which was wonderful to meet her and her friend in person. And so there’s a course and other other entrepreneurs in Alaska that we lean on each other as well. And it’s just, it’s it’s not an easy road. It’s not an easy road to hoe alone. So

Curt Anderson  31:05

yes, I’ll tell you what’s so so admirable. And so inspirational is number one, your persistence. And number two, Candy, you know, since you and I’ve become friends with I’ve always admired what I sense and I think David uses, you know, you see this with a lot of folks that are success successful in entrepreneurship is you have a hunger and a thirst to learn. And so you’re constantly you know, we’ve talked about different you’ve come to different every, you know, course that the Alaskan AP offers different workshops, you and I’ve talked about taking, you know, I think you one member of that digital course with Pedro, you know, the marketer. And so, you know, what I’ve always admired is that you’re just you just have a constant hunger, you when we were doing our workshops, you’d show up, you know, you’re like to eat your student, which is totally, you know, absorbing and a sponge trying to, you know, learn, you know, from your website, even if we put up like a Wayback Machine when she first started to now your website is phenomenal. Yeah, talk. Talk a little bit about your digital marketing or website, talk a little bit about your transformation, evolution journey. How has that been on that side of things for you?

Candy FitzPatrick  32:17

Well, um, I believed that I couldn’t set up websites. And so twice I hired marketing people to help me with it and the one they’re looking at, there’s the second marketing firm that I contracted with in Anchorage, and, and now it’s mine. Like, they helped me for a while. And then now it’s me putting stuff on there. And I’m like, I could do this. Yeah, I just didn’t do myself enough. And then for the grommet, you have to have a Shopify website, this one that we’re looking at, here’s my Squarespace one. But over there, you have to have Shopify, because all their things that work within are all in Shopify. And I’m like, Well, I guess it’s me. I’ll set that up. And I did it. Yeah. So I went from knowing absolutely nothing about websites and terrified to do it myself, too. I can do this. I have a little bit of knowledge now. So I’m still not so good on the social media stuff. I need to work on that. But I can do it because I have to do it.

Curt Anderson  33:20

I’d say the website I think just looks absolutely fine. Oh, yeah, you’ve got videos. It’s nice and clean. It’s, uh, you know, explains the product really well? And are there any videos that you want us? Is there anything that you want us to show any videos that you want me to pop on?

Candy FitzPatrick  33:37

Well, they’re all kind of long. Yeah.

Curt Anderson  33:44

Do you mean what are your comments here? As far as the website? Well,

Damon Pistulka  33:46

I mean, this, oh, you say you’re, you’re describing the entrepreneurial journey. So well, here, candy, because you get into it, and you realize that well, I need people to help me in certain places. And that’s going to stay but there’s some of this that you find that in the beginning, at least it really is stuff that it’s easier and better for you to to take it on, learn it and take it on. Like your website, you can get a lot of people to help you and it’s a great thing. At a certain point, you know, five years down the road, you could have somebody redo and it’d be wonderful. But when you’re starting out and you see things and you go I really liked to change that text to those two words. Just don’t ring with me in you can’t do it. That’s really frustrating. And now you can and you can adjust it and you learn it enough and okay, I’m good enough to be dangerous. I can. I can take care of these little things if we need to, and I don’t need to bother anyone or I can get it done quickly. That’s the other thing that’s so nice about it.

Curt Anderson  34:50

Just it now it empowers you. And the thing is candy, you know as you grow, the nice thing is even not that you want to do everything on your own but now You know, as you grow and you come out you and you want outsources, now, you know, what your expectations are now, you know, you can speak the language be real clear. Yeah.

Candy FitzPatrick  35:11

Excellent point. Now I know what I’m asking someone else to do and timeframe what? It’s like you guys hit it right spot on there. Yep. I needed something to start with and that, yeah, progress. Yeah. And now, like I need to know how to do this. And yeah, now I understand what I’m asking other people to do. However, I do have a contract accountant because I don’t want to do that ever. I don’t want to set up and I also have a attorney who I pay him monthly, and then I if I need contracts, leftover, whatever he just puts them over. So those are the two things that I probably won’t ever do myself the accounting and an understanding all the legalese. So I know those are not my strengths, and they are wonderful people, both in Alaska. So Well, I

Curt Anderson  36:04

tell you, this is like a master class. And you know how for someone that has no entrepreneurial background on how to make that conversion. So Damon, we talk a lot about working on your business compared to working in your business, you know, are on Higgs that’s kind of his jam. And I know he was on your show not too long ago. But Candy, it’s, it’s hard to find that balance of what what portion of the business do I work on myself, you know, or when I’m working on a business compared to you know, working in the business. And so, you know, again, if you have if you’re out there, you’re an entrepreneur, and your weak spot is finances, you know, counting, boy, get that expert, get that someone on your team. So you know, if you don’t have the hunger, don’t have the passion, don’t just don’t have the interest, the aptitude to you know, overcome a weakness, get somebody on your team that can prop it up and turn it into a strength because now you have a team. And you know, again, it takes a village, it takes a Yeah, it takes a village to raise a child, right? It takes a village to raise a business. So I love what you’re seeing here, Kenny, this was a portion that you wanted to do on your own, you have a hunger to do on your own. And now as you grow, you could also set and communicate it. Damon thoughts, comments for entrepreneurs that are listening to this? Yeah, I

Damon Pistulka  37:20

just I just think it’s a, you know, setting a great example for people that you know, you started in 2017 2018 with this, and we’re in 2024, we’re calling six, seven years later. These things don’t happen. Quick, usually. Right? It is not easy. And there are times when you just go walk it I just pack this up and put it away. But you know, you you saw the problem, you knew that this is going to help and now things are starting to roll and the flywheel starts to move. And it just got to keep going. And I think that’s the hardest thing and the entrepreneurial journey is, is so many people quit when the flywheel is just starting to move, rather than continuing to go until it gets rolling. And there’s just so much so much in here. Yep, there’s so much

Candy FitzPatrick 38:13

Yeah, that’s true. Damon, you hit that spot every day. I wake up like can I do this one more day? I get a job. Yeah,

Curt Anderson  38:22

I love it. So I can’t So the website is rest angles. We’ve got Candy FitzPatrick,  you can find Candy on LinkedIn as you said you know you’re getting better how about that you’re getting better on social media any as we start winding down I won’t be mindful of your time candy any other things that we want to comment on website the product your entrepreneurial journey anything else that you want to share here

Candy FitzPatrick  38:55

the the as Damon was saying the the idea every day to keep going is hard. But you just do it because you know that as you said it’s just starting to get going in it’s slow and I have one entrepreneur friend who’s in your 14 and she told me she feels like she’s just now starting. So I’m halfway there but it’s so much it’s so much but in the meantime you have to do what you have to do you have to live life you have to take care of yourself you can’t just throw your life out the window and and I don’t pay myself yet so I did have to get a job where I work on the slope oil field so I’m two weeks on two weeks off but my I do have someone to help here. My husband helps with shipping when I get orders while I’m away, but I didn’t have to do that but you got to do what you got to do to keep it going. I had some debt. I don’t like being debt for my business. And so it’s like the job is helping with that. And hopefully he can retire this year. So you got it, your life is still happening. And you it’s important to live the life that you’ve already built, I’m very happy with my life. So and this is just one part of it. And it’s a very important part. And I do want to see it too, to where it’s actually can be a business on its own. And I’m not the only person that it relies on, and I want it to have its own life at some point. And, and I know it can’t be that far away, because I’m at it every day do something for my business every day. So it’s hard sometimes. But I it’s fulfilling, but it is hard. So I’d

Curt Anderson  40:47

say you you are incredible inspiration. And I love this picture. How could you know his work? You know, in the summer, and we’re starting summer, and June. And it’s a little toasty out today, but what a cozy pitcher that is right there. Right. I just I love these images that you’re providing her candy. So just let’s recap just a few things. You know. And I think the bottom line, I think the big thing is again, as I you know, you and I have built a friendship over the years candy is just really your your relentlessness of helping others. You know, it’s you know, you’re trying to build a business but the same regard, you know, you’ve you had this problem and you know, other people have the exact same problem. You’ve come up with this wonderful solution. And you know, just your the spirit of of helping people in what’s your tagline bring a Florida your feet is that diabetic? Yeah. Yeah. So you’re bringing, bringing the Florida people’s feet. So you’re you guys? Let’s find out.

41:47

That’s right.

Curt Anderson  41:48

That’s right. Absolutely. So I just, I actually love this, Candy, last question that I want to ask you is, I might, I might put you on the spot. So you might have to my thought process this one for a second. I’ve referenced multiple times entrepreneur out there, say through your journey, you’ve had a lot of folks come into your life. And again, you’ve you’ve been wide open to bringing in these advisors, guides, Sherpas to kind of help you get through this process. What would you say is the best business advice that you’ve been given or you’ve received through your journey that you would either you’re very grateful for? Or maybe you would pass along to a new or a young entrepreneur? What’s the best business advice that you would say that you’ve received?

Candy FitzPatrick  42:34

Wow, that’s another good question. As an entrepreneur, you get a lot of advice from a lot of people. Even when you don’t ask, I can’t even tell you how many people say you should go on Shark Tank, and almost every opera entrepreneur will tell you that someone will say, you should go on Shark Tank and you’re like, Well, why do I want to give part of my business away right away, and just started my business. So people are familiar with the Shark Tank? And that’s what Yeah, which is great. I love watching that show. But I would I don’t remember who told me this, but because you get so much advice. It may not be advice for where you’re at now. But hang on to that advice for where you might be in two years. You know, it might be something that’s more advanced than you’re ready for. I don’t remember who told me that. But

Damon Pistulka  43:29

that’s wise advice.

Candy FitzPatricK  43:33

Yeah, yeah. So just because it seems so outrageous, it doesn’t mean that two years from now, it’s outrageous. So Right.

Curt Anderson  43:41

So sometimes it’s it’s not necessarily that the advice isn’t right. It’s just not right for now. And some absorb, and it’s going to be completely applicable for you down the road.

Candy FitzPatrick  43:54

Yeah. And there has been times where I’ll be doing something and I’ll be like, Oh my gosh, somebody told me about this, like four years ago, and here I am doing that very thing. Yes.

Curt Anderson  44:04

Who knew that that advice would come in? So yeah. Candy, as we wind down, I’ll stop sharing here. Go back. Are you back on stage? So hey, I want a huge round of applause. And and I didn’t see scholars here I met Damon. I apologize. I

Damon Pistulka  44:21

apologize. I was here and hairy areas here. So yeah,

Curt Anderson  44:25

we got my wife had a major sciatic nerve issues. Okay, when she was pregnant while working. Did you find this to be a solution for women like my wife who had a sciatic nerve issues during pregnancy? How would that question there?

Candy FitzPatrick  44:38

Well, I have to precursor this answer in that I’m not a medical professional. I am loosely in the ergonomic field. So I know that a little bit about sciatica, sciatic nerve issues because I have a friend with that and I am not sure that it would help with that. But I would say, on the pregnancy side, if your legs are dangling, and you’re very uncomfortable sitting there, and it would feel better for your knees to be at hip level or above, which I would have met, I’ve never been pregnant. I don’t have any children. So I don’t know, personally, but I would think that having your legs up is more comfortable. Like sitting in an easy chair, even though you’re not in an easy chair. You know, I would say it would help with the pregnancy. And also when you’re nursing a child, and you can’t move much, and your legs are dangling just Oh, yeah. Singles over there and helps you get more comfortable in that way as well. Yeah. So and I’m not a medical professional. So

45:48

yeah, sorry. You know, you had

Damon Pistulka  45:51

a problem and you fix made something to solve it. That’s

Curt Anderson  45:54

right. And, and that’s a great question. Herring. And you know, I had back surgery 100 years ago, and I know, you know, like to hear his point, a lot of times, you know, you put your legs up, it definitely makes a huge difference. So as we wind down, I’m gonna grab a couple of comments. So Skylar, he says, you know, hey, I started the same way. He agrees with you 100% On the accountant, and he seems stick with it. Yeah, it’s having to have all these days. He’s like, you’ve got this. Oh, Skyler. Thank you for all of your awesome comments. Thanks, guys. So as we wind down, I didn’t I try pressing those in the chat box there. Again, connect with Candy FitzPatrick here on LinkedIn, strongly encourage you invite you welcome you to do so Damon about to get a huge round of applause for Candy Fitzpatrick today’s just absolutely crushing it. She was a little bit of an angle by a couple of years ago that like this was not a this was not a thing that you would do and so you know, very courageous, my you know, we just send you so much love admiration respect, and just just what you’re what you’re doing, so inspiring for other entrepreneurs and just you know, keep it keep it going. We you know, we’re in your corner, we see that you 110% And just it’s such an honor and privilege for us to be even part of the journey with you. So you know, thank you for for your trust and for letting us be being by your side through this. So, Damon attorney Absolutely. So David, anything that you want to close out with?

Damon Pistulka  47:22

Just thanks for being with us today candy and sharing this it’s so great to get to talk to you again and learn more about your story.

Curt Anderson  47:29

So thank you all right, Damon. I know you need to get going because Odin is waiting for you. So let’s uh, candy you know I have one last question Damon and I have to ask it super There we go. Since Candy is a musician Candy is like a really goofy baseball question you know like when baseball players walk up to home plate to go up to the plate to hit and all sudden a song pops up you know their walk up song what you do you have what’s your walk up song? If you were walking up to the plate to go hit in a home run? What’s your walk up sound?

Candy FitzPatricK  48:03

Um, I would say my best friend Nancy’s gonna laugh at this cuz it’s our song it’s push it by salon Pippa?

Curt Anderson  48:15

Man old school right there, David. Yeah, that’s like that’s, that’s our generation. So I suppose salt and pepper. Please. Little push it real good. So I that was? That was a great answer. Thank you, candy. So Candy, hang out with us for one second, we appreciate you, applaud you and commend you keep it going. And as we close out thing, and we’ve got to incredible guests and other guests coming up on Friday, but just keep being someone’s inspiration just like our friend candy is and man. Everybody’s just making the world a better place. And so we guys have an amazing, incredible week. It’s like I’m in. I’m gonna be live tomorrow morning with a major wonderful manufacturer here in Chicago. Going to be live with a manufacturer on Thursday. And then we’re back here at our regular show time on the app. So here’s the week we got a busy week just just spring lots of love to our manufacturing friends out there. So yeah, we’ll see you guys soon. God bless. Have a great day. Everyone. Thank you guys.