As the top student in my Fire Academy I thought it would be a cake walk when it came to getting a full time firefighting job. I was wrong. It took me almost 3 years before I finally got that phone call. I was sitting in a Wendy’s, eating a spicy chicken sandwich with my wife, who at the time was only my girlfriend, when the Chief of Lafayette Township Fire Department called to congratulate me. I’ll never forget that first full time job.
Although I thought being the top of my class was something special, I soon learned that all the accolades in the world meant nothing when you're the new hire. (So here's a tip: show up early, leave late, and don't act like you know everything.) I worked hard and kept my mouth shut, and I learned many valuable lessons with that first full time job. One of my biggest realizations was that I wasn't making enough money to support a family, which I wanted in the future.
I knew I needed a raise, and with most fire departments your raises are based on years of service. It was going to take me almost 10 years before I would be making only $40k, and my starting salary was only $30k a year even with overtime. This was barely minimum wage after you accounted for all the hours I was working.
With that being said it is still one of the greatest jobs on the planet! So I applied at some other fire departments in the Louisville, Kentucky area and got hired at Eastwood Fire Department, which was a combination career and volunteer department with 2 fire houses and about 30 employees.
As I repeated the new hire process I realized I had made a good choice by joining this new fire department. The guys were knowledgable and the crews I worked with were laid back and easy going. I would frequently goof off with the guys, and in our down time we watched a lot of Sports Center and trained frequently.
With the constant every third day routine of a firefighter's schedule now firmly cemented into the lifestyle of my new wife and I, I set off to search for some part-time income on the days that I wasn't at the firehouse. I was on duty only 10 days a month so this meant I could work from home the other 20 days.
Although working only 10 days a month sounds like a cake walk, you have to remember that your first day off from shift often involves catching up on much needed sleep, since car wrecks and house fires typically happen in the middle of the night while on duty. My main goal for a second source of income would be the ability to work from home. My wife, who I had just married a couple years before, was newly pregnant and due anytime now. She really needed me home to help with the baby as she went back to teaching.
After about 200 different failed products and prototypes that I thought would be a sure hit I landed upon a minimalist credit card wallet I called “The Sergeant."
See the Fire Hose Sergeant Wallet Here.
This wallet was the product of 6 months of nose to the grindstone research and development. This single product would change my life- it was apparent that it filled a gap in the market that no other wallet could. It also allowed me to finally work from home and sew wallets for a little extra income. No amount of training would prepare me for what happened next though.
The Sergeant wallet, after being in the hands of some initial, and very loyal Instagram followers, began circulating around the everyday carry community like wildfire. These die hard gear collectors started showing off their wallets and became amazing brand ambassadors for Recycled Firefighter. What started as a goal to bring in part time income to support my wife and new baby quickly grew into a full time business. To check out how much the community has grown on Instagram.
No amount of speed sewing would allow me to meet the demand for my wallets and other products. "The Sergeant" slim wallet took off like a rocket ship and is still my best seller. I began reading every E-commerce and entrepreneur book I could find in hopes it would help me learn how to run a new business.
Repurposing fire hose is unique among businesses, and the tips and tricks were few a far between. I would go on to make many mistakes in the early days, with hiring help or running the website, but with every mistake comes a valuable lesson. I was learning fast, and working even faster.
Most weeks I was working 72 hours at the firehouse, sewing another 30 hours and shipping orders for another 10 hours- not to mention trying to be a new dad and husband. What began as a fun way to support my small family was draining me of my energy, and the guys at the fire house could tell a difference in how I acted.
After reading the Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris, I saw the path I needed to take. I couldn't keep up trying to do everything myself- it would absolutely destroy my family and probably my health as well. I started hiring help for jobs that I wasn't really good at, things like the website, shipping, and even some photography. This allowed me to do what I really enjoyed, which oddly enough was sewing and creating new things in the garage workshop.
We have recycled and repurposed over 15,000 feet of decommissioned fire hose from around the U.S.! Equally as important though is being able to tell the amazing story of where this hose comes from.
From that first piece of hose I took out of the fire house trash, to the most recent pallet of hose I got from St. Matthews Fire Department here in Louisville, Kentucky, these pieces of history deserve to have their story told.
Honestly, that is what I enjoy the most after all these years. When I feel like I just can't sew another wallet without going cross-eyed, I read the many emails I get from happy customers telling me how awesome it is that they get to carry around a wallet with real history. If you want to send me an email and share the story of how Recycled Firefighter products have impacted you, send it to jake@recycledfirefighter.com. I try really hard to read every one! Thank you for allowing me to share my journey with you, and for all your support along the way. Every day I continue to learn! |
