Introduction

1. Just a Broke-Ass Farm Boy

Life can be much broader when you realize one simple fact: Everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you and you can change it, you can influence it, you can build your own things that other people can use. Once you have learned that, you will never be the same.

—Steve Jobs (American business magnate and investor)

Whether you know it or not, the fate of the world rests in your hands.

Climate change, global health crises, and many other social, political, and environmental issues continue to threaten our quality of life and the inhabitability of our planet. The good news, however, is that after reading this book, you’re going to save the universe!

Wondering how you’re going to rescue humanity from its current collision course with catastrophe? It’s simple; all we need are your ideas.

That’s right; the world needs your f*cking ideas. They’ve probably been buried deep in your subconscious, wary of judgment from your peers and fearful of failure for many years. However, humanity needs you to rise to the occasion now more than ever.

I’m certain we all have the ability to change the world, because I see it wherever I go. So many people have amazing ideas to start impact-capable businesses, but something stops them from putting those thoughts into action.

As a serial entrepreneur, I’ve visited all seven continents and talked to many different people from all walks of life. During those conversations, I’ve heard incredibly innovative ideas for almost every industry, from farming processes and water purification techniques to technological advances and everything in between. I don’t care if your idea is as seemingly insignificant as building a better badminton racket. If playing better badminton helps people to live fuller and happier lives, then save the world from playing shitty badminton and make it happen!

After hearing about so many potentially amazing solutions to the growing list of worldwide problems over the years, I started thinking about why so few of them ever see the light of day. I came to the conclusion that one or more of three misguided concerns is almost always the root cause of such inactivity.

1. People think they need a business degree or background.

No degree? No problem. I was an architectural student with no idea of how to start or run a business. For most of my life, I had no intention of becoming an entrepreneur. Until my senior year in college, my career ambitions were to design sustainable homes with the best available technology in the beautiful state of Colorado.

2. People think they need money or investors.

I was a broke-ass farm boy when I started my business. The best resource I had going for me was an undeniably strong work ethic handed down by two of the hardest-working people I’ve ever known—my parents. From a young age, I learned to work hard for everything I wanted, which is why I had three jobs to put myself through college. If you can outwork everybody, like I did, money will never be an obstacle.

3. People don’t know where to start.

This is likely a combination of procrastination and fear of failure. Do you want to live the rest of your life wondering, “What if I had started a business with my idea?” Regret is a horrible thing to live with and it’s even worse to die with. So, it’s time to get off your ass, stop worrying about what other people think, and just do it!

Despite popular opinion, failure is an option. Who cares if you fail? In that case, at least you can live the rest of your life knowing you did everything you could to make your idea work. Also, understand that there’s no limit to the number of attempts you get at starting a business. My first attempt was a failure, but that didn’t stop me. In reality, you can fail as often as it takes to get your idea off the ground. You can also start a business from anyplace and with practically nothing, just like I did.

My initial product launch was handmade wooden phone cases in the consumer electronics accessories market, which, in hindsight, wasn’t a good choice. It turned out to be one of the worst markets I could have possibly attempted accessing, especially in the United States. At the time, I didn’t understand that most electronics accessories were made in China for about ten cents apiece, then sold at the big-box electronics stores for a huge markup. It was almost impossible to compete in that space, especially if you wanted to keep jobs in the United States by making the product domestically, which I did. As a result, I failed miserably with my initial product launch.

Strangely enough, I’m eternally grateful for that experience. If I had carefully analyzed all the data and waited for the perfect time to unleash my idea on the world, the chain of events that ultimately led to my success would have probably never happened. My entrepreneurial journey would have traveled a much different path, littered with hesitation, procrastination, and far less impact. My early experience is proof positive that sometimes you have to follow your instincts more than anything else, even if they lead you astray.

With that mistake under my belt, I worked on new ideas and never looked back.

Today, I’m the founder and CEO of WOODCHUCK USA, a technology-driven multimillion-dollar manufacturer of customized wood products. By putting my idea into action, hundreds of people are employed around the world today with good-paying full-time jobs. Our motto, “BUY ONE. PLANT ONE.®” is a cause near and dear to my heart, and it has served as the inspiration behind the planting of millions of trees on six continents and a positive global impact on all seven. What started as a seemingly small and relatively insignificant idea—to build wooden iPhone cases—has truly changed the world.

You may think that your ideas are too tiny to have an impact, but based on my own experience, I guarantee that’s not the case. If you follow even a handful of the principles detailed in this book, you’ll discover how your idea can change the world as well.

Ask yourself, “What kind of world would we live in if everybody put their best ideas into action?” I guarantee that the sum of the parts would be much greater than the individual pieces. If everybody was out innovating and taking risks with new ideas, we could make this planet a pretty fucking awesome place to live. We could save entire rain forests, discover new cancer-killing drugs, solve world hunger, and maybe even play better badminton, among other things. The potential of the human spirit is vast and powerful, but you have to take that first step.

Starting and running a business isn’t easy, but if a broke-ass farm boy from Wisconsin with no money and no business background can do it, so can you. I had the idea to turn a piece of wood strapped to cardboard with plastic wrap into a prototype for an iPhone case. It was a simple idea that launched a multimillion-dollar company with a global social conscience.

I also never thought I’d write a book. If you’d asked the friends I grew up with whether I’d someday be a book author, they’d have probably said, “Ben? Are you kidding me? He barely even reads books and is probably the worst speller I’ve ever met. He also drops way too many F-bombs.”

Now, I’m happy to surprise them. It further illustrates my point that we’re all capable of doing things that we mistakenly believe are beyond our abilities. I’ve never believed in limitations. Fuck limitations! You might not think you’re capable of starting a world-changing business, but the truth is that you are.

This is not your boilerplate business book. It’s not another step-by-step guide to blah, blah, blah. Instead, you’ll find plenty of valuable lessons about the importance of passion, purpose, loyalty, and empowerment. These are the intangibles that have been the keys to my success, and they can be the keys to yours as well.

I’ll also take you with me to some of the amazing places I’ve been. I’m only twenty-eight, but I’ve already been to some of the most breathtaking places our planet has to offer. For example, I’ve traveled the sun-soaked desert sands of Saudi Arabia, stood below remote waterfalls in Bali, and witnessed the majestic presence of some of the most magnificent glaciers in Antarctica.

One of the most influential waterfalls of all time, middle of nowhere, Bali

You’ll also read about some crazy situations that have crossed my path along the way. I’ve been sued many times, which is awesome! That might sound strange, but I’ll explain it later. I almost got my hand cut off over a traffic dispute in Madagascar, and I’ve absolutely cheated death a few times.

In chapter 1, you’ll read about one of the most important lessons I’ve learned in business and in life, which is commitment. If I hadn’t committed while dirt-biking with my friend at Gorman Canyon in California, not only would there be no WOODCHUCK USA, hundreds of fewer jobs, and millions of fewer trees in the world, but I would be dead.

Fortunately, I made that commitment and now I’m here to tell you about it, along with this important piece of advice: the world needs your fucking ideas!