January 7th, 2021 was the day I received my first sale. The sale came at 7:00 P.M. I initially started Supplies Dash in April of 2020. I came up with this brilliant idea while I was covered in mortar, placing tile on a bathroom wall in New Albany, OH. I was a construction guy. I have been in construction for 20 years. I got started with landscaping first. Anything to do with plants, soil, mulch, and the beautification of an outdoor space I was all in. However, in the Midwest, it's hit or miss whether you will get snow. The harsh winters in which you didn't have enough landscaping to get you through, made it tough on the budget. The three months I usually had off started not to be what I wanted. I decided to join an experienced home remodeler who eventually became my best friend.
Through that camaraderie and friendship, about eight years into my landscaping business, I learned everything I needed to know about construction in the Midwest. At my heart, I wasn't a landscaper, I was a builder. Someone who takes an idea from the imagination and figures out how to make that dream a reality. I did this for about 20 years. During those 20 years, I raised four kids, bringing them up in Hilliard, OH. We eventually moved to Johnstown to a much larger house with plenty of land. But life has a way of continuing to grow you. My kids grew up, I went through a divorce, and the desire to continue with building and construction started to wane. I have been working in construction and creating artistic tile designs for a long time. I found myself going through the motions every day. I was still very good at my craft; however, I got more funneled into tile projects. I was good at laying tile and it still allowed me the creativity and artistry I didn't get from framing, mulching landscape beds, pulling weeds, or running plumbing pipes. Tile still allowed me to be creative.
The tile was like completing a puzzle; it was so gratifying to place every piece on the wall. Creating a backsplash and then running a transition of different materials throughout to mimic a waterfall, or simply placing an elegant pencil of marble at the end of a run to signify completion was gratifying.
I was standing in a bathroom in New Albany with mortar on my hands faced with a decision I did not like. I am four pieces of tile short from finishing my job. The tile I need, I can see it in my head. It is at Floor and Decor in Hilliard, off Mill Run. Go straight through the doors 3/4 of the way close to the back of the store, turn right and the tile is in a center Isle cap. I thought, "Who can I bribe to run there and get those four pieces of tile for me." I don't know any Uber drivers I can trust to bring me exactly what I need. If I had those four pieces of tile, I could wrap this project up within the next hour, clean up my client's house, collect the check, and go home. If I cannot get that tile today, I will have to return tomorrow and waste a day doing what could have been done today." This wasn't just my frustration, I thought, this was the frustration of every contractor I've ever known. Running to the store when we need to be working! So, what did I do? You know exactly what I did. I did not get paid that day and had to return the next day--the pain of wasted money, coupled with the fact that this was during COVID. Everyone was looking for a change or a better way forward. I decided to take a new direction after that day. I started a new business called Supplies Dash to help contractors get supplies.
That was in April of 2020. From May until January 2021, I did what almost everyone who thinks about entrepreneurship and business tends to do--freaking nothing! I kept doing what I had been doing--building and construction. I procrastinated! Wrapped up in dreams and ideas, I envisioned a website like Uber. Supplies could be curated from your phone and delivered right to your door. This business concept became so large in my head that it became impossible to build. I had created a billion-dollar company with imaginary web developers sitting in a room coding night and day. A network of cars in every city. Impossibly difficult electronic handshakes with back door integrations into Home Depot and Menards websites. All of the creativity with starting the new business was paralyzing me to get started. When the New Year came around, I had to decide what to do about this dream. Will I let the frustration I felt on that day go to waste or would I do something about it? The "why" of starting Supplies Dash wasn't about websites, Uber drivers that can stick supplies in their cars, or web developers integrating new features, and the possibility of making a billion dollars. I did it because I was just so tired of needing something and not having a way to get it.
I decided to give myself 7 days to see if this business could work. If I got a customer, I would reward myself with a date with a beautiful lady.
On January 1st, I thought of the only thing I knew would motivate me. If I was going to start this business and kick myself in the rear to get started, all I need is one sale. One customer who believes in me enough to pay me to deliver their supplies. Not only did I need a customer, but I needed motivation. I decided to give myself 7 days to see if this business could work. If I got a customer, I would reward myself with a date with a beautiful lady. That last part is a little weird huh? It's what I thought I needed at the time. Motivation is anything that you need to get going. And there was a lady who always watched my stories on Instagram. I reached out to her in a direct message and told her my plan. I am starting a new business and if I can get one sale by the end of the week, would she do a video date with me? The video date was appropriate because she lived in California and I'm in Ohio. Now, I had the recipe for either something great or disastrous. When we make a goal and a plan, it's important to tell people what we want to do for accountability. That's what I was going to do! I ran off 300 Flyers and went to Home Depot all over Columbus. I handed flyers out and talked to contractors as they were coming and going from the store. Everyone I spoke with said, "Wow, That's a great idea!" Contractors and homeowners kept giving me favorable feedback. There was only one problem. None of them seem to want to pay me to grab their supplies. After about a week of doing this, I started to feel like I made a mistake. My anecdotal analysis caused me to believe that people weren't ready for this service. I was a little defeated. The seven days were almost up. I was starting to feel like a failure. The date with this woman was already set. We were supposed to connect at 7:00 PM on January 7th. She had complete faith in me that I would have a sale. The first sale for this new business that I was going to create. It was 6:30 P.M. on January 7th and I had nothing! At that moment it dawned on me. I just needed a spark. In my mind, I raced through ideas. The first thing that came up was my friend Dan's electronic and security contractor Andy Farley. He owns a business called AA Home Services. He needs televisions picked up from time to time so that he can install these televisions in upscale homes. I've worked with Andy before. He's a great guy and knows everything about running cable to security system monitors. From home theaters to school security systems. I gave Andy a call. I let Andy know that I had to make a sale within 25 minutes to have a video date with a beautiful lady and to initiate the start of my new business! Andy plugged his credit card number into the website I created for $40. He said, "Whenever I need something, I'll let you know." He didn't have a need right then but was buying assurance, that I'd be there when he needed me.
The first thing that came up was my friend Dan's electronic and security contractor Andy Farley. He owns a business called AA Home Services.
7:00 came and I had a date. The date went well as we discussed my new business venture and how I would execute my vision. Nothing came of the date or my potential relationship with that woman. That wasn't the point. The point was that I needed a start. I did not have a background in logistics when I started Supplies Dash. In the same manner, I am not a professional blogger. This is my first Blog! Starting something new can be scary and downright challenging! The decision to push through, continue to learn, and grow as an outsider to the industry can create a secret sauce that makes you different from the competition.
It is now January 7th, 2025. Supplies Dash has performed over 10,000 deliveries. We have over 10 trucks with CDL and non-CDL drivers. We work with major brands and small contractors. We have operations in Ohio and soon will be in Indiana and Pennsylvania. My advice to anyone looking to change is that it's never too late. If you believe you can add value to the marketplace then find a way to push yourself into at least giving it a start, no matter if it's a simple Instagram phone date.
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