Get All Access for $5/mo

This Entrepreneur Drove Across the Country to Sell His Product to Walmart John Mack now consults business owners on how to sell their products.

By Madison Semarjian

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

The Idea Experts, LLC

Struggling to pay the bills at age 48, John Mack's power was shut off. So he rented out his guest house, bought an RV and road-tripped across America to pitch his transforming gloves to thousands of Walmart stores.

Years later, Mack found himself in the Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch boardroom listening to David Meltzer, investor and CEO of Sports 1, tell him how he wears Mack's gloves on a regular basis.

Mack credits his success to his unique growth strategy: Walmart. He was looking for a cost-effective way to scale his business, and Walmart happened to be the solution.

While it wasn't easy traveling by himself to thousands of Walmarts across the U.S. to pitch to store managers, Mack claims it was worth it. "From my understanding … most people don't scale their business by going store to store," he says. "I am doing the buyers homework for them -- meeting with store managers and market managers. I am creating my own opportunity."

Mack now helps other entrepreneurs find the success he has through his consulting business, The Idea Experts, LLC.

Though his business teaches entrepreneurs how to scale their businesses to achieve their goals, Mack knows the most important lessons in starting a business are the ones you'll learn from your own experience.

"You have to be self-taught. You have to be a solution-solving machine," he says. "Colleges don't teach you the most important aspects of entrepreneurship like grit and the ability to deal with stress."

Madison Semarjian

Founder of Mada

Madison Semarjian is the founder of Mada, an outfit curation app.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Starting a Business

He Started a Business That Surpassed $100 Million in Under 3 Years: 'Consistent Revenue Right Out of the Gate'

Ryan Close, founder and CEO of Bartesian, had run a few small businesses on the side — but none of them excited him as much as the idea for a home cocktail machine.

Franchise

The Top 10 Coffee Franchises in 2024

From a classic cup of joe to a creamy latte, grab your favorite mug and get ready to brew up success with the best coffee franchises.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Business News

'Jaw-Dropping Performance in 2024,' Says a Senior Analyst as Nvidia Reports Earnings

Nvidia reported its highly-anticipated third-quarter earnings on Wednesday.

Marketing

How Small Businesses Can Leverage Dark Social to Drive Word-of-Mouth Marketing

Dark social accounts for 70% of social media shares and is crucial for small businesses. Here's how you can tap into this hidden marketing opportunity.

Business News

'Do You Sell Cars?': Tesla CEO Elon Musk Trolls Jaguar Rebrand on X

The team running Jaguar's X account was working hard on social media this week.