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

Business News

JPMorgan Shuts Down Internal Message Board Comments After Employees React to Return-to-Office Mandate

Employees were given the option to leave comments about the RTO mandate with their first and last names on display — and they did not hold back.

Growing a Business

Entrepreneurs Should Invest in Service, Not Just Sales — Here's How to Build a Customer-First Business

A customer-first business strategy that prioritizes exceptional service, empowers employees and leverages feedback can transform satisfied customers into loyal advocates, driving sustainable, long-term growth.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Business News

'More Soul-Crushing Than Ever': Popular Hiring Platform Finds Around 20% of Its Postings Were 'Ghost Jobs'

Is that job listing too good to be true? There's a one-in-five chance that it might be.

Business News

'Masculine Energy Is Good': Mark Zuckerberg Tells Joe Rogan He Thinks Companies Need More Aggression

On the most recent episode of "The Joe Rogan Experience," Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said corporate culture has become "neutered."

Growing a Business

5 Risk-Taking Lessons From Founders Who Bet Big and Won

Discover the bold moves and strategic risks that catapulted these entrepreneurs to success. Learn how their fearless decisions can inspire your own path to growth.