How Two Contractors Turned a Crazy Idea Into Big-Box Success

Living The Red Life

Entrepreneurs Keith Duke and Mike Patrick share the story of how a failed product technology led to the accidental discovery of a highly effecti

Key takeaways

• The discovery of their primary coating occurred accidentally when an oil leak on a garage floor revealed a substance that prevented penetration.
• Vital Coat focuses on providing DIY-friendly, environmentally friendly solutions that perform similarly to solvent epoxies.

Main topics

• Product innovation
• Entrepreneurial journey

Notable quotes

The only ship that doesn't sail is a partnership.

Conclusion

The episode serves as an inspiring testament to how resilience and the

Transcript preview

Speaker 2 (0:00) You guys are obviously doing a lot of great things. You're innovating. You've got this new exciting product coming out. When Speaker 4 (0:06) we started doing it, no one really heard of that idea and thought it was kind of crazy. But we kept pushing it, kept doing it, showing the results. People started seeing the benefits of it. Speaker 1 (0:17) And it's just kind of exploded since then. Keith Duke and Mike Patrick are lifelong entrepreneurs, business partners, and the co-owners of Vital Coat Sealers and Coatings. Drawing from decades of hard work, resilience, and shared values, they have built a business rooted in lasting relationships, determination, and a commitment to excellence. Speaker 2 (0:35) How's the leadership dynamics with two of you? Speaker 3 (0:38) Well, people say that the only ship that doesn't sail is a partnership, right? But I think when you have a good buddy you've been doing it with forever and you have an understanding. So I'll have a rough day and not get any sleep one day. He's able to kind of pick up the slack. Someone's starting out. What tips would you give them? You know, the crazy thing is we probably didn't mention this. Speaker 2 (0:59) My name's Rudy Moore, host of Living the Red Life podcast, and I'm here to change the way you see your life in your earpiece every single week. If you're ready to start living the red life, ditch the blue pill, take the red pill, join me in Wonderland and change your life. What's up, guys? Welcome back to another episode of Living the Red Life. Joining me today is Mike and Keith. We're going to chat about how they've taken their product nationwide. They're in big box stores, Home Depot, brands that you probably shop at. And they're always innovating. And I love this story how they've constantly innovated. They've got this new product that is probably going to disrupt the industry. So, yeah. And we're Speaker 4 (1:35) going Speaker 2 (1:35) to talk a lot about the entrepreneur journey, too. Guys, welcome to the show. All Speaker 4 (1:39) right. Thank you. Thank you. Appreciate it. So Speaker 2 (1:41) let's talk about it. You know, you guys are obviously doing a lot of great things. You're innovating. You've got this new exciting product coming out. Do you want to just tell everyone a bit about how you got here and what you're up to? Sure. So we. Speaker 3 (1:56) Obviously, we started, like we said, with a different technology. And I wouldn't say that it failed, but it kind of led us to where we're at now. Yeah. You know, there was a... a ton of hurdles to jump and everything works out for a reason, right? So we stumbled across a different type of coating and we eventually started putting it on shingles. Speaker 2 (2:25) Well, let's just go big picture if someone's listening because you're not the typical maybe supplement business that we might interview, right? So do you want to explain big picture what your company does and the products do? Speaker 4 (2:37) Well, the big picture is that once we organized to do this, we started making coatings in general for concrete for most anything that you will have at your home for home maintenance products. The idea was to produce a product that was environmentally friendly, easy to use, but performed at the highest level possible for the least amount of money without having to hire a professional. Speaker 2 (3:04) yeah the Speaker 4 (3:04) typical diy which is which is what i've always been my entire life so um that falls right into our niche right there so we we uh created a very unique a product that that we feel performs uh close to the solvent epoxies uh without going into the solvent issues that you bring along with that and so uh the homeowner especially people in uh areas that are uh have to deal with the air quality standards this is a perfect perfect solution and Speaker 2 (3:39) so you took that product obviously you know the latest one is you know really something you're kind of gonna hold on and you think it's going to change the industry yeah well Speaker 4 (3:48) it actually Speaker 2 (3:49) we actually Speaker 4 (3:50) started it on it in 2010. so it was it was a Speaker 2 (3:55) a Speaker 4 (3:55) process to get to there we noticed that uh we