Enjoy the Ride – Entrepreneur Rollercoasters

I have experienced many ups and downs as an entrepreneur during the past 20 years, but the most memorable “roller coaster” occurred in 1991.

At that time, Fitter International, Inc <http://www.fitter1.com/> ., had been operating in starvation mode for six years. Cash wasn’t flowing, and consumers were only beginning to realize the importance of balance products. Feeling the need to escape the strain of managing a barely surviving business, I bought a cheap plane ticket to visit my older brother in Hollywood, California, USA, with the intention of taking some tennis lessons and just hanging out.

Right before I left, I received a call from Powder Magazine <http://www.powdermag.com/> . They read our press release and wanted to do a story on our flagship product, so they requested an interview at their offices in Dana Point, California. I was stoked!

When I arrived in Los Angeles, I rented a car, and not thinking much of it, I declined the rental insurance since the car was covered by my new personal car insurance. The interview went great, and the story was sure to be a breakthrough for the company. Afterward I stopped in Newport Beach and, feeling euphoric, I splurged on a new lime-green wetsuit, rented a surfboard and locked everything I owned in the trunk of my rental car except my swimsuit, a beach mat and a pink Cowtown Saddle Company Stampede t-shirt. I was off to the beach to ride some waves and relax. After three hours of surfing, I sat on the beach watching the sunset and the dolphins in the surf. It was the perfect finish to the day.

When I returned to the parking lot, an old Volkswagen van sat where my car used to be. I soon realized that my car had been stolen! My wallet, passport, briefcase, Pro Fitter, tennis racquet and all my clothes were gone. After frantically searching the length of the beach for the car, I returned to the surf shop with no identification or money. I called the police, and the surf shop owner gave me back the US$20 I had used to rent the surfboard. It was just enough to buy a burger at McDonald’s and a shuttle up to the Los Angeles International Airport.

At 2 p.m. I was enjoying the sun and surf, and by 2 a.m. I was walking barefoot, broke and hungry – in my swimsuit and pink t-shirt, no less – around the streets near the LAX trying to hitch a ride to my brother’s place in Hollywood. After sleeping at my brother’s for a few hours, I called to report the stolen car. Much to my chagrin, my insurance agent forgot to put the CD$25 annual rental car waiver on my insurance policy, so I didn’t even have rental car insurance. And on top of that, when I called to cancel my credit cards, I learned that they were all charged over their limit at several retail stores along the Pacific Coast Highway. I was now down one US$12,000 car, all my credit cards, identification and clothing. I was so upset that I just had to get home to Calgary.

Since my Air Canada ticket was stolen, all I could do was buy a new one-way fare courtesy of my company. But I had to pay extra since the only seat left was in first class. While waiting in the check-in line, I glanced behind me, and to my utter astonishment, there stood Wayne Gretzky! He was on his way to Edmonton for the first time since he left the Oilers. I introduced myself and mentioned I was the “Fitter guy,” since I knew he had used it in Edmonton after his knee injury.

While I stood there wearing my brother’s clothes I shared what had happened to me during the past 24 hours. His actress wife was from Newport Beach, and she was disappointed to hear how much trouble I had encountered in her hometown. We then boarded the plane, and I was tickled to realize where my seat was— right next to Wayne and Janet Gretzky and Wayne’s agent, Mike Barnett.

In a little more than 24 hours, I had gone from a Powder Magazine feature story, to barefoot, almost naked and hungry on the streets of Los Angeles, to flying home in first class with the greatest hockey player of our time, who just happened to be one of my customers.

What a roller coaster of emotions! I laughed, I cried and I embraced it all. It was a ride I will never forget, and it always reminds me that being an entrepreneur certainly has its ups and downs.

Louis Stack