The School of Experience, is still one of the Best Teachers

Written and submitted by Scott Stewart – Owner, OHdorless – Odor Eliminator

In the spring of 2016, I let the public know I had a new online business. 16 months behind the scenes of strategizing, planning and orchestrating was finally coming to light and boy was I ever excited! Odor Hero LLC was finally birthed! What I didn’t know then was that just 2 short years later, I would be kicked in the teeth and have to go back to the starting line.

I’ve always had the entrepreneur spirit. Not as hard core as some but certainly more than most. My path had crossed with a company out of Minnesota who had created a very unique, all natural, non toxic, hypoallergenic odor elimination formula that knocks out all kinds of nasty odors in almost every situation. An all green product in a green part of the country and I thought I had hit a home run. Well, the school of life has an interesting way of showing us who’s really in charge.

I had been selling the formula in a spray bottle application locally for nearly 2 years. Members of the Chamber of Commerce, friends, associates and quite a few assisted living and memory care buildings became customers. Naturally, I was picking up new business by word of mouth, networking, cold sales calls and warm leads. Slow and steadily, the business was growing. I looked to expand the formula with a new product and came up with a carpet shampoo. Thus returning carpet (in a home, office, RV rental, etc) back to a neutral smell. You simply smell nothing. No artificial fragrance, no hint of roses, evergreen, mint… nope, simply nothing. The secret sauce to the product.

I had a new label created and sent it off to the attorney for approval. Upon his return call he said, “Scott, I like the label, it looks solid but have you ever heard of trade mark infringement?” My heart sank! “Yes”, I said, with a shutter in my voice. He said “Well it is my professional opinion that you are infringing on someones trade mark”. I gave a long pause. “Please tell me you’re joking” I said. “Sorry but I’m not”. My heart sank.

In short, over the next 45 days I spoke with 3 different attorneys and shelled out thousands of dollars. One of them, a trademark specialist said, “Scott, if I was a betting man in Vegas I’d lay down all my chips against you that at some point, they’ll issue you a cease and desist order.” I remember almost feeling numb and in disbelief. If you’ve ever been in a similar place, you know it’s a tough spot. After being twisted for the next 20 days, I went back to the drawing board in search of a new name and a new brand.

I gathered my creative friends and asked for help. I needed something solid. Something bold, one word that I could trademark and would help me to stand out. About a month later a good friend of mine texted me and said, “I’ve got it” “How about Odorless”? I said, “Odorless won’t work. The domain isn’t available, trademarking would be about impossible and I’m not so sure it isn’t already being used. He said. “NO, not odorless but OHdorless”. I have to admit, within seconds, the name grabbed me. It was different, unique and descriptive. Less than 30 days later I had my attorney look at it and, well, the rest is history. It was mine! OHdorless would be the new name of the product while Odor Hero, LLC would remain the name of the company.

The new, all natural look has proven to be attractive and bold amongst customers. It’s a name and a brand that I am extremely proud of. At the time of this article, the OHdorless line has 7 SKU#’s and is looking to expand with 3 more by mid 2021. The product is available in as little as a 4 oz (pump sprayer) all the way up to a 5 gallon container.

“It’s a name and a brand that I am extremely proud of. At the time of this article, the OHdorless line has 7 SKU#’s and is looking to expand with 3 more by mid 2021.“

Current and past customers like the change and we are gaining traction in placing the product in retail outlets which was never a strategy with the old brand. Simply because the look and feel of the packaging was never right. Yeah, it was a hard lesson to learn. God knows starting a business from scratch is hard enough let alone being told you are going to need to start over with a new name. However, I am better for going through that experience. It has taught me so much and I get to take those experiences and lessons with me.

Would I say the journey is still exhilarating? Yes, I would. Most every entrepreneur knows, the journey can and will likely have moments of feeling defeated. Moments of despair where you question everything. I don’t think that is so uncommon. What seems to be uncommon is not everyone gets back up after taking hit after hit. That’s the hard part.

Some of the best advice one of my mentors gave me a couple of years ago:

Learn to not take things so personal. Getting knocked down, stepped on and yes, even kicked in the teeth, is just part of the process. You don’t have to like it but you do have to accept it and trust that if you keep moving forward, you will eventually win!