Meet Josh Evans

We were lucky to catch up with Josh Evans recently and have shared our conversation below.

Josh, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?

Our business began as I found myself in pursuit of a way to streamline the workflow within my hat business. Like most of our current LSA family, I was working a full time job and pursuing a “side hustle” that I envisioned would eventually provide for my own family as the primary income stream. Once I found this adhesive and tested it in my own shop, I knew it was the answer to the problems that many in this line of business were facing, so I decided to bring it to market.

Unfortunately, my initial choice of a business partner did not work out and though leaving that business relationship was the right ethical and moral decision, it left my family nearly completely in the red and having to start back at square one. Starting LoneStar Adhesive came at a great cost, but I had now built relationships within the industry that I felt could be relied upon to go ahead and take the leap. My family was prepared to jump in from all angles and make it happen as well. We’ve built LSA from the ground up, literally and metaphorically, thanks to the power of relationships and integrity.

In a world that encourages you to be cutthroat and immoral in business and in life, people can see right through you and know if you’re the real deal or just another salesman. Our team spends countless hours of our days, nights, and weekends helping others, because we know exactly what it feels like to start at the bottom and need the advice of someone we can trust. We understand the desire to provide a reliable product or a solution to a problem, and we know how important it is to stand behind the product you put on the market when your relationships and reputation are everything.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

LoneStar Adhesive began as a solution to one small problem: streamlining the decoration of hats with top grain leather patches using a heat activated adhesive. But solving what can be a HUGE barrier to entry for people who are eagerly seeking a way to provide for their family, has pushed us to keep making improvements anywhere we can.

We have since improved leatherette, a material that was once unreliable and accepted as the “best” it could get, and the entire industry has had to improve their leatherette (and adhesive) options as a result. We’ve applied the adhesive to acrylic and introduced the broader market to a new use for a material once relegated to plaques and signage. The adhesive has been used for sewing applications, beanies, bracelets, wallets, tally books, used as a book binding, backing for awards, and so much more- our customers truly astound us with their creativity. We’ve formed partnerships with businesses and creators within our industry that we can proudly share and promote without hesitation, introduced a line of water resistant hats, as well as other accessories that expand what may have started as a hat business- keychains, valet trays, can dusters, coasters, journals, bottle openers, and even pre-stitched or pre-cut patches for makers who want to test the waters before diving in to the business. With a listening ear and attentive mind, we’ve successfully built a Facebook group of over 27.5K members sharing ideas and helping each other troubleshoot all aspects of owning an income producing business.

Every day, I’m able to work alongside my beautiful wife, and much of our extended family, as we craft a life and reputation that will bring pride and joy to our two young sons. They don’t understand the hustle just yet, but they’ll grow to appreciate how important it is to take care of the people who take care of you. Focusing on solving the problems faced by our customers has resulted in an immense pride as we see their businesses take off, and many of them now feel like family. We’re looking forward to expanding our distribution centers across the US and internationally, and love that the expansion will also expand that family even further.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Integrity & Relatability – Social media has allowed people to hide behind filters and facades. It’s tragic, but being the person in real life that you are online, is a rare quality these days. Our customers know exactly who they’re dealing with, and we do all that we can to prove that we are honest, trustworthy people. I look forward to going live in our Facebook group, since it allows me to interact directly with people who need help or quick answers to their questions. Similarly, attending trade shows has allowed me the opportunity to meet and read people in person before forming business relationships as well.

Innovation – Watch the market, pay attention to the problems that your customers are facing and look for ways to solve them. People don’t care about reinventing the wheel, they care about the efficiency and reliability of the ride. They want products that will enhance their reputation, or allow them to buy back their peace of mind and time.

Delegation – You can’t do it all. Analyze what reins can be passed off to someone else, and focus on the actual skill you bring to the table. Your time is valuable, and so is your sanity. Save it for what’s going to drive you forward.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

We love meeting new people and businesses who want to connect in a very real way. As stated, integrity and relatability are core values of LSA, and it’s a breath of fresh air to collaborate with businesses operating in the same vein. We’re problem solvers, love pushing into new industries with likeminded teams, and have a pulse on the apparel decorating and customization industries, so if you have a proposition or want to work with us- reach out! We’re available via email at info@lonestaradhesive.com or even in our Facebook group, “LoneStar Adhesive Official Group.”

Contact Info:

Image Credits

(On family picture – all others are mine) Shores Photography

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