From First Responder to Entrepreneur: A Journey of Innovation

#499 What if your side hustle could one day replace your full-time career — and give you your life back in the process? In this episode hosted by Kirsten Tyrrel, we sit down with Mike Ettenberg, a former firefighter turned full-time entrepreneur and founder of Frontline Optics, a sunglasses brand built specifically for first responders. Mike shares how a childhood obsession with emergency services and a side gig in college led him to both firefighting and eventually e-commerce. You'll hear how he spent a full year developing a product he knew the market needed, why he swears by the “5 to 9” side hustle strategy, and how he scaled his business while still on shift at the fire station. From bootstrapping with overtime pay to leveraging AI for inventory and ad copy, Mike’s journey is packed with insights for anyone ready to turn a passion into a profitable brand — without burning out along the way!

What we discuss with Mike:

+ From firefighter to founder

+ Childhood obsession with emergency services

+ Starting a side hustle on shift

+ Solving a real problem with sunglasses

+ Bootstrapping with overtime checks

+ Year-long product development process

+ Building brand loyalty with first responders

+ Using AI for inventory forecasting

+ Growing through Meta ads and Shopify

+ Advice on scaling smart and staying healthy

Thank you, Mike!

Check out Frontline Optics at Frontline-Optics.com.

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