Welcome back to The Road Show with Tony Justice and Friends! Today we're talking chemistry, truck shows, and what might be the best product name in this whole industry. I'm joined by Vann Brown, an old fishing buddy of mine who spent decades in corporate textiles and chemistry - denim mills, carpet companies, wet chemistry overseas, and a stretch at Cargill where he helped found the company that makes plastic out of corn - before he walked away in 2005 to build Brown Ox Ventures out of a shop in Dalton, Georgia. Today his BullSnot! line is in thousands of truck stops nationwide, from TA Petro to Pilot Flying J to Love's, plus Bass Pro, Cabela's, and mom-and-pops from coast to coast. Vann and I talk about why he got tired of making money for everybody else, how a carpet-fiber lubricant that flat-out failed became the tire mount lube that started the whole company, and where that name came from - including the trademark attorney who didn't think it could be done and the professor who sent him a nasty gram over it. We get into the penetrating lube that freed up an engine that had been stuck for 20 years, the six years it took to crack the wax, what it actually costs to bring one product to a shelf, and why every single thing he's ever made started with a driver telling him about a problem. And we talk about the BullSnot Posse - twelve old-school truckers who pick apart every formula before it ships - and how a can of glass cleaner ends up putting two strangers at the same lunch table. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE- Walking away from a corporate career in textiles and chemistry to bet on himself in 2005- The accidental tire mount lubricant that became the first product, and where the name Bull Snot came from- Trademark pushback, corporate side-eye, and why he went with it anyway- Building every product out of a real conversation with a real driver- The chemistry behind the penetrating lube, and the six-year fight to get the wax right- What it actually costs to bring a single product to market- The BullSnot Posse: twelve old-school truckers who test everything first- Naming the whole product line with Tony on a drive to Washington, D.C. during the ELD fight- Bringing back the trucking brotherhood, one bumper at a time- What's coming next in the glass cleaner line Find Bull Snot:Website: https://bullsnot.com/Brown Ox Ventures: https://brownox.com/Download the Bull Snot app from your app store to find every location that carries itAlso available at Bass Pro, Cabela's, Amazon, and Tractor Supply online, and in truck stops nationwide Big thanks to Vann Brown for joining us and sharing his story, his chemistry, and his heart for the drivers who keep this country rolling. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, follow, and leave us a review, and share The Road Show with Tony Justice and Friends with your fellow drivers and friends. Until next time, keep it safe out there and God bless! EPISODE SPONSOR: FITZGERALD TRUCK PARTSWhen you're out here on the big road putting in the miles, you don't have time to wait on parts - much less overpay for them. Fitzgerald Truck Parts is your go-to for quality parts and fast service: knowledgeable people, fair prices, and no BS. Truck it on over to FitzgeraldTruckParts.com and use code TONY at checkout for 10% off your order.
