Firefighter running a clothing brand

Meet Chris Maleta.

Chris became a firefighter paramedic in the fall of 2008, but he always wanted to be an entrepreneur.

Now he is also running the clothing brand Dyrt Lyfe and building his own brand teaching others entrepreneurship.

The story told by Chris Maleta

Pushing myself

I've always been someone who pushes myself to my limits to see what I can achieve. I set a goal to complete a full Ironman triathlon. With determination, I completed the half Ironman triathlon four times and the full Ironman triathlon once.

Even after accomplishing this, I felt unfulfilled and wanted to push myself further by pursuing my dream of becoming an entrepreneur.

Starting my first business

As a parent, I wanted to teach my kids how wealthy people make money - something I wasn't taught. I started interviewing people I considered wealthy, and most of them said they started businesses. So, I decided to start a business too.

Many firefighters start businesses like remodeling houses or cutting grass, but I wanted to do something different. My first business idea was a mobile oil change service. However, after discussing it with my wife, we realized it wouldn’t work well with our family dynamics.

Starting my second business

My second business was a clothing line inspired by my Ironman experience, with the tagline Live Life Push Limits Fear Nothing.

I got my clothing line into a few stores in Kansas City. One store owner, who was about my age, invited me to join his booth at the Kansas City Marathon.

At the event, I initially struggled to attract customers to my section of the booth. I then decided to take action: I drew an imaginary line on the ground and promised myself that anyone who crossed it would get my business card, a sticker, and my sales pitch. Suddenly, people started stopping at my booth, and I sold about three-quarters of my inventory.

This experience taught me the importance of getting people's attention. However, I ran into trademark issues early in my entrepreneurial journey and had to pivot.

Starting yet another clothing line

I created another clothing line called Tommy Flames, inspired by seeing a major company selling fire department t-shirts for kids. I felt I had more right to sell such t-shirts since I was a firefighter.

I launched my first pop-up shop for this brand just before the COVID-19 lockdown. During the lockdown, I started a YouTube (example below) channel to market the brand, teaching kids fire safety and providing firefighter-themed entertainment, while subtly promoting my products.

The channel unexpectedly grew, reaching over 1 million views. However, I wasn't passionate about this niche; I was merely experimenting with business ideas.

Starting Dyrt Lyfe

I pivoted again and started another clothing line called Dyrt Lyfe, inspired by my experiences on mountain biking trails. DYRT stands for "Did You Ride Today." I grew this brand nationwide, participated in numerous pop-up shops and events, and met many amazing people.

To build Dyrt Lyfe nationwide, I picked up the phone and started calling stores, talking to owners or buyers to see how I could get my products in their stores. I also went door-to-door, did pop-up shops, and visited stores while I was in town to speak directly with managers or owners. Sometimes, I would be at an event selling my products, and a store owner would start a conversation, which often led to getting my items in their store.

I also invested heavily in online marketing, especially through social media. Instagram was crucial for growing my clothing brand and showcasing my products. The key on Instagram was creating conversations with customers or potential customers. Simply posting pictures without engaging didn't work.

Initially, I thought I could just create a cool website and post on social media, and people would come and buy my products. But it's not like that; you have to actively seek out your customers and grab their attention.

Pop-up shops were particularly effective. People loved hearing my story and were eager to support me. The best part was that I could call up a coffee shop, brewery, or similar place and they would often let me do a pop-up shop for free. I didn't even have to pay anything.

My advice for those starting a clothing line is not to pay for events. Find a restaurant, brewery, or coffeehouse with a similar vibe and ask them to host a pop-up shop for free. They usually want to help you out and draw attention to their own businesses as well. As fellow business owners, they understand how hard it is to get started.

Despite the brand’s success, I felt burnt out and realized I wasn't achieving my initial goal of running a business from my computer and phone.

My personal brand

After a final pop-up shop in Breckenridge, Colorado, I decided to start a business that leveraged technology, without the need for pop-up shops, inventory, or shipping. That’s when I began developing my personal brand.

Running a clothing brand was time-consuming, and my initial goal was to have a side hustle that complemented my career as a firefighter. My biggest mistake was starting without a clear plan. I should have designed my business to fit my life as a firefighter and family man from the start.

Now, I'm focused on building my personal brand and teaching others what I wish I had known before starting my businesses. I help people avoid my mistakes and jumpstart their own digital businesses.

Currently, I'm creating a free mini-course on starting a digital business, followed by a comprehensive course to guide others in leveraging technology for greater freedom and avoiding the pitfalls I encountered.

Reach out for more:

• dyrtlyfe.com

• chrismaleta.com

• Chris on X