For Ben Logan, school was often a struggle. Dyslexia made traditional learning challenging, and he spent much of his time watching cartoons in a special education classroom or sneaking into other classes. “I took Pottery 12 times,” he jokes.
But these experiences encouraged Logan to approach problems creatively and value hands-on learning. He went on to teach himself how to use large CNC equipment, injection molders, and other machinery by studying books and watching videos. He also taught himself 3D CAD modeling to design and prototype his own products. Logan even wrote his own book, The Diary of a Dead Man. “It took eight years,” he smiles again.
“Try and try again” could very well be Logan’s mantra for life as well as for Start Garden’s Demo Day, an annual pitch contest run by the Grand Rapids business incubator. Ten finalists are awarded $20,000 each, with a guarantee for a matching loan from Northern Initiatives. Logan’s Americana Manufacturing won the big prize in 2023, on his third try.
The first two times, he pitched Ben’s Buzz Box, a patented insulated beehive system that is still under development. The product was well-received at Demo Day, but it was his Kritter Kribs, stylishly engineered chicken coop kits, that clinched the win on his third try. Logan used his winnings and the Northern Initiatives loan to lease and build out a manufacturing bay at the Enterprise Center of Lapeer, an incubator run by the Lapeer County Development Corp., and to purchase the equipment needed to fill the space.
“I wouldn’t even have this shop because I had no money,” he said. Lapeer County, at the base of Michigan’s Thumb, is largely agricultural, bisected by the Flint River.
Ben says his desire to be an entrepreneur stems from his father, also a manufacturer, inventor, and serial entrepreneur. Ben’s wife (since August) Katie laughs, “I try not to let him watch documentaries because he just comes up with new ideas to make the world a better place.” So far, those ideas have resulted in:
- Kritter Kribs
- Ben’s Buzz Box
- Benny’s (durable, inexpensive, American-made sunglasses)
- Ben’s EZ Brooder
- Root Pods
“I try not to accumulate debt,” Logan said, so he often uses one product for income while developing the next. For instance, the Root Pods, a system for cloning plants, are hot sellers in the springtime, so he’s working on getting a bigger Root Pod to the market, something that will cost at least $5,000. “I’d love to meet investors for some of my more ambitious projects!” he adds.
Support from Start Garden and Northern Initiatives has been invaluable as he grows his business. Known as “the guy who makes stuff,” Logan has won $25,000 in two separate Start Garden pitch contests—$5,000 at a 5×5 Night pitch contest and $20,000 at the Start Garden 100 contest. “You have to be passionate,” he advises fellow entrepreneurs. “Plus, it helps to do some research on who you’re pitching to. Bankers want to hear something different than farmers.”
Timing has also played a crucial role in his success. He was pitching his Carolina Coop model just as backyard chickens were becoming more popular.
Logan’s start as a small business owner was rocky; he quit his job programming robots not long before COVID hit. “Supply chains were a mess, and the cost of lumber went through the roof,” he recalls. He relies on friends and family to help out during busy building and shipping times. Katie, who handles marketing and outreach, has successfully boosted the brand’s visibility with videos on Instagram.