Guns are “bad news” for women… except, y’know, when that woman’s love of firearms and hunting takes an enterprising and creative sixteen-year-old girl and propels her to being the owner of a multi-million-dollar corporation:
I knew that anything that would clean out an obstructed bore had to be carried into the field. Therefore it must be light and portable. It might as well be a cleaning and clearing kit combined. It would be nice to be able to clean your gun in the field at the end of the day.
Thomas Edison had an easy time inventing the light bulb compared to what I went through finding suitable materials engineered for strength and safe for field use. After much testing, failures and working with many people I finally had a product I was satisfied with. In my excitement one day I said to my friend that this kit had everything – it’s The Whole Kit and Caboodle. The name stuck and eventually became the registered trademark.
If Dirtcrashr had not mentioned it, I never would have known that Otis Technologies was founded by Doreen Garrett when she was a teenage girl, frustrated by being unable to remove the fouling in her grandfather’s rifle while chasing a deer. Today, the company pulls in somewhere north of $50,000,000 in revenue and has experienced an explosive 234% growth over the past three years.
All because of a little mud. Kind of impressive, that.
And with those steadily-increasing revenues, Otis is actively involved with the Women’s Outdoor Media Association, Relay for Life, Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, Big Brothers Big Sisters, USA Olympics, and countless other organizations that strive to improve the quality of life for women and men around the country and world…. in addition to keeping police officers’ and military members’ equipment clean and operational, day in and day out. Hell, the company even has an open-to-the-staff-and-public daycare for children between 6 weeks and 12 years of age, with 50% of the costs being covered by the company for employees.
So, yeah, guns are “bad news” for women… so long as you ignore all of the ripples of good that have resulted from one otherwise-disastrous hunting trip a young woman took with her grandfather’s rifle.
Well heck, I didn’t know Otis was just up the road from my house. Well, okay, about 2 hours up the road, but at least we’re in the same area code.
What’s doubly impressive is New York State is a tough place to run a business. The tax and regulation burden is massive. I tip my hat to Ms. Garrett. Give ‘em heck, ma’am!
Hell, I was surprised enough that she was willing to remain in a relatively gun-unfriendly state… I mean, moving constantly with the military has probably devalued my notion of a geographical location being “home”, but if said geographical location was “behind enemy lines”, so to speak, I would pack up and head for greener pastures as soon as I possibly could.
My surprise is only compounded at the apparent difficulty of business there… Good on her for supporting her employees and not forcing them to move, I suppose!
I think you may have touched on the reason Ms. Garrett and Otis stay in New York: as difficult as the place can be, it’s home. I’d even bet real money there’s family involved.
Besides, they’re right next to the Adirondacks. If you have to be stuck in New York, that’s the place to be.
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Well of course they are bad!!(Guns for women)
I mean how can a woman be a responsible victim and allow others to have their evil ways with them if they have a means and desire to protect themselves!!
I mean come on!!
What are you thinking?
Think about those tough guys whom need to attack women!!
What will they do if all are armed??
Good for her!!
@ Dave H: Pretty sure family was mentioned in one of the stories I linked to – my referencing it was purely intentional
.
@ maddmedic: Silly me… trying to help women keep themselves, their families, and their property safe, secure, and unviolated. What am I thinking, indeed?
She’s one impressive lady. Did you see our interview with her on Girl’s Guide to Guns?
http://girlsguidetoguns.com/?s=doreen&submit=
I had a lot of fun talking to her. She is one incredibly impressive lady. Thanks for posting about her!
Somehow, I had managed to miss that… thanks for pointing me towards it. Good interview!