Meet John (& Kristine) Pitts | Firehouse Moustache Wax owner(s), firefighter & farrier

I was 21 when I first started growing a moustache in 1987. I went on vacation with my dad and brother for a week and didn’t shave…and haven’t shaved the ‘stache since! I used moustache waxes off and on during that time. Twice I ran into the problem of finding a moustache wax I liked, only to find they no longer were selling/had gone out of business. I couldn’t find any waxes that could withstand the weather conditions in Mississippi and rigors of firefighting, as well as being a farrier/horseshoer. So, I started experimenting. It probably took about two years off and on, but I eventually came up with a formula that worked really well. The guys at the fire station got right in the middle of it, often offering ideas. Thus, how I came up with the name for our product, Firehouse Moustache Wax.

My goal was to make a moustache and beard wax that would have great hold, but be workable and easy to apply. Since working outdoors as a fireman and a farrier in Mississippi, where the year-round humidity and summer heat wreak havoc on moustaches/facial hair, I had a challenge ahead of me. It didn’t happen overnight and took a while to come up with the right formulations, but it was worth it once I did.

We’ve been selling the wax on our website since 2006. At the time, I told my wife that we should try to market it on the internet. She said sure, but all the while was thinking, “Who in the world is going to buy moustache/beard wax?!” She found out that people actually do! Enough where she was able to eventually quit her job and do the wax biz full time! As a side note, Kristine has never been particularly fond of my moustache and has never seen me without it. To my satisfaction and her dismay, she hasn’t been able to say anything about my ‘stache, particularly since she runs the business end of the biz! We’re still a very small ‘mom & pop’ business, but sell all over the world and have been blessed that it’s done well over the years.

I’m owner/founder of our eCommerce moustache/beard wax business as well as a firefighter by trade and farrier/horseshoer. Can you say looking forward to retirement?! lol

I’m most proud of the quality product and service we provide, while still giving back to our communities/charity. (portion of our proceeds goes to a different charity each year.)
I got to where I am through perseverance and hard work. That’s key for success in any profession! No it wasn’t always easy, but nothing in life is. Never surrender and don’t give up. It’s important to find something that you like or interests you and keep at it. There’s going to be disappointments and setbacks, but just keep persevering. Don’t be afraid to fail, but learn from your mistakes. The key for me was working hard, putting in the hours, and having patience, while also finding my balance. Work hard, but run the business and don’t let it run you. Also, I highly recommend starting a business when younger! I just turned 57 and I assure you having the energy of when you’re younger is very beneficial for the long hours and workload you’ll probably encounter when having your own business.

As for challanges/obstacles along the way, learning how to make the 3 waxes was definitely challenging. It’s almost like having 3 brands. One of the biggest challenges is the wax ingredients can change due to natural variances, so I’m always having to tweak the recipe to keep the consistency and quality the same. This inhibits us from being able to increase production, so I continue to make the product in very small, handmade batches. With working more than one job, it can be difficult keeping up or finding enough time, but all you can do is try the best you can!

With working out of our home, it’s hard to expand our product line or inventory because of space constraints. I make the wax in a quaint, rustic cabin on our property but, other than the wax-making supplies in the cabin, we keep everything in our home. The cabin was meant to generally be a ‘guest cabin,’ but became Firehouse Moustache Wax Central Headquarters! There’s no central heat or air in the cabin, so I make do with the fireplace and gas heater in the Winter, and wall/window unit for a.c. in the very hot MS summers. I keep the windows open for ventilation from the constant wax smell, so it can be quite cold in the Winter while making wax, and blazing hot in the summer! We have considered renting a building for wax making and storage, but we live pretty far out in the country, so we can’t beat the convenience of working from home as well as saving money on renting a space, drive time, gas, etc.

Over the years we’ve also experienced suppliers discontinuing or changing products or supplies we need, or raising prices. Like everyone is experiencing these days, that’s become more of an issue, along with delivery issues. Just have to keep plugging along and sometimes find alternate means to get what’s needed in order to keep going.

We’ve put a lot of time, effort and care into our business and truly care about our customers. We couldn’t do it without them! Many have become friends over the years due to the personal aspect we provide with our product. We bend over backwards to provide a quality product and make sure the customer is happy with their purchase.

Seeing that we live out in the beautiful countryside, we’d probably cook out and stay home a good bit! Plenty of nature and serenity to enjoy on our land. We could go fishing in our pond, exploring the woods, hunting (depending on the time of the year) or take a dip in the pool. Of course loving on and hanging out with our animals/pets goes without saying!

The nearest small town is about 15 minutes away, so we’d have to hit some of the great restaurants there. Mexican is always a favorite/staple, along with specialty pizza, BBQ/ribs and steak/seafood/Cajun food. In the Spring/early summer we could have a crawfish boil party, or at least go eat some at some of the local restaurants. Not far down the road is the Mississippi Petrified Forest that we could go check out. It is the only petrified forest in the U.S. and is believed to have been formed 36 million years ago when fir and maple logs washed down an ancient river channel and became petrified.

We could always venture out to the typical bigger surrounding cities with more restaurants, shopping and night life if we so desired!