Jason Klein – Wild Business Growth Podcast #167: Catcher’s Mask Crew Chief, Founder of Force3 Pro Gear

BOOM! You just got hit in the face with a 100 MPH fastball.

Fortunately, you’re wearing the invention of this week’s Wild Business Growth Podcast guest, Jason Klein – the Defender mask. Jason is the Founder & Executive Chairman of Force3 Pro Gear and a former Minor League Baseball Umpire. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and your other favorite podcast platforms.

• Episode Summary & Player
• Show Notes
• Wild Business Growth Podcast Summary

Episode 167: Jason Klein – Catcher’s Mask Crew Chief, Founder of Force3 Pro Gear

Jason Klein, the Founder and Executive Chairman of Force3 Pro Gear, joins the show to share his journey from getting hit in the face as a Minor League Baseball Umpire to inventing the Defender catcher’s mask to minimize the risk of concussion. Hear how to design a product with safety as the priority, get early adoption by big names, expand into different product categories, Jason’s craziest product idea, and how it feels to throw someone out of a game. This episode covers everything from getting hit in the face to singing “Sweet Caroline” (BA BA BA). Here’s a small sample of what you will hear in this episode:

• What goes through your mind when you get hit in the face with a fastball
• Which element of the design makes the most impact on reducing concussions
• What were the steps in starting Force3 Pro Gear
• How much testing is involved with these products
• What were the biggest selling points to get MLB players to start using these masks
• The MaxBeverage!
• What tasks are the most relieving to delegate to a team member
• Just how great a magician is Jason

Connect with Jason at Force3ProGear.com.

Enjoy the shoooooow! Check out the show notes below for much more detail.

Show Notes

• Intro & Baseball Umpiring
  • [0:33] Email me at to save time with your high-quality podcast and use it as a business-building tool
  • [0:43] Connect with Jason at Force3ProGear.com
  • [0:46] Freddy vs. Jason
  • [2:42] Shoutout Dad!
  • [2:47] Jason in The Wall Street Journal
  • [3:24] Let’s start with him getting hit in the face
  • [4:48] What goes through your mind when you get hit in the face with a fastball
  • [5:06] Little League
  • [6:04] How much time while Jason was umping was he thinking of this product idea
• The Force3 Pro Gear Story
  • [7:58] Products
  • [8:19] MLB (Major League Baseball)
  • [8:29] What were the steps in starting Force3 Pro Gear
  • [8:57] Marketing
  • [10:13] What were the biggest selling points to get MLB players to start using these masks
  • [10:50] Agents
  • [11:21] The Best Mask for Podcasting
  • [12:06] What was involved with designing the Defender Mask
  • [12:22] David Ross, Boston Red Sox
  • [13:33] Concussion
  • [13:53] Which element of the design makes the most impact on reducing concussions
  • [14:37] Can’t stop
  • [14:40] How much testing is involved with these products
  • [15:21] The Devil’s Advocate of Baseball, The Masochist Entrepreneur
  • [16:02] ESPN
  • [16:14] World Series Champions
  • [17:06] MLBPA (Major League Baseball Players Assocation)
  • [17:28] Kevlar
  • [17:30] Mysterious Materials?!?!
  • [17:33] How much testing of materials was there
  • [17:59] Yasmani Grandal
  • [18:25] Nonprofit
  • [18:49] What is the secret formula behind these product extensions
  • [19:47] Technology (Tech)
  • [19:54] What other sports is Jason considering creating products for
  • [20:27] Nice one, Jason!
  • [20:47] What has been the biggest challenge Jason’s been able to tackle
  • [21:02] Tyler Flowers, Atlanta Braves
  • [21:12] Minor League Baseball (MiLB)
  • [21:40] Save time with your high-quality podcast. Email me at to bring your podcast to life and use it as a business-building tool

• Inspiration & Creativity: People, Hobbies, and Resources
  • [23:16] What can you do to be and stay creative
  • [24:10] Engineer, Metallurgist
  • [24:18] What’s a crazy product idea Jason had
  • [25:13] Beer Can Hat
  • [25:24] The MaxBeverage!
  • [25:31] BevMax
  • [25:34] Brand Partnership
  • [25:47] What other hobbies does Jason have
  • [26:24] How much baseball does he watch these days
  • [26:42] NLDS (National League Division Series), Los Angeles Dodgers
  • [26:52] Zinger
  • [27:02] Tweet
  • [27:23] What tasks does Jason focus on most of the week
  • [27:41] Business Degree, Sports Management Degree
  • [28:23] Entrepreneur, Startup
  • [28:27] What tasks are the most relieving to delegate to a team member
  • [29:05] “The Gambler” by Kenny Rogers
• Wild Business Shoutout of the Week
  • [29:34] Creative Marketing
  • [30:36] Weight Watchers (WW)
  • [30:48] Bait & Switch
  • [30:46] What is it about that commercial that still brings a smile to Jason’s face
  • [31:08] Coke, Pepsi

• The Unusual: Pet Peeves, Quirks, and Weird Talents
  • [32:02] What’s Jason’s biggest pet peeve
  • [32:41] Always
  • [32:46] What’s a quirk Jason has
  • [33:27] “How am I funny?“
  • [33:38] What’s a weird talent Jason has
  • [34:08] That’s how great a magician he is
  • [34:25] Kenny Rogers, “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond
  • [34:38] He’s Jason Klein
• Rapid-Fire Q&A
  • [34:51] How’s it feel to eject someone from a game
  • [36:17] Rapid-Fire Question #2 lolol
  • [36:32] Turtle-Fire Q&A
  • [36:36] Freddy Mask
  • [36:56] Aroldis Chapman
  • [37:28] Connect with Jason at Force3ProGear.com
  • [37:58] That’s a wildly good compliment
  • [38:19] What are Jason’s Final Thoughts
  • [38:52] Follow the Wild Business Growth Podcast and tell a friend about the podcast
  • [39:05] Check out the Wild Business Growth Podcast on GoodPods, where you can see what your favorite people are listening to
  • [39:12] Connect with me on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn at @MaxBranstetter
  • [39:19] Save time with your high-quality podcast. Email me at to bring your podcast to life and use it as a business-building tool
  • Theme music: Freestyle Percussion Magik – “Jungle Tribe” – provided by Jamendo

What is the Wild Business Growth Podcast?

Wild ideas. Wild growth. Every Wednesday morning a new entrepreneur or innovator joins the Wild Business Growth Podcast to share the crazy creative and unusual ways they grew their business, and provides tips for you to do it, too. Hear the woman who became the voice of Siri, the man who’s reinventing the sandcastle, how GaryVee’s partners are turning the wine world upside down, and more wild stories. Hosted by Max Branstetter (that’s me), Founder and Podcast Producer at MaxPodcasting.

How do you start a podcast?

Interested in starting a professional-sounding podcast for your brand, but don’t want to deal with the time commitment of all those behind-the-scenes details? I’ve got you covered. Email me at to save time with your high-quality podcast and use it as a business-building tool.

Thanks for listening to Jason Klein on the Wild Business Growth Podcast. To hear more Wild stories like this one every Wednesday morning, follow the Wild Business Growth Podcast and tell a friend about it. Maybe they’ll make you sing karaoke in return. But maybe not. Until next time, Let your business Run Wild…and Bring on the Bongos!!