At a certain point, you need to commit to your invention full-time. That’s the story of this week’s Wild Business Growth Podcast guest, Joe Altieri. Joe is the Founder and President of FlexScreen. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and your other favorite podcast platforms.
Episode 245: Joe Altieri – Mousetrap Builder, Founder of FlexScreen
Joe Altieri, the Founder and President of FlexScreen, joins the show to share his journey from creating flexible window screen prototypes in his garage to turning it into a multimillion-dollar business. Hear how to survive the ups and downs of entrepreneurship, turn your invention into a business, gain your family’s support as a full-time entrepreneur, get yourself to ask for help, and make time for travel. This episode covers everything from grease to guitar. Here’s a small sample of what you will hear in this episode:
- Did Joe ever have any interest in actual mousetraps
- What’s the best way to get grease off of you
- How did FlexScreen get started in Joe’s garage
- Did he try to incorporate steel because they’re from Pittsburgh
- How did he make the FlexScreen flexible
- Can you tell based on your sales when Shark Tank airs your episode
- What’s Joe’s favorite thing to do outside of work
- How do you stay together as high school sweethearts
Connect with Joe at FlexScreen.com and JoeAltieri.com.
Enjoy the shoooooow! Check out the show notes below for much more detail. You can also find the full transcript here.
Show Notes
- Intro & A Better Mousetrap
- [0:31] Email me at to save time with your high-quality podcast and use it as a business-building tool
- [0:40] Connect with Joe at FlexScreen.com and JoeAltieri.com
- [2:34] What was his quest for a better mousetrap
- [3:32] Did he ever have any interest in actual mousetraps
- [3:48] What first got him excited in inventing something
- [4:36] Entrepreneurship
- [5:54] What kind of business did Joe and his wife’s parents and grandparents have
- [6:54] Grease
- [6:58] What’s the best way to get grease off of you
- [7:04] GOJO
- [7:32] Lava
- [7:47] Shoutout Lou DeMarco & ABL Screen Printing!
- The FlexScreen Story
- [8:30] Nice screen
- [8:51] How did FlexScreen get started in Joe’s garage
- [9:28] Sales Rep (Sales Representative)
- [10:00] Lowe’s, The Home Depot
- [10:15] GMC Yukon
- [11:21] Field of Dreams
- [11:40] The 2-Year Prototype aka The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss
- [11:48] How many ups and downs were there when Joe was creating prototypes
- [12:26] Metallurgy
- [12:36] Did Joe try to incorporate steel because they’re from Pittsburgh
- [13:12] Fish Tape
- [14:17] What part of the actual FlexScreen uses spring steel
- [14:42] Bend-But-Don’t-Break Defense or Window Screen
- [14:51] How did Joe make the FlexScreen flexible
- [14:58] Barbie (I know, I know) Pop-up Tents
- [16:07] What are the first steps to turning your invention into a business
- [16:38] Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) shhhhhhhhhh
- [16:54] Patent, IP (Intellectual Property)
- [17:23] Retirement Fund
- [19:44] How do you prepare yourself to quit your job and go full-time on your own
- [21:45] True story
- [21:58] How long does it take to not be concerned with finances for your business
- [22:24] Shark Tank
- [22:47] Cash Flow Positive
- [23:36] What other inflection points (or inFlexion points) have there been in FlexScreen’s history
- [24:52] Market Share
- [25:13] Easy as pie
- [25:44] Scrub Daddy, Ring, Squatty Potty
- [26:06] NBA (National Basketball Association)
- [26:24] CNBC
- [26:52] Can you tell based on your sales when Shark Tank airs your episode
- [27:43] Shark Tank Update
- [27:57] Lori Greiner
- [28:18] So excited to speak at Podcast Movement 2023! It’s August 21-24 in Denver. Register and join the fun at PodcastMovement.com
- [28:19] Sign up for the Podcasting to the Max newsletter at MaxPodcasting.com/Newsletter and receive How to Edit Your Podcast in Audacity
- Inspiration & Creativity: People, Hobbies, and Resources
- [29:28] MaxPodcasting
- [29:42] How do you get yourself to ask for help
- [31:17] Mentor
- [32:28] What’s Joe’s favorite thing to do outside of work
- [32:40] How dare you!
- Rapid-Fire Q&A
- [34:48] “Hey Joe” by Jimi Hendrix
- [35:02] What tattoos does Joe have
- [36:18] What sales advice does he have
- [37:34] How do you stay together as high school sweethearts
- [38:56] Connect with Joe at FlexScreen.com and JoeAltieri.com
- [39:41] What are Joe’s Final Thoughts
- [40:23] Follow the Wild Business Growth Podcast and tell a friend about the podcast. And show love (or roast me) by leaving 5 stars on Apple Podcasts and/or Spotify
- [40:37] Check out the Wild Business Growth Podcast on Goodpods, where you can see what your favorite people are listening to
- [40:39] Connect with me on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn @MaxBranstetter
- [40:44] Save time with your high-quality podcast. Email me at to bring your podcast to life and use it as a business-building tool
- [40:49] Sign up for the Podcasting to the Max newsletter at MaxPodcasting.com/Newsletter and receive How to Edit Your Podcast in Audacity
- 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 joins the Wild Business Growth Podcast to share the wildly creative and unusual ways they grew their business – and teaches you how to do it, too. Hear the minds behind WordPress, Stacy’s Pita Chips, Drybar, the voice of Bart Simpson, 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 Joe Altieri 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. Then get Flexy & Screeny with them. Until next time, Let your business Run Wild…and Bring on the Bongos!!
