Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeff Gawronski.
Hi Jeff, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
It all began on the top bunk of bunk bed. No it’s not a script for a bad Darman episode. It’s the story of the entrepreneur Jeff Gawronski. Nicknamed “Napper” in college, Jeff found himself on the top bunk of a bunk bed with no place to put his phone, eye glasses, water, tv remote, alarm clock and more! Back then being a regular lazy guy Jeff panicked thinking about jumping in and out of bed for every little thing. Solution: The Bed Post Shelf.
Realizing the Bed Post Shelf could hold everything bedside Jeff Launched it for himself and Junior year tried to sell it to incoming freshmen. That was until campus police at Xavier university called the act “soliciting”. Thinking his entrepreneurial dream died, Jeff found a path after graduation in pharmaceutical sales. Until one day, after his first year Jeff found the left over bed post shelves and couldn’t sleep for days! Why? It’s a silly shelf for bunk beds. Jeff recounts it all made no sense… so he turned to prayer. Seeking guidance from God as to the purpose of it all. Jeff recounts no clear message except to feel the shelf was his calling and yet lacking confidence to start a company on such an inconsequential item prayed for courage. That courage came when Jeff became top 5 in Pfizer’s sales division at the age of 23.
At that point Jeff began the journey. Making the bed post shelf out of plastic and having 10,000 units arriving from overseas with no preorders! What’s a man with no business skills to do except quit the job and drive around the entire country selling unit by unit! When you sleep in your car in Vermillion SD, that’s when you either know you hit rock bottom or you’re on an inspired journey.
Sales weren’t bad, maybe out of pity, but it was a start. Jeff had to get a weekend job selling jewelry at the mall and stocking movies at Meijer in the early am hours just to eat. At 24 years old, Humility was the name of the game as only 1 year prior Jeff was at 6 figures.
The only thing propelling Jeff was his true belief that this was God’s will and not his. Not knowing the purpose was the hardest part.
After a few year the business took off and Jeff found online retail and college dorm supplies to be his daily joy. That was until 2009 when at the time Jeff’s 50/50 business partner unexpectedly tried to kick Jeff out of the business and take it over completely. Was it greed? Arrogance? Jeff still doesn’t know, but it destroyed Jeff. At the age of 30 Jeff found himself with no money, a new born son and homeless. Humbled again Jeff returned to his hometown to live with his in-laws and await a binding valuation for the company he was forced to leave. What’s important to note is Jeff did nothing wrong, the contrary. Every lawyer said Jeff had the right to get back in the company and explode it from the inside. Here’s where that faith thing comes again. Realizing that if he got back in that the company would be turned to ruin, Jeff prayed to understand “why”. One day Jeff heard the message loud and clear, “God Makes It Straight with a Crooked Line”. This was Jeff’s crooked line and he knew by faith he couldn’t fight it. Here’s where had to accept that all of it made no sense and that God had bigger plans.
After 1 year of exile, Jeff restated solo and reached the same level of sales as his previous company. That old company went bankrupt and Jeff found himself growing the dorm business at levels past his dreams. With over 200M in lifetime sales you’d be fair to ask, “wait, are you suggesting God did this to you for financial success?!” Absolutely not would be Jeff’s answer. If for money it wouldn’t be worth it.
Jeff believes the purpose is to share the life lesson that God wants a relationship with all of us. That the journey of life is about building that relationship and helping others to find their own path to faith. Sadly we all have “crooked lines” and often it’s the crooked lines in our life that through us out of sync with God. Jeff’s message is instead of anger that it’s not fair, or despair or mistrust that God cares, to instead have the opposite reaction, Believe with your whole heart that through your pain that you are not alone. Jesus loves you. God supports you and the life beyond our glimpse on earth is the real prize.
Jeff is not a pastor, a preacher or a biblical scholar. As he puts it, “I’m just a guy, and I share my story rather reluctantly”.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There is so much more to Jeff’s story of which includes a few miracles along the way. One is worth mentioning that helped shape Jeff business and faith journey. It’s worth mentioning as the Coma Inducer and Jeff’s move to Nashville wouldn’t have occurred without it.
After 6 years of the new business, Jeff felt a tug to move to Nashville to take the company to the next level. Not motivated by money, Jeff was content with a small business in Buffalo and enjoying life with his wife and 5 kids. That tug however felt similar to the bedpost shelf tug of the early days so Jeff began to pray for guidance. After months of no guidance to be content or guidance to move, Jeff grew impatient and while driving called a friend to complain that God was just not listening. The friend said “Now you know to never give up on prayer”. At that moment Jeff knew he was wrong for questioning the lack of answer to prayers and pulled off the road into a fast food parking lot. Jeff told his friend, hang on, you are right. I need to pray. Placing his head on the steering wheel Jeff began to pray for guidance. Upon lifting his head Jeff couldn’t believe his eyes. In fact it felt so unreal he took a photo, what was directly in front of Jeff was a vanity license plate that read: Nashvil
Scared, Excited, Freaking out… Jeff at that moment knew he had no choice but to find a path to Nashville. Finally in 2020 Jeff made it to Nashville and the mission since then has been more than just dorm supplies and Coma Induced comforters. The purpose has become to share the message of hope through faith that “God Makes It Straight with a Crooked Line”.
As you know, we’re big fans of Coma Inducer and DormCo. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Oversized Plush Comforters started by College Dorm Supplies and focus on the Crooked Line Project.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Perseverance through faith.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ComaInducer.com
