Founder's Story
Founders Story & Journey
The Early Years:
Dan: As a lifelong athlete and former United States Marine, hard work has always been a constant in my life—but it wasn’t something that came naturally. I grew up as an overweight kid, a product of '90s nutrition: microwavable dinners, processed foods, and way too much soda. While my friends were unwrapping toys on Christmas morning, my grandfather—a tough, old-school Italian—handed me a set of dumbbells. It might not have been what I wanted at the time, but it was exactly what I needed. That tough love set me on a path I’ve never looked back from.
Very self-conscious, I started working out in my room in 6th grade with those same dumbbells my grandfather gave me—and an antique cast iron weight my mom kept around as a decoration. The irony (pun intended) is that it was basically an old-school kettlebell before kettlebells were even a thing. I started packing my own lunches, ditched soda for water, and just kept grinding. That switch—along with puberty, which, let’s be honest, is a hell of a natural drug—pushed me out of that awkward phase and set the tone for how I’d approach life moving forward.
I became addicted to pushing myself physically, chasing the discomfort that came with growth. I take pride in my discipline, my attention to detail, how organized I am, and the work ethic I’ve built over the years. These are traits I still strive to sharpen every single day.
The Bright Idea:
The concept for a mouth-held flashlight has been living rent-free in my head for as long as I can remember. Every time I’d find myself working on something with both hands and needing a light, I’d instinctively stick a flashlight in my mouth—and immediately think, there’s gotta be a better way.
My mom was a career dental hygienist and invested a lot over the years to give me the smile I have today, so the image of her cringing every time I bit down on a metal flashlight was burned into my brain. I’d search online, hoping someone had already solved the problem. Year after year—nothing. So I tried to create my own. I played around with a few rough proof-of-concepts, but I didn’t have the entrepreneurial experience or the confidence yet to take it further.
Then, in 2015, an unexpected opportunity opened the door. I saw a niche need in the solar industry: an animal control service specifically for roof-mounted solar panels. That’s when Solar Pest Solutions was born. It wasn’t my first business attempt—but it became my first real success. The concept was simple: squirrels and birds love nesting under roof-mounted solar panels. Squirrels also love chewing through wires, which kills energy production and racks up expensive repairs. The work was physically demanding and fast-paced—hot, cold, rain, heights, and steep roofs. It required mental grit and physical toughness. Honestly, it was the perfect match for my personality.
One of my main responsibilities was inspecting wiring under solar panels, which can be dimly lit, and sure enough, I found myself in that all-too-familiar situation again—biting down on a flashlight while holding onto the panels or my safety gear. I’ve never been a fan of headlamps, so that wasn’t the solution. I knew it was finally time to build a flashlight designed to be safely and comfortably held in your mouth.
I created my first real proof-of-concept using a keychain flashlight and a scuba mouthpiece I bought online—glued them together—and to my surprise, it actually worked!
Husband & Wife Team:
Jordan started helping me run Solar Pest Solutions around 2020—right after we got married. If you ever want to test the strength of your relationship, run a business together. And if you want to take it to the next level, try starting a new one.
Turns out, we make a hell of a team—not just in marriage, but in business too. Our dynamic works because we communicate well, and our personalities complement each other. We balance one another, keep each other grounded, and stay laser-focused on our goals and vision for the future.
During all of this, my intuition kept punching me in the gut—build that flashlight. The same gut instinct that led me to start Solar Pest Solutions, the one I’ve learned to trust over the years, was now screaming at me to finally make my idea for a mouth-held flashlight a reality.
This time, though, things were different. I wasn’t just a guy with an idea—I had eight years of experience running a successful business under my belt. I had the confidence, the skills, and now a partner who shared the vision. I knew it was time to take the leap and turn this concept into a real product and business.
Turning the Vision into a Reality:
We officially launched the business in 2023, starting with an attempt to piece together components from the original proof-of-concept into a finished product. It quickly became clear—that wasn’t going to cut it.
But I can’t take credit for the pivot. Like I said, Jordan and I make a great team, and our different personalities often lead to our best business decisions. She had the idea to go all-in and hire a professional design firm to help turn our vision into a manufacturable product.
Over the past two years, we’ve worked closely with an incredible team of design, mechanical, and electrical engineers to create a product that isn’t just innovative—it’s manufacturable at scale. Backed by both utility and design patents, we’re finally ready to launch our product into the world.
Revolutionizing illumination—by bridging the gap between traditional flashlights and headlamps, we’ve created a hybrid tool that combines power, precision, and hands-free freedom. It's not just an upgrade—it’s the future of portable lighting.
Take a Bite Out of the Darkness with illumibite®!