Pingree Manufacturing of Detroit

It is all about veterans on this episode!  We hear from Jarret Alan Schlaff who is the founder and the main visionary over at Pingree. He shares how the whole idea began and, even, how the name came to be near the end. You won’t want to miss it!  Stay tuned until the end when we share another great Detroit artist with you.

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Introduction
Welcome everyone, this is Romy, and I am excited to tell you about Pingree Manufacturing today! It is all about veterans on this episode! So, we will hear from Jarret Alan Sheff who is the founder and, I would surmise, the main visionary over at Pingree. He shares how the whole idea began and, even, how the name came to be near the end. You won’t want to miss it! Stay tuned until the end when we share another great Detroit artist with you.
What is happening in our Fun Fuel for today? Luke, what do you have for us?

Fun Fuel
Hi! This is Luke Trombley, and I am bringing you the fun fuel for this episode.
The company name, Pingree Manufacturing, actually came from the Detroit mayor that served four terms, Hazen S Pingree.
Hazen S Pingree was a businessman with no political experience. The Maine native fought for the Union in the Civil War and was a POW at the Confederate prison at Andersonville. Pingree decided to move to Detroit after the war and become a shoemaker. He decided to run for office in 1890 and held office until 1901. He even claimed the nickname “the idol of the people.”
I hope you enjoyed this fun fuel. Enjoy the episode!

Transition
Thanks Luke! Okay, let’s drop in on the conversation with Jarret and see what is walking in and out of Pingree in Detroit.

Main Interview

Romy: Okay. Well, cool. We're here at Pingree. It's Pingree Manufacturing of Detroit?

Jarret: Yeah. Pingree Manufacturing. Some know us as Pingree Detroit. Some know us just as Pingree.

Romy: Okay. Well, tell us about Pingree.

Jarret: Yeah. We're a social impact startup committed to creating living-wage work for veterans that are overcoming homelessness or unemployment by building some exciting accessories, gear, and footwear using reclaimed leather and other materials from the auto industry.

Romy: Yeah. Wow, okay. I want to really dive into all those, but where originally did the idea come from to even get into this?

Jarret: Yeah. We started probably a little differently than most companies do. We started more from the impact side where there was a veteran that was living and squatting in my neighborhood. Talking to the man, he was a Marine not too much older than me and was just looking for an opportunity. He had overcome his own addictions. He was just looking for gainful employment. That same week I met another, happened to be a Marine ... A big part of my upbringing was a Marine Corps drill sergeant ... Meeting another Marine who was walking on the street going business to business looking for work. Got to know this guy, he had a master's in engineering and a JD and was sleeping in his car.

That, to me, just ... It shook me. It was like this back-to-back moment where I literally remember saying, "Someone's gotta do something about this. It's unacceptable." When I said it out loud, "Someone's gotta do something about this," really, I kind of, my core was like, "I can do something about this." At that time, I stepped away from my past job and started on this three-month exploratory, I guess, journey talking to veteran's...