“We were really excited the first week, we were getting orders from Ohio, from Alaska… we knew we had something special.”
Jason Piller (BS ‘22) and Jake Wolk (BBA ‘22) grew up together in Encino, California. Unlike their constantly sunny hometown, these childhood friends decided to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison to get a taste of four seasons, especially experiencing snow. Both say it was not the Wisconsin weather that convinced them to come here but the “…fun and amazing energy on campus.” They were excited to innovate and explore the great programs UW-Madison had to offer. In March 2020, their school year was cut short due to COVID-19. However, this did not stop them from continuing to push the envelope and follow their entrepreneurial instincts.
“Jason came to me because all our classes were online. He said, ‘Let’s start a business together.’ ” Both of them were inspired by their love for the game of golf and came up with the idea for a mobile golf club cleaner and Caddy Splash, the ultimate golf water brush, was born. They created their website themselves and Josie Cutrara (BFA ’22) created their logo. Jason and Jake were running Caddy Splash out of their college apartment and promoting the product through social media while maintaining their coursework and the everyday stressors of college life.
At the beginning stage of their business, Jason and Jake persisted as they refined their product and navigated the challenges of scaling up, all while learning the importance of real-world feedback. “Entrepreneurship is like being a parent for the first time…you have this new life form that you just have to take care of and figure out as you go.” They specifically highlighted the guidance and help they received from Merlin Mentors, a Madison, Wisconsin-based group of mentors that coach emerging entrepreneurs, and Dan Olszewski, director of the Weinert Center for Entrepreneurship. Jason completed the undergraduate certificate of entrepreneurship, the largest undergraduate certificate at UW-Madison. He took the Introduction to Entrepreneurship course (MHR 322), taught by their beloved instructor Dan Olszewski, where he dives into the mind of an entrepreneur, giving his students real-life examples and scenarios to grow their skills. The Distinguished Entrepreneurship Lunch Program sponsored by Neider & Boucher, S.C., also inspired Jake and Jason, where their “…biggest takeaway was the perseverance aspect of entrepreneurship.”
With the combination of Jason and Jake’s strong drive to expand their product and the guidance of Dan, Caddy Splash auditioned for the beloved show, Shark Tank. Though they did not make it to the actual tank, they shared that “it was a fun and educational experience.” They plan on eventually auditioning again, driven by their perseverance and the lessons learned from their first attempt, with an improved product ready for the next opportunity.
They highlighted the importance of persevering and being able to adapt to anything thrown their way. “It’s not all sunshine and rainbows… you just have to stay committed to the path, understand your business, understand your numbers, and keep improving.” Though their journey was full of challenges, they explained that success isn’t about dodging failure, but about learning from it. To be successful, it is important to push forward with resilience and determination.
Caddy Slash is now focused on growing its product line and pushing their Golf Club Water Brush Pro into both online and retail stores, including Amazon. Jason and Jake truly embody the entrepreneurial spirit and are continuously looking to learn, expand, and connect with others in the industry.
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