CREATED TO SERVE
Muddskip is a company created to serve, bringing a solution to the construction sector that has long been needed—solving the drywall bottleneck as our first endeavor. This technology was created by contractors, for contractors, in an effort to make others’ lives better. Fueled by tremendous loss, herein the why behind Muddskip.
Randy Cross was a contractor his entire life, starting as a plastering apprentice in the 1970s and continuing to mentor and share his skills with others, just as he was mentored as a teen by a master plasterer who paid it forward. Randy went on to develop a career that evolved into master carpentry, designing and building homes, and investing in real estate. He was always helping people, stepping into “big brother” shoes for many he cared about along the way.
Born and raised in the Midwest, it was not uncommon to see struggles with alcoholism, and it’s no secret the trades in general have a higher rate of people struggling with addiction, chronic diseases, and mental health issues. Randy was an amazing human with a heart for good—every day looking for a way to make someone’s day better. I learned this from him, and it has become the foundation of Muddskip today.
LOSS UPON LOSS
There are two emotions in life: love and fear. Every thought we have, every word we speak, and every action we take stems from one of these two emotions. We all have choices. We can use our energy for love or fear; be a catalyst for happiness or sadness, good or bad. Choose your story wisely, because what we do with our minutes each day on this earth matters.
Experiencing tremendous loss in my immediate family over a very short period of time was the catalyst behind the “why” for me—this is part of my healing journey. Having lost Randy at just 54 years old after 31 years together to a massive heart attack, that loss spiraled our middle son, Collin, into a vicious struggle with drug addiction while studying business at the University of Colorado Boulder. This resulted in a fentanyl-laced Xanax overdose at just 20 years old.
Weeks later, our youngest son was diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer during his senior year of high school at 17, and another difficult journey ensued—one we are grateful has led to much better outcomes for his survival. Many people helped us through this journey. The kindness of others became a staple in our lives, and we will forever pay it forward, as we learned how much the little things mattered during the daily struggles we faced over this two-year period.
CHOOSE YOUR STORY
Years later, the decision to remodel our family home resulted in a full-circle discovery of a concoction—while not commercially viable at the time—had merit in its properties. After years of testing and formulation, it eventually became what is now a multi-patented technology. Randy’s pay-it-forward efforts in the 1980s, his mentoring while a master plasterer, had a hand in bringing the right people together nearly 40 years later. At the “aha” moment, I agreed to develop a company around this technology only if it were built with purpose—specifically focused on what took our loved ones too early. And so, the journey began.
Many of the people aligned with Muddskip are afflicted with similar loss. Some are recovering from personal struggles—whether addiction, cancer, or other chronic diseases. We have a saying at Muddskip: Choose Your Story. It specifically relates to how you use the technology—whether for time savings, increased revenue, creating a healthier work environment by reducing or eliminating sanding, building stronger and more impact-resistant finishes, choosing a greener and economically sound Made-in-the-USA solution, or simply helping others.
HAVE A STORY TO TELL?
We’d love to hear it.