Buddies Frank Lacaria and Chris Bluga Ditch Day Jobs to Help Others Ditch Theirs with “Own Boss Supply Co”

They bootstrapped a motivational apparel start-up that rewards customers with giveaways of vehicles and equipment for aspiring small business owners.

Frank Lacaria, 24, and Chris Bluga, 27, are a couple of ambitious Michigan go-getters who’ve built businesses since college. But when COVID crippled their income streams in 2020, it sparked a bold new venture – Own Boss Supply Co. With just a sliver of savings the resourceful duo still bet everything on their start-up. They set up shop in Frank’s parents’ basement and put in 18-hour days to will their vision into reality.

The concept? Motivate and equip future girl bosses and boy bosses through apparel and major giveaways like vehicles and tools. Even while struggling, Chris and Frank found purpose helping others avoid similar struggles chasing entrepreneur dreams. Frank and Chris know firsthand both the risks and rewards of charting your own path as a business owner. They met years earlier through Michigan’s auto scene before going on to launch their own companies. 

When COVID-19 turned their incomes upside down, they leaned on grit and imagination rather than defeat. They funnelled everything into laying the foundation for Own Boss Supply, from creating an inspirational clothing line of hats, shirts and hoodies to planning huge giveaways. Own Boss celebrates the entrepreneurial spirit and independent hustle through apparel and contests where customers gain entries into drawings to win trucks, equipment and more to start their own ventures. 

Having been in those make-or-break early shoes, Chris and Frank want to motivate and remove barriers for new business owners anyway they can, whether through social media inspiration or gearing them up for success with major tools to propel fresh enterprises. As Frank says about their ambitious plans to help dreams become reality: “The mission of our business is to change as many people’s lives as possible…by giving them a truck, trailer and piece of machinery, or if it is by inspiring them through our social media channels and apparel line.”

To know more, follow them on Instagram @ownbosssupplyco