What advice would you give to Haverford students interested in starting a company (or two)?

Just do it! If you truly believe you have a great idea that can find its unique place in a market, begin to take action. Be curious, ask around, do your research, find out if it's really as smart as you think. Poke holes in your idea. Don't be afraid to kill it, you'll have another one soon enough. But if you do think it survives, break down what you do next into steps. Don't stress yourself out by thinking of everything you have to do, get methodical with it. Step by step. There's a lot to do and it can seem overwhelming. Just take steps everyday. 

Next, find great partners and allies. You'll need to be honest with yourself about what you can't do, and find people to help that complement you, not compete with you or are around to feed your ego. Lastly, do not be afraid to reach out for advice from anyone you trust. People often think asking for help is a sign of weakness, but the opposite is true: it's a sign of strength. 

Reach out, learn and listen. You can write to me, I'll be happy to talk.

What inspired the founding of ColdVest, and what have been the benefits of working with your brother, John Royer '81?

I had set out to start an advertising agency with a few partners. We loved collaborating. But for one reason or another it didn't work out. But we still wanted to work together. One of the partners found this heatstroke interdiction device that seemed really interesting and valuable. We bought the patent, refurbished the device, and rebranded and launched the company. 

Mostly though, we did it because we believed in the mission: extreme heat is the new normal and we can do something about it to save lives. Whatever you believe is the cause of global warming is beside the point, people are dying around the world from heatstroke. And it's 100% preventable. I love that mission. I believe that a company's mission should be inspiring. You should have a great reason to get up in the morning. With ColdVest we've built one.

Working with my brother has been great. We are lucky to be able to work together after so much time. Remember before when I spoke about having partners who complement you and not compete with you? John and I are very different, and his brain is exceptional when it comes to logic, the law, risk, and the big picture (and ambitions) for companies. 

I know that I can't do what he does, and I really appreciate the wisdom and experience he brings to the table. And I see that he appreciates the perspective of a creative marketing person that I bring. Life is long and can be tough, and it's a real gift to be able to rely on your brother through thick and thin, even more so if he's a business partner. I'm proud to be working with him. 

What lessons from Haverford do you carry with you?

I'm not sure what Haverford is like now, but back in my day it was tough.  You had to persevere. Haverford taught me to be tough, to endure a lot of work, stress and competitive environments and just keep going. 

Haverford was great at instilling the classics and classical thinking. I rolled my eyes when we had to read things like A Man For All Seasons and Brave New World but the wisdom those classics inserted into my head has popped up throughout my life. Go ahead and roll your eyes at your reading assignments, but that stuff stays with you. 

You may not know it but Haverford is giving you a pretty strong edge right now. When I got to college I thought "wow this is easy in comparison" (maybe too easy, I coasted and stumbled a bit). But that resilience enabled me to bounce back. The struggles Haverford may be giving you now are preparing you to handle a lot later. 

What do you hope for the future of ColdVest and Folk Devils?

MONEY. Just kidding. Sort of. Money is always important. It doesn't make you happier but it does make problems go away. Just don't let it corrupt you and turn you into an... 

Most importantly I believe in the mission of both companies. ColdVest can save lives in ways that other products and preparations just cannot. Folk Devils is providing a level of marketing partnership that wasn't possible even five years ago, from a small dedicated team using up-to-the-minute technology. We're part of a growing group of agency partners that cost far less and provide great service. And with both companies we have fun doing it! 

Groucho Marx said "If you're not having fun you're not doing it right." I truly believe that. With both companies I want to build and maintain environments of respect, partnership, excellent craft and fun.