Manufacturing Spotlight: Bloop Bead Co.

From Hobby to Manufacturing: The Story Behind Bloop Bead

What started as a hobby became a one-of-a-kind fish beading company, making a significant impact on Michigan’s fishing industry. In 2020, Justin Lasanske painted beads in his basement and began handing out products to friends to use while fishing. Over time, friends and family kept coming back to Lasanske to tell him how incredible his products were and encouraged him to turn it into a business.

By early 2021, Lasanske built the website, and a few months later Vince Rennells came on as a co-owner of Bloop Bead, and the business really started to take off. While initially working out of a garage, they quickly moved operations into their own 2,600-square-foot warehouse in Muskegon. The early stages involved a lot of research and development within the fishing industry, and Lasanske noticed a hole in the market. Fishing beads play a significant role in guiding fish depending on color, glow, and UV properties, and he began implementing those strategies into his painting process.

Vince joined to help Lasanske scale the business after recognizing a clear gap for this type of product, and together they decided to take the opportunity and run with it. To meet growing demand, they added another team member, Matt Rennells, Chief Financial Officer, who initially started by bagging and organizing product but quickly began challenging the team on business forecasting and long-term scaling strategies.

“We like the lifestyle. We like the idea of building a brand [and community] around this,” said Vince when reflecting on the passion behind working in the fishing industry.

Finding Support as a New Business Owner in Michigan

When someone lives and grows up in Michigan, they often become familiar with the resources and support available for entrepreneurs. The community is well connected, and business networks can thrive, but for someone who isn’t from the area, moving here can feel intimidating when you don’t know anyone. For Lasanske, relocating from Wisconsin to West Michigan pushed him to put himself out there and meet people. In his case, the best way to do that was through fishing. He began meeting people on the water, handing out his products, and collecting feedback.

“Before I knew it, it was just growing rapidly,” said Lasanske. What started as an effort to simply meet people in Michigan quickly turned into a large network within the fishing industry.

That network soon connected him to a variety of resources, including local outsourcing partners, tax professionals, lawyers, accountants, trademark specialists, and the Muskegon Chamber of Commerce. It also introduced engineering firms like DISHER, who helped Bloop Bead automate processes and grow faster than they could have on their own.

“With The Right Place, you can reach out for help, especially with scaling and things that come up in manufacturing,” said Matt. The team originally packed 15 bags an hour and painted every day just to keep up with demand, resulting in orders and bait shops being turned away. The initial assessment conducted by Steven Lopez, Director of Manufacturing Solutions at MMTC-West, a partner of The Right Place, and DISHER helped determine which tasks could be automated, freeing up time for the team to focus on other responsibilities and allowing them to expand their offerings.

What Makes Bloop Bead Stand Out

It can be difficult for manufacturers in the industry to remain completely operating within the United States, but Bloop Bead prides itself on being U.S.-sourced, with all products made in-house in Muskegon. Michigan is one of the best fisheries in the U.S., so having a fish beading company based here has been beneficial for Bloop Bead’s growth.

Over the years, fishing has become more popular and increasingly recognized as a sport within schools. Bloop Bead is playing its part in the community by supplying bead boxes for local high schools participating in a steelhead tournament. They’ve even partnered with Michigan State University’s Fishing Club team, handing out products and being featured on team jerseys.

Growing Beyond Michigan

While Michigan is home, Bloop Bead is starting to see its products across the country, including Florida, Texas, and Alaska, as well as requests to ship to Canada. Their goal is to have products in every state, expand into new countries, and continue growing their offerings beyond beads and tube jigs.

According to FishUSA, Bloop Bead was named the number two beading company in the country for trout fishing. It’s exciting to see a Michigan-based company gain national recognition while continuing to expand its capabilities.

“[Michigan] is a very outdoorsman, hunting, and fishing community, and there’s a lot of support here,” said Lansanske.

With so many industries thriving across the state, even niche businesses can find the right resources. Reach out to our team to see how we can support your growth.