Cal Crashed a Plane, Then Transformed His ProConsumer Business and Life by Embracing The Discomfort

Building a successful consumer brand is rarely a straight line. For many entrepreneurs, it’s a relentless grind filled with uncertainty, setbacks, and constant adaptation. Few know this better than Cal Arnold, the founder of BTI.

‍

His journey from a struggling $60,000-a-year business to a dominant player in the industry wasn’t just about smart strategy—it was about grit, resilience, and a willingness to lean into discomfort. From nearly losing his company while chasing adventure to making an unthinkable decision after a near-fatal plane crash, Cal’s story is packed with lessons on business, leadership, and personal growth.

Growing Up in the Wilderness

Cal’s foundation for resilience was set early. Raised in the second-poorest county in Minnesota, he spent his childhood immersed in nature—kayaking with a pet raccoon and living a self-sufficient lifestyle far from town.

• Remote upbringing: The nearest town was 18 miles away, making self-reliance a necessity.
• An unconventional childhood: Instead of organized sports, he roamed the wilderness.
• Financial limitations didn’t matter: Despite growing up without much money, he describes his childhood as rich in experience.

This upbringing built a mindset of adaptability and resourcefulness—traits that would later define his success in business.

The Early Days of BTI: Hard Work, No Shortcuts

Cal’s entry into business was far from glamorous. In 2003, he bought a tiny operation called Bozeman Soda Blasting, which involved using granular baking soda to strip surfaces.

• First year revenue: $50,000–$60,000 in total sales.
• First major job: A fire damage restoration project that netted $1,800—enough to make him believe he was on the path to wealth.
• Reality check: Work was inconsistent, and the business required relentless hustle just to survive.

For years, he worked multiple jobs to keep things afloat, refusing to quit despite financial struggles.

The Inflection Point: From Struggle to Growth

The breakthrough came in the fifth year, when reputation finally caught up with effort.

• A big contract paid off debt and gave the company a much-needed boost.
• Strategic acquisitions: Instead of fighting competitors, Cal started buying their equipment and leads.
• Massive risk: He took on significant debt to build a tandem compressor, a move that ultimately paid off by attracting more attention and business.

At the same time, he identified a critical gap in the market—customers were asking for log home restoration after blasting work was complete. Instead of handing those jobs to someone else, he expanded services to cover the full restoration process.

By 2010, BTI Log Home Care was born, and it outperformed his original business in its first year.

Losing Control: A Hard Lesson in Leadership

By 2020, Cal had built BTI into a thriving company—but he had also stepped away from the day-to-day.

• He traveled the world, hunting and skiing, assuming the business could run without him.
• The reality: The company slowly crumbled in his absence.
• Throwing money at the problem didn’t work. Incentivizing employees financially wasn’t enough to maintain stability.

Recognizing the decline, he returned with full force—but overcorrected.

• He micromanaged every detail, taking full control.
• He refused to delegate, believing no one could do things as well as he could.
• Sales became a bottleneck—since he handled them all himself.

This realization led to a crucial shift: process-driven systems.

• He recorded sales calls and built a repeatable script.
• He trained employees to handle key tasks instead of doing everything himself.
• He prioritized hiring the right people rather than just filling roles.

The Hardest Lesson: The Power of People

“If something isn’t working, it’s not always the process—it might be the wrong person in the role.”

Building a strong team wasn’t immediate. He hired the wrong people multiple times before finally developing a core team aligned with company values.

• Core values became the foundation for hiring and decision-making.
• Firing a top performer who didn’t align was a tough but necessary decision.
• With the right team in place, momentum accelerated.

The result? BTI became an asset, rather than a business that controlled his life.

The Plane Crash That Changed Everything

In 2019, Cal’s life took a dramatic turn when he crashed his plane into a power line while flying low over the Missouri River.

• The crash was catastrophic, crumpling the plane at over 120 mph.
• His injuries were severe: multiple fractures, half the blood in his body lost, and a two-hour wait for rescue.
• Doctors saved his life, but complications with his right foot led to multiple surgeries.

For two years, he endured repeated surgeries, trying to salvage the foot. Finally, the best surgeon in the U.S. gave him an unexpected answer:

“If it were my own daughter, I’d tell her to amputate.”

That’s exactly what Cal did. His left foot was amputated below the knee in 2021.

Becoming Stronger Than Before

Instead of letting this setback define him, Cal used it as fuel.

• His recovery was the fastest of any surgery he’d had.
• He committed to making the ‘new him’ stronger than ever.
• While on a backcountry hunting trip, he outperformed others—without them even realizing he was an amputee.

His mindset?

"I had a level of adversity that others didn’t. And that gave me an edge."

The Productivity vs. "Busy" Debate

One of Cal’s biggest shifts in both life and business was redefining productivity.

• Busy isn’t a badge of honor. When people say, “I’m so busy,” it often means they’ve lost control of their schedule.
• Being busy is lazy. It means avoiding hard decisions, instead of taking control.
• The goal is efficiency, not chaos. Creating systems and processes prevents the need for endless firefighting.

Lessons for Entrepreneurs

If you’re building a consumer brand, or any business, Cal’s story offers critical takeaways:

1. You’ll get it wrong before you get it right. Hiring the wrong people is part of the journey. Don’t settle.
2. Your business needs to run without you. Build systems, not dependencies.
3. Discomfort is your friend. If something is uncomfortable—whether it’s sitting in silence, exercising, or tackling a hard conversation—you probably need to do more of it.
4. Your team will make or break your business. Hire based on values, not just skills.
5. Fast decisions beat no decisions. You’ll make mistakes. Keep moving.

Wrapping It Up: The Mindset That Wins

Cal’s final piece of advice?

“Quit making people exceptional. The difference between those who succeed and those who don’t is simple: they work harder.”

Whether it’s business, fitness, or life, the path to success isn’t some mystical formula. It’s consistency, resilience, and a refusal to quit.

Where to Find Cal Arnold:

• LinkedIn: @TheCalArnold
• Instagram: @TheCalArnold
• Email: cal@btiloghomecare.com

A huge thanks to Cal for sharing his incredible journey. If you’re in the grind, remember: the people who win are the ones who don’t stop.

‍