Today we’d like to introduce you to Spider Michaels.
Hi Spider, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself and how you got started.
To tell the story of how I got started, I’d have to start at the beginning. My first real job was working as a lifeguard at the first waterpark built in Houston. As a child, I almost drowned, but a beautiful, blonde lifeguard saved me from sure death. A few years after that, she was my instructor in a lifeguarding class.
She then moved to Houston and was a supervisor at Six Flags WaterWorld. Sheree’ reached out to me and offered me a job at the waterpark. I was 18 when I started work there. Before I turned 19, I was already a Water Safety Supervisor, a position that I held for 13 seasons.
It’s possible that I made Sheree’ happy that she recruited me. I had a lot of success in that job.
During my time as a lifeguard supervisor, there were many photo opportunities. We won 15 consecutive lifeguard championships and all of those times we had team photos taken. This started in the ’80s, so there were no digital cameras around then. Every time a photo crossed my path, I hung onto it for posterity.
It was during these waterpark years that I began to love photographs and photography. I didn’t take as many photos as I would have liked but many of my co-workers did. Over the years, I reached out to these exLifeguards and got copies of their pics.
During the pandemic, I penned my first book about my days as a lifeguard and I used all of the pics that I had accumulated over the years. Many people enjoyed reading my first book, but I’ve heard that the photos are what make it so special.
Continuing with my love of photography, after the waterpark, I started working in NASCAR, IndyCar and the NHRA. I was traveling all over the U.S. for a different major motorsport race every weekend. I was seeing some great racing action and visiting some of America’s greatest cities.
I always had a Hot Pass and could go anywhere around a NASCAR track that I wanted. Being in the Garage Area and on Pit Road during the race was the best.
It was during this time that I took everything in. I learned about the race cars, the teams, strategy and also Marketing, which is what I did. There were several companies that started taking photos of people and then giving them a card with a number on it so they could visit their site and get the photo. I loved this idea. People always like photos of themselves and it drove traffic to these companies’ websites.
When I started in racing and traveling the country, I invested in a camera and started taking lots of photos. Since I was granted access to every area of a racetrack, I was able to photograph some things that the average fan never saw or had exposure to. I then built a website to showcase all of my photos.
I got into the habit of arriving in town for the races a day early and then I toured the city we were in and took lots of photos and videos. It was during this time that I got to see the Liberty Bell, the Golden Gate Bridge, Mt. Rushmore, the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, the Space Needle, and many other such special attractions this country has to offer. And I photographed them all to put on my site for all to see.
It was during this time that I attended the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and also visited some cities in Europe. This started my love affair with Europe and I’ve enjoyed many trips to Paris and Amsterdam as well as London and Italy over the years. These photos and videos on my site are some of my most favorite.
I worked in auto racing for about a decade and amassed a lot of photos and videos from that time. I also became one of NASCAR’s best Pit Tour Guides and worked with some of the biggest names in racing.
After I retired from racing, I began to attend Special Events for photography. It was here that I applied what I had learned in NASCAR. I would photograph people having a lot of fun at these events and then I would give them a business card so that they could visit my site and download their photos for free. Over the years, I’ve made a lot of people happy by taking their pic and letting them get the photos from my site.
Every year, I attend an event almost every weekend. I cover comicons, festivals, museums, zoos, some races, and many other special events in and around the Houston area. I also still travel around the U.S. and Europe for photography and videography. I have over 400,000 airline miles so I see some trips in my future.
Along with the photos and videos on my site, I write a blog post about the events that I cover. The blog helps explain and educate on the things that I cover. My blog has been read in 186 countries to date and growing. In that regard, I guess I’m world-famous, haha.
In addition to writing a blog, I’ve also completed 2 more books for a total of 3 with plans for many more. These books can be found on Amazon under the author name of Spider Michaels.
In addition to all of the media on my site, there is also a clothing company called Contraband. I own the trademark to the word Contraband and it’s a good name for a pirate-themed line of clothing and gear. If you’re into things of the extreme, then Contraband is the clothing line for you.
So that’s how I got my start in creating a Media / Clothing & Gear company. The website is a favorite of many people and I continue to entertain and please people all throughout the year from all over the planet.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It hasn’t been a smooth road, by any means, to get where I’m at today. Probably the biggest advancement in my career is with technology. Digital cameras were developed and then came the iPhone. For many years, I had to carry a digital camera as well as a videocam. This was tedious and I was always worried about running out of battery so I had to carry extra with me.
Once I started using my iPhone, I was able to shoot photos as well as videos with the same device. And phones today take better pics than most digital cameras. They also shoot 4K video, which is extremely sharp and clear. Carrying my phone on a lanyard around my neck has made my job immensely easier and I enjoy my work more than ever.
Another hurdle that I had to overcome was the development of my website. When I started, some things weren’t developed or available for what I wanted to do. I went through so many site developers that I can’t remember all of them. And I spent thousands of dollars in development.
It was during this time that I also spent a lot of money for photoshop work. I paid attention to the work being done and learned how to do it myself, which has saved me a lot over the years.
My website went through a lot of design changes and it was only when I learned to design it myself that I ended up with what I had wanted from the beginning.
There is an old saying about never succeeding if you’re afraid to fail. I have failed many times in my career, but I learned valuable lessons each time and it made me better at what I do. Failure is a part of success. I continue to fail at certain things, but I evolve each time.
As far as the clothing company, Contraband, it’s the same story. I spent years developing my logos and paid a high price for that work. Once I learned how to use photoshop, I’ve been able to create logos myself. This skill is invaluable when it comes to being creative and developing new looks for a clothing and gear company.
In summation, the advancement of technology and becoming educated in my field has allowed me to become the business owner that I have wanted to be since a young man.
As you know, we’re big fans of The STORM Factory. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
When I began working at the waterpark, WaterWorld, in the mid-80s, I was exposed to a lot of new people and experiences. One of those experiences was competing on the lifeguard team that represented the park in statewide competitions.
WaterWorld was a large waterpark and there were a lot of lifeguards that worked there. Being one of the 12 best guards in the park to compete on the top team was a big accomplishment for me. Going from drowning victim to becoming a Texas State Champion Lifeguard was quite a road to travel.
The name of our competition team was developed by 2 people, Pat Lavin and Ken Pecot. The name was S.T.O.R.M., which stood for Strong Team of Rescue Men. As I stated earlier, STORM won 15 consecutive lifeguard competitions, with 10 of those being State Championships. I was a team member and asst. coach for 13 championships.
Since I currently utilize the help of past lifeguard friends in my work today, I felt that The STORM Factory was a fitting name for my business.
The Factory is all about getting the most fun out of life and experiencing new and exciting people, places and things. There are many layers to the Factory. Photos, Videos, Blog, Books, Poetry, Screenplays, Clothing & Gear company, Scuba jewelry designs, and more.
What sets the Factory apart from other companies is its’ diversity. You can travel to many places and events via the site and see great pics and vids of places you’ve been or want to go, you can shop for the latest designs from an extreme clothing company called Contraband, you can order an interesting book or read some good poetry, or you can just look around and enjoy yourself with all of our media and offerings.
Possibly the thing that I’m most proud of about the Factory and Contraband brands are their uniqueness. The Factory stands alone when it comes to a free, fun service and Contraband is for everyone with a certain outlook on life.
What I would want the readers to know about The STORM Factory and Contraband is that they are both designed to please and entertain. And although they are both smooth running, they each took years of development and tens of thousands of dollars to complete. This was done in an effort to offer something different and new to the web community. I think that I succeeded.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
If I had any advice for the readers in regards to finding a mentor or networking, I would suggest looking in your circle of family and friends first. I have utilized family and friends throughout my career. My sister continues to be a great mentor in the many aspects of my business. And I use close lifeguard friends for help with the business of running the Factory and Contraband.
In order to start a business, it will take some amount of money. Some have said that if you believe in your dream enough, then you should max out your credit cards to make it a reality. That’s foolish and crippling.
My advice is to do research before spending any amount of money on your project. And try to educate yourself about your endeavor as much as possible. In my line of work, creativity plays a big role. And learning how to design a website and clothing designs has saved me a lot and allowed me to be as creative as I want to be.
You may have to pay for services initially, but the faster you can learn to do it yourself, the happier you’ll be. This is where you could utilize family and friends to see if they could teach you something, offer good advice based on experience, or lead you to the right person to get the job done cost-effectively.
I mentioned that I try to do all of the work myself to save money and also to be creative. The 4 main sites that I use are GoDaddy, SmugMug, WordPress and YouTube.
There will never be a better substitute for a good mentor or networking. It’s the best way to learn about your business from those that have traveled the same road. Why not try to get a map of where the potholes are?
It has worked for me and it will work for you.
In conclusion, I’d add that a person should never stop growing. I, myself, have begun to invest some time in other areas of interest to me. One example is that I recently began to pursue an acting career.
I took some acting classes with the Neal Hamil Agency and continue to have a good relationship with the agency and the VP, Jennifer Molleda. If this has been a dream of yours, reach out to Jennifer and begin your journey.
Since taking those classes with the Neal Hamil Agency and gaining some experience, I’ve been offered several roles in movies, mostly Westerns. I guess I have that kind of look, lol.
Something else that I spend time with is my screenwriting career. Currently, I’m in talks with 2 Hollywood Agencies about representing me for my work.
I’ll close with a few items. In addition to The STORM Factory, myself and my lifeguard friends started a foundation to help underprivileged children and families living below the poverty line. We call our organization The STORM Foundation.
Last year for Christmas, we helped out two families with gift cards totaling $1,200 and this past Easter we delivered several baskets filled with treats to a facility for displaced youth. We aim to do more in the future.
I mentioned Scuba jewelry designs earlier. That refers to a certification ring that I designed for all Scuba divers to get once they become certified divers. No different than a college ring, a military ring, a first responder’s ring and so on. I have been working on this particular project for many years. Some things take time and you have to be resilient and sometimes relentless.
“The more arrows you have in your quiver, the better chance of hitting the target.” – Spider Michaels
I wish you all good luck and fair winds on your journey.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.TheSTORMFactory.com
- Instagram: TheSTORMFactory.USA
- Facebook: www.Facebook.com/TheSTORMFactoryUSA
- Other: www.SpiderMichaels.com
