Fighting Cancer and Finding Purpose w/ Codie Aljets (EP #69)

The Founderz Lounge Episode #69 with Codie Aljets.In this episode, Don Varady and Steve Bon sit down with Codie Aljets of Sage Country Customs to unpack a story shaped by adversity, creativity, and grit. After a battle with stage 4 colorectal cancer, Codie was forced to slow down, reassess his priorities, and ultimately rebuild his life around purpose and craftsmanship.Codie shares how his journey from firefighter to full-time metal artist changed not just how he works, but how he thinks. The conversation dives into mindset, authenticity, pricing creative work, earning visibility in a niche market, and why consistency and learning matter more than chasing perfection.This is a raw, grounded conversation about turning hardship into direction, building something real, and doing work that actually reflects who you are.Timestamps:[00:00] Trailer[01:04] Catching up[02:45] Getting to know Codie[05:34] Medical struggles[08:30] The lightbulb moment[11:06] The metal art business[13:01] The beginning of craftsmanship[15:31] Turning passion into a business[18:52] Entrepreneurial mistakes[21:39] No more favors[23:25] Balancing quality with profitability[28:30] Marketing a niche business[31:31] Going international[34:36] Building a brand name[37:27] Scaling[41:53] Managing client expectations[45:37] Lessons for younger craftsmen[46:38] Dream collaboration[48:48] Hot take[51:01] Connect with Codie AljetsWebsite: https://www.codiealjetsart.com/[51:51] Codie’s dogKey Takeaways:  • “What you carry in your mind ends up manifesting elsewhere in your body.” ~Codie Aljets [04:25]• “I don’t care if I’m the best, but I want to at least succeed at what I do.” ~Codie Aljets [09:41]• “If you’re not being seen, people aren’t thinking about you.” ~Codie Aljets [27:26]• You’ve got to take those 100 or 200 no’s to get that one yes. ~Codie Aljets [30:02]• “If you’re not learning, you might as well be dead.” ~Codie Aljets [45:43]• If it’s not authentic, nobody’s going to come to you. ~Codie Aljets [46:33]Connect with Codie Aljets:Website: https://www.codiealjetsart.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/codie.aljets/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sagecountrycustoms/ Connect with Don and Steve…Don Varady:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/don.varady/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donvarady/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-varady-450896145 Steve Bon:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenbon Instagram: https://instagram.com/stevebon8 Tune in to every episode on your favorite platform: Website: https://www.thefounderzlounge.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheFounderzLounge Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Nurr4XjBE747qJ9Zjth0G Apple Music: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-founderz-lounge/id1461825349 The Founderz Lounge is Powered By:Clean Eatz:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CleanEatzLife/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cleaneatzlife/ Website: https://cleaneatz.com/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJRGrE-Xv4IMW_DbxSOTGGA Bon’s Eye Marketing:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bonseyemarketing Instagram: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bon's-eye-marketing/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bon's-eye-marketing/ Website: https://bonseyeonline.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bonseyemarketing9477