We had the good fortune of connecting with Joshua Thurmond and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Joshua, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I have always been a problem, solver and a tinker who loves to build things with my hands and create all kinds of cool stuff. At least I think it’s cool. LavaBox happened by accident in a lot of ways. I used to sit on the board of the Colorado Whitewater Association and we were having our last trip of the year. It was cold and there was a fire ban in place. We were out near Kremmling. Anyway, after a day on the river, you just want to warm up and all we had was those standard round fire pits. They passed the fire restriction, but they don’t put out much heat. I knew I could make something better. I also wanted it to work with my raft. So I decided to build it out of a 50cal ammo box. They are tough, waterproof, and compact. I went home on Sunday and built seven prototypes Over the next couple of days. I also built a website once I had a working model. Within the first three weeks of being open for business, I sold 40 boxes. I knew I had something good! Both of my parents were entrepreneurs. I aways knew I would end up the same!

What should our readers know about your business?
When I think back to the first couple of LavaBoxes I created in my garage, it is sometimes overwhelming. I’m so proud and thankful for all of the folks who help me get this far. We have now sold over 16,000 LavaBoxes and have thousands of happy customers! The entire process has definitely not been easy. One thing “they” don’t tell you when you start a company is that you will work harder than you’ve ever worked before. It’s all on your shoulders, but if you’re up for the challenge, it is incredibly rewarding. One thing that keeps me going is that I know I’m having a big impact on the environment. Every Lavabox we sell hopefully stops a wild fire from happening. That’s a nice reassurance and reinforces our original goals. I’ve had so many awesome adventures with Lavabox already and just our first three years. From Shark Tank to trade shows it has been an absolute blast.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would probably take them to the Stanley marketplace in Aurora. It’s a great place to chill and I know most of the owners. I always want to throw them some business. The food is fantastic and the atmosphere is very cool.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The person that deserves the most recognition is my wife, Sylvia. She has to put up with my craziness. I always have 10 projects going at the same time. It’s a lot to deal with.

Website: https://fireanytime.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lavaboxcampfires/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lavaboxcampfire/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@lavaboxcampfire

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