Comaraderie

Camaraderie featuring…

Brett Van Der Brink

Senior VP and co-owner to Octane Ink. Sits Down and talks about how three competitors decided it was best to join forces and create a one stop shop for all your graphic needs. See Page 6 for Wrapping the City in Color.

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Contents 03 Editor’s Letter

04 Product Spread

06

Octane Ink Wrapping the City in Color

12 Appliance Doc Revive, Don’t Replace

GRIP Editors Letter IT &

RIP IT

Life looks a little different when you’re chasing your dreams while raising a family, but life has a way of leading us back to the things we love. For me, that path has been anything but straight.

From working tradesman jobs, to running my course through the Air Force. Balancing college as an older adult while taking care of my wife and kids has been both challenging and deeply rewarding. Every day is a lesson in patience, purpose, and persistence. I would say anyone could do it, but it takes a level of grit and dedication that not everyone can obtain, thankfully for me my wife helped me achieve it.

I’ve learned that passion doesn’t fade with age, it just grows stronger with more purpose. Reconnecting with photography has reminded me why I fell in love with creativity in the first place. Capturing a moment, creating a memory through my lens has become my way of slowing down and appreciating the small things in everyday life. That same energy carries over into my work in media design, finding ways to blend images, colors, and typography into something meaningful.

Taking Flight since

1979 Scan Here

This chapter of my life has been about rediscovery of art, balance, and self. The journey has shown me that it’s never too late to chase what inspires you. Balancing family, work, and school hasn’t been easy, but every late night has proven to be worth it. Through it all, I’ve learned that inspiration often comes from the people we love the most and the moments we work the hardest for. I hope that my work reflects not just my growth as a creator, but also the joy that comes from following your passion, no matter where life may find you. Most of all I hope that my journey reminds others and inspires others to chase their dreams.

Michael Achen Michael Achen

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Written and Photographed by: Michael Achen

Find out more in our feature article as we talked with Octane Inks Co-Owner Brett Van Der Brink about Wrapping the city in Color. A company that is a stapple to it’s community in Tea SD, a one stop shop for any graphic design needs even beyond the vehicle wraps.

One Team

One Vision!

Octane Ink does more than wrap the city in color. Brett Van Der Brink, 37, Co-Owner of the infamously known company based in Tea, SD, sits down with me to discuss what drives their industry success. Before proceeding, let’s review how Mr. Van Der Brink attained his current position. Brett’s journey into entrepreneurship was shaped early on by his upbringing.

Growing up in a family that valued hard work and independence, he learned the importance of resilience and resourcefulness.

These qualities became essential as he navigated the challenges of launching a business while still in college.

Brett often

credits his parents for instilling a strong work ethic—one that would become the backbone of his career. Brett started a business in late 2008, early 2009 (VanDerBrink Designs), while still in college at Southeast Tech, for a program now known as Media Design. With a family entrepreneurship background, he followed the family tradition and took control of his own life, but that came with its own set of challenges. Mr. VanDerBrink faced competition and difficulties being located in the small town of Alvord, Iowa. He speaks on the difficulties of supporting himself financially while attending classes, giving us insight into the determination and grit it took to be successful. Brett would have his mom help him part-time, while he would work three days straight and sleep in a sleeping bag under his printer, waking up when the vinyl would hit his face. Brett’s first wrap was a race car, helping him get his hands dirty while

also getting his foot in the door, continuing on to get his first full business wrap on a Nissan Cube. Fast forward to today, three competitors decided to join forces, creating Octane Ink. The three founders, Jon Powell (President), Brett VanDerBrink (Senior VP), and Matt Juhl (VP of Production), decided that together they could have all services under one roof instead of competing against each other. Octane Ink, being a multi-service shop, offers vehicle wraps, screen printing, embroidery, laser engraving, signage, logo/design, and promo items.

With the company combining forces in early January of 2015, and six other designers, they have doubled their staff today, with half of the team being Southeast Tech graduates. Besides the three owners the team consist of 13 other people Nathan (screen print manager), Alyssa (folding & prep), Landon (screen cleaner & prep), Sam and Jacob (press opperators), Austin (team lead), Tracey ( designer & receptionist), Justin (illistrator), Brandon (shop manager), Kyle (installer), Amanda (embroidery & HR), and lastly Max (Snow & Dirt Kit Designer). Brett explains that this team is the best team he has had yet and that everyone pulls their own weight. This is huge for Mr. VanDerBrink because he struggled with trusting

his employees to get things done the right way and on time. Looking ahead, Brett sees Octane Ink continuing to expand both in services and reputation. He notes that their success comes not only from hard work and dedication but also from their willingness to adapt and innovate. The company’s investment in state-of-the-art technology and ongoing training for staff has positioned them as a leader in the region. Brett emphasizes the importance of staying ahead of trends—whether it’s in design techniques, materials, or customer service. “We don’t just want to keep up with the industry; we want to set the pace,” he says.

Community involvement is another key aspect of Octane Ink’s philosophy. Brett and his partners actively support local events and charities, believing that giving back strengthens both their business and the town they call home. He credits much of their growth to word-of-mouth referrals and the loyalty of clients who appreciate the company’s personal touch and commitment to quality.

As Octane Ink moves forward, Brett is excited about the next chapter. With a solid team and a clear vision, he is confident that the company will continue to thrive and inspire others in the industry.

Rise of the Appliance Doc

Built on trust:

motivate him to keep pushing forward. Some The Appliance Doc believed that the key to of the struggles he faced at the beginning achieving financial freedom was running his were not knowing what he was doing, which own business; he decided that he wanted to created a lack of confidence in himself. He leave a legacy of generational wealth for his has a strong background in mechanics, but children. He explains how it was a low-cost having confidence in start-up, and how he himself eventually led was born in Ukraine to his business taking and raised in off.

Networking was his Tennessee without second struggle during a father. He got into —Denis Kilimnik the start-up phase trouble with drugs because he had no money to advertise, so it and other things and realized that it wasn’t was entirely by word of mouth.

He discusses the path he wanted to be on. He ultimately how his faith in God has contributed to his turned his life around and committed himself business success. He believes he needs to bring to God. He was invited to be the best man at value to his client 1st before money comes into his friend’s wedding, where he met his future the picture. Dennis believes that if it’s possible wife, who would later become the bride’s maid to repair an appliance for less than the cost of of honor. Dennis talks about how marrying a new one, then it might be the better option. his wife changed his life, as their first child His belief is that new appliances aren’t built was on the way. His wife’s family is also here the way they used to be, and by fixing them, in SD, so they moved down here to receive family support. He talks about how proud it keeps them out of the landfill. Some of the most common appliances to break are washers he is to have 3 kids to this day and how they and dryers. This is due to the mixing of water, electricity, and heat, which is a destructive denis kilimnik- repairing a broken dishwasher. combination. His approach to customer service stems from understanding the value he tries to bring to his clients. He doesn’t like transactions where a customer questions if they made the right choice; he wants them to be confident in him. Customers will always remember how you made them feel, so build honest, trustworthy connections. Some of the most common misconceptions in the repair field are that appliances are too expensive to repair. He explains that he believes his business is relevant because many appliance

“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right”

d

denis kilimnik- repairing a broken dishwasher. repair shops have opened in recent years, and an increasing number of customers are opting to repair their appliances. The appliance doc also notes that companies are beginning to transition to specialized tools. One of his biggest goals is to hire another technician, allowing him to provide for another person and share his wisdom with them. He also would like to expand into commercial repair, such as walk-in freezers and restaurants. He aspires to be the best repair company in Sioux Falls. Some of his main competitors consist of Mr. Appliance due to their marketing, and appliance manufactures, but he believes he has a leg up on his competition, he believe that the marketing is their best thing about them, The Appliance doc doesn’t need to raise his prices to cover excessive costs, and the personable service he offers is better than what corporations can offer. Two quotes he lives by are one by Ralph Waldo Emerson: “God will not make his work manifest by a coward.” This means he wants to be bold in his faith and his work, bringing light and love to others. The second quote he lives by is, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right”, meaning that you can explain away many things, but if you believe you can’t, you will struggle. To new entrepreneurs, he advises them to follow their faith and seek first the kingdom of heaven; then, all else will fall into place as it should. He believes that faith brings much joy in business.

About the Author As a kid, my life revolved around hockey, a demanding contact sport, but it was my way of expression. When I was in that ring, my sharp breaths, the blades beneath my feet, and the carbon fiber stick in my hands brought me to my place of bliss. I lived, breathed, and slept hockey. My idol, Wayne Gretzky, said, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take,” a quote that has stayed with me my entire life. I joined the military, realized it wasn’t for me, I married my dream wife, and in the last three years, I decided to take my shot at college. I stand here as a double major in Media Design and Marketing. Returning to school at 34 was challenging, but I hit the ground running, making time for my schoolwork, family, and personal life. I can honestly say that I feel, for the first time in my life, like I’m headed in the right direction. As I have gone down this path, I have run into roadblocks and days when I just don’t feel very creative, but I can say I have found ways to break through the roadblocks, one of which is photography. I have found my passion for wielding a camera again, and frankly, it has taken me back to the past. It has taught me patience for my designs and my desired look, and overall, it has helped all my designs become more refined. I can’t wait to see my story unfold and see where life takes me along this journey.

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