The Chimney Snake Story

Snow-covered trees and a snow-blanketed path in a forest with a house's light visible in the distance during twilight.

It started in April 2020. We had just made it through a brutally cold, snow-heavy winter in the Bitterroot Mountains of Montana. Technically, it was spring—but looking out over the thick blanket of snow, it sure didn’t feel like it.

We knew it was time to clean the chimney on our wood stove, but with temperatures still in the single digits, Brad wasn’t about to risk climbing up onto an icy roof. So, he got to thinking. And from that thinking came the first rendition of what would become the Chimney Snake—an automatic chimney-cleaning device.

This all happened during the early, uncertain days of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, I was the global marketing and reservations manager for a tropical resort in Fiji. But when the resort shut down with no reopening date in sight, the financial tap was turned off. We had to shift gears—and fast.

Brad kept sketching ideas for the Chimney Snake while I started making goat milk soaps and lotions to sell online. Reinvention was the name of the game.

Hand-drawn schematic and notes on a notebook page showing a design for a thermal sensor collar with a roof line and attic area, including details on a lower gear box unit, control shaft, and app integration, with annotations about materials, sensors, and construction.

As the design evolved, Brad began the long process of sourcing manufacturers for the parts. The original plans were revised to match what was actually available, and there were more sketches, more calls, and yes—more soaps.

By early 2022, we started talking about expanding our two-person team. First, we reached out to our youngest son, Jordan—a bit of an IT genius—to see what he thought. He was excited. Then we called son #5, James, an expert in procurement for the military, and got the same enthusiastic response. A year later, in April 2023, Chimney Snake LLC was officially born: Brad at the helm, me handling business and marketing, Jordan managing IT, and James taking on sales, business management and procurement.

A construction site with a small shed, trees, and dirt mounds under a clear blue sky.

By January 2023, we had a working prototype. We ran it nonstop—testing its durability, efficiency, and performance. It worked. After a few refinements, we were ready to move into production.

But the road wasn’t smooth. Brad had to fabricate every piece of the Chimney Snake by hand before he found a local shop to assist. Before he got too deep into production, he took a spill off our deck and broke his tibia, putting production on hold for five months. Still, he kept us moving forward through texts, emails, and Zoom calls. With Brad in Montana, James in California, and Jordan in Washington, we stayed connected—planning release dates, sorting out marketing, and researching everything from steel suppliers to fabrication tools to a permanent workspace.

Today, we’re no longer staring at a light at the end of the tunnel— we’ve gone through it and are standing on the other side. We’ve built a solid team full of energy, determination, and passion. We’ve created a product we believe in, shipping it from our new shop, and getting it in the hands and homes of thankful families across the country.

We’re proud of where we’ve come from. And even prouder of where we’re headed.

 

Our Team

  • A man with gray hair and a mustache sitting close to a woman with glasses, both smiling and embracing each other in a cozy, warmly lit restaurant or cafe with wood-paneled walls, framed pictures, and decorative items in the background.

    Brad & Susan

  • A smiling man wearing a gray baseball cap with a fish logo and 'Salty Crew' text, and a black and green plaid shirt.

    James

  • A man with a gray beanie and a black hoodie talking to another person at an outdoor booth, with a black banner behind them and shelves displaying jars and cans on the table.

    Jordan