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Mike Sherman: Wired for success
Editor’s note: Sara shared Mike’s story with me recently and I asked her if she would share it with BeadStyle fans. You can read Sara’s blog at SoftFlex Girl.
by Sara Hardin
Published: May 23, 2011 My life completely changed on May 15, 1999. On that day, I was hired by Mike Sherman and Scott Clark to be a traveling sales representative for their company, Soft Flex® Company. I was charmed from the start. Scott’s thoughtful and quiet presence balanced easily with Mike’s gregarious and fun-loving personality. Years later, as the Marketing Manager, I feel as if they are more my family than they are my bosses.
Mike was the catalyst for the creation of Soft Flex® Beading Wire. He started out like most, designing jewelry and making glass beads to keep his hands busy. He’s never been one to do anything on a small scale, so it wasn’t long before he was selling his one-of-a-kind jewelry designs in boutiques and galleries. After receiving a few returned items, he recognized that there was a need for a new and improved stringing product.
There was nothing on the market that could really stand the test of time. This was the genesis of Soft Flex® Beading Wire. They started out with the first 49 stranded beading wire in .024 inch diameter. Mike used this wire in his own designs first and quickly realized that this innovative product was liable to change the beading industry. Designers could now create jewelry with longevity in mind. The biggest challenge for them at the beginning was the price point. Soft Flex® was 4-5 times more than what most people paid for Tiger Tail. It speaks volumes about the product that they were able to move forward regardless of the extreme price difference. Soft Flex® was a product that everyone needed and wanted.
Over the years, I have witnessed Mike’s genius and generosity too many times to count. He is one of the most creative people that I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet and even better, he elicits creativity from everyone around him. He has an endless stream of innovative ideas; Soft Flex® Beading Wire was only a drop in a bucket. In my experience, his and Scott’s generosity is unparalleled. I’ve seen them both give large amounts of money, energy and time to help others. Mike will believe in someone’s talent, even when they have yet to realize that they have a talent.
Last year, Mike suffered a spinal cord injury. It is classified as being between a C3 and a C4, which means that there is "room for improvement". As a result, he was in intensive care for around 4 months and spent another month to a month in a half in rehabilitation. Currently, he is undergoing a tremendous amount of physical therapy and shows improvements daily. Mike is wheel-chair bound but is getting function in all parts of his body, slowly but surely. He has expressed that his biggest frustration is that he can’t design or bead on his own. A spinal cord injury is unique and different to each individual. Thanks to organizations like the Christopher Reeve's Foundation, a tremendous amount of money and time has been dedicated to better understanding this type of injury. Although it is not updated too often, the best way to keep up with Mike’s recovery is by following his blog Mr. Flex. He does read and enjoy the comments that people leave for him.
12 years later, I cannot imagine my life without Mike, Scott and Soft Flex® Company. Although Mike is working hard in physical therapy, I do get to speak to him on a pretty regular basis. I cherish the times that we get to talk, share our ideas and laugh together. His charm and quick wit are entirely intact, as is his ability to create and innovate, but he could surely use a whole lot of love, support, prayers and encouragement as he continues down the road of recovery.
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