Hot summer days are approaching and will be filled with friends, sun and the smell of a sweet barbecue drifting in the humid air.

Two ISU students are cashing in on the days ahead. Michael Hanstad and Tyler Devos, both sophomores in the College of Business at Iowa State, developed Deadeye BBQ, a premium barbecue sauce brand with the help of John Walker, lecturer in management.

Hanstad and Devos spent their freshman year in Willow Hall and had numerous classes together.

“One day we were sitting in the dorm room, just saying we want to start our own business,” Hanstad said.

The two started developing ideas for different businesses and it took them awhile to develop the idea of Deadeye BBQ. Hanstad and Devos sat in Willow Hall firing off ideas at each other, with many ideas failing.

While brainstorming, Devos had a realization that his uncle and his friend had developed a barbecue sauce recipe that had yet to be marketed.

“We went over to his uncle’s house and I tasted it and I am like, ‘this is the real deal, this is really good.’ And I was like, ‘let’s do it,’” Hanstad said.

The duo’s original plan was to walk into local grocery stores to set up arrangements for distribution. However, during a class with Walker, Business Education 250, the two realized that there are steps one has to take to get to that point successfully. Walker assisted Hanstad and Devos, helping them take the steps to reach retail stores. Walker spoke from experience, being a former business owner himself.

“He was like, ‘what you should do is farmers’ markets, so you get some backing,’” Devos said.

Deadeye BBQ’s first formal outing was at the Valley Junction Farmers Market the next day, and they started to build Deadeye BBQ.

Walker, Hanstad and Devos met every Thursday in an attempt to refine their plans to reach retail stores. Walker said all he asked of them was to pay forward their experiences.

“They took this idea and had the passion, and that is the important part and moving forward with it,” Walker said.

Deadeye BBQ, which for many brings to mind pictures of bullseyes, means something much different to the business partners.

“Aaron’s brother has a dead eye, so we were all sitting there like, ‘what should the name be?’ Rich was like, ‘we have always had the idea [because] it’s unique,’” Hanstad said.

The journey continued after the company had great response from the farmers’ markets the two attended, including Valley Junction. Walker guided the two, telling them that if all went well while touring the markets during the summer of 2015 they should then start approaching stores to get their brand on the shelves.

“[Walker] had actually had some connections in corporate at Fareway. We contacted them,” Devos said.

Hanstad and Devos were told then that they would have to go into each individual Fareway store in order to get their product on the shelves. Not missing a beat, the two did exactly that, and Deadeye BBQ is currently stocked in 17 Fareways and a couple Hy‐Vee stores across Iowa.

“The first time we got into a store, I went by myself to Marshalltown to pitch because Tyler had class and I skipped class,” Hanstad said. “I go in there, and I don’t know what to expect, like you walk back there never having done this before thinking [they’re thinking], ‘why is this kid in my back room trying to sell me barbecue sauce?’”

Hanstad pushed on despite his insecurities, and what happened next was like something out of a movie. Hanstad sat down nervous as can be, trying to push it aside and pitched his barbeque sauce to Fareway.

“And he’s like, ‘alright, how much do you have in your car?’ and I only brought four cases. He said, ‘We will take all four,’” Hanstad said. “I am sitting there so happy, ready to jump up and down. But you keep your composure. So I walked out, I put the cases on there and they put them on the shelf and I’m like, ‘now it’s actually real.’”

The sales pitches haven’t stopped since then, even while class is in session. With classes and social lives, the two devote most of their free time pitching to grocery stores in the Iowa area.

“This last weekend we drove around,” Devos said. We left at 8 a.m. and we got back at 8:30 or 9:00 p.m. driving around demoing. It keeps us busy, but that’s a Saturday for two college kids.”

The two said they still have hopes for further development in the future and are contemplating new ideas for the Deadeye BBQ brand.

“I don’t know about forever, but I most definitely want to see us grow into more products and our own facilities,” Devos said.

Hanstad agreed, but said the focus now is more close to home.

“The goal is to get into every single Fareway and grow with Hy‐Vee; pretty much be stable in Iowa,” Hanstad added.

This summer they’ll be on the lookout, hoping to see their product not only on the shelves of local retailers and at the Des Moines Farmers Market but also on the picnic tables of the Iowans who are enjoying both summer and their sauce.