Six questions with Crush Mode’s Micah Tysver

Micah Tysver, an aggregate industry veteran with nearly 20 years of experience, recently launched a business venture called Crush Mode, which he characterizes as a full-service aggregate solutions provider that offers consulting, training, mine planning and equipment. Crush Mode’s first manufacturer partner as an equipment dealer is IRock Crushers, which it now represents in Minnesota, North Dakota, Wisconsin and Iowa.

P&Q caught up with Tysver to learn more about his start-up company, his goals for Crush Mode and his vision for the future.

P&Q: How did you ultimately come to the decision to start your own business?

Tysver: Once you get aggregate mining in your blood, it seems like you can never get it out. Once people get into this industry, they pretty much stay in it.

I started with Aggregate Industries on the operation side back in 2004. I fell in love with the industry. With operations, there are new challenges every single day.

I did that until 2016. I was just ready for a new challenge and a different perspective on the industry. I went to the equipment dealership side and got a newfound energy for the industry – not that I needed a whole lot more, but it really did energize me and give me a new perspective on the industry. It opened new doors to the industry.

Prior to my move to dealerships, I had only been around sand and gravel – not the hard rock, granite and different types of minerals that everybody out there is mining. It was fun to get involved in a larger variety of the industry.

I have had an entrepreneurial itch for a long time. I always wanted to get out and do something on my own. I started putting the wheels in motion almost a year ago, taking the first tangible steps for Crush Mode.

It’s taken a long time to get this across the finish line, but there are some big factors as to why I wanted to go on my own. I’m a big people person and a big culture person. The stops I made along the way shaped me, but there are things culturally I felt I could do much better on my own.

Taking care of people. Focusing on people. Building an all-star team where the focus is really on the people. I want to build my own team, culture and environment within this industry that is completely people focused – not just on employees but customers, and one where you don’t just look at customers as a transaction.

I feel strongly that I’ve put a lot of time, energy and effort into the networking and relationship aspects of the industry. And I feel I have enough tools to hit the ground running. Not just with the experience, but also the blood, sweat and tears put in to this point.

P&Q: Tell us about the name ‘Crush Mode.’ How did that come about?

Tysver: Rock crushing has become a passion of mine, along with everything around it. But more so than that, Crush Mode is about my approach to life.

Whether it’s the way I played sports through college or helping to coach my kids’ athletic teams, you’ve got to get out there and crush every single day [or] every single game. One day it dawned on me that that would be a cool name for a business – especially in this industry.

My goal and vision is for Crush Mode to be a motivational brand as much as a business. That’s really my dream and goal: It’s to build a brand that people can relate to, that people can appreciate and jump on board with.

No doubt there are going to be some naysayers and haters along the way, but such is life. Everybody starts off that way.

It’s exciting times. I have two excellent investment partners who’ve become friends of mine over the years. They are hands off in the business. They have done well for themselves in other industries. But the thing that really connects us is we are completely on the same page when it comes to focusing on people, culture and building a motivational brand. Those things are going to be our biggest focus along the way.

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