We had the good fortune of connecting with Daniel Whitton and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Daniel, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?

I think the Two Business I have started have been outside the normal for most people.  The direct movement from Math Studies at SFASU into framing carpenter and ultimately a Finish Carpenter for 35 years was inherent.  I saw immediately how my desire to remain in good physical condition, I could labor for shape and build for mind.  The first four years were exciting applying those skills I arrived with, and honing the skills introduced.  I watched and learned the physical progress throughout a contract while largely erecting homes by hand.  I could see the business model, and on 8/8/1988 DFW Carpentry was formed.  Spending my career using the ability to produce a tangible product built with creativity and purpose, and from first interaction with a client, to receiving payment in full, satisfying the contract has been very rewarding.
The Auralsplint is taking a different path to success. A hole in the companion animal market was discovered by chance.  Could this discovery become a business?  20 years ago the idea was to heal an aural hematoma in my dog’s ear without harming it.  Using the scientific approach, much like seeing how to build a structure, the needs of the animal were considered, put in place to succeed, and fulfill the objective.  I knew of course there would be many obstacles as this product lies in the field and scope of animal veterinary medicine.  I realized immediately the importance of intellectual property.  I was consumed with being able to provide proof for the ability of the treatment to cure the affliction.  Therefore I self-funded an albeit rudimentary voluntary participant field study by lay-persons, dog owners to install the treatment at their home as a corrective treatment for aural hematoma outside the clinical protocols.  Participants were made aware the dog should see their vet for treatment for any underlying conditions contributing to the hematoma and for an initial hypodermic needle aspiration.  Although there was the lack of third party oversight, the healing methods were based on sound medical practice.  The percentage of reporting was substantial compared to industry standards and the positive results showed the treatment works, and more likely to perform even better while used by licensed professional vets skilled in the art of medical dressings.
Similarities between the two businesses, in providing a scope of work to the prospectus, agreement to perform duties, the ability to maintain information and strength to purpose over the job duration, and client satisfaction.  Differences include DFW Carpentry was formed in the first five years, and Auralsplint has taken 20.  Beginning this year in January 2020 the corporation was formed.  Coinciding with the release of this article will be the official opening of Auralsplint to the public.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My career in Finish Carpentry has solidified my abilities to visualize a finished product, and the steps to provide this to the consumer.  The levels of satisfaction begin with the first interaction with the client, and finalize at receiving complete payment for a project when completed.  I have always thought of myself as fairly intelligent.  There is a lot of math in Carpentry.  Lucky for me math was my best subject in school.  It was terrible not being able to graduate university, but I stand here today alive and well with 30 years of sustainability in a field dominated by a mass immigrant work force.  It is with great pride I lend my talents to the better financed and those who see the craftsmanship and attention to detail as part of the value of a better finished product.  I have in my career seen the world change from production by men and women to reproduction by electronic means.  I cannot compete with a click of a button, but they cannot build a staircase with a computer.  In my opinion, the digital age has created a lot of wealth, but lessened the ability to realize the difference between average and above average work.  Myself and the few firms I work with all have this attention to excellence.  No it is not easy to labor for a living.  I am lucky to have all my fingers and toes and never (knock knock on wood) broken a bone I am of aware.  Raising a family with a small firm income has been challenging but successful.  Both children are healthy and well behaved, and I have tried to instill in them the knowledge of right from wrong.  As with anyone, we can only choose right if we know what wrong looks like.  What is right for me is changing my life from labor intensive building to providing healing alternatives to the world of animal care.  The Auralsplint has been evolving all the while I have been running the carpentry business.  Every hour I spent researching, reading, writing, editing and developing through the past 20 years would make some people experts in their field.  I consider myself a healer, not a doctor, and I lend to the world my abilities with this regard.  I started this journey in earnest in 2001, and this year 2020 I made the decision to open the business full time. I present to the public the Auralsplint.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I really like the area I live in.  Justin Texas is what I like to call ‘Near Country’.  Civilization is on our doorstep, but the values of the farmers and ranchers exists in the collective DNA around here.  Traveling from here north to Denton and small towns in between makes for a nice drive.  Ponder, Krum, Sanger and our favorite lake in OK, Lake Murray.  Around town, Roanoke is almost home, and by extension, the City of Grapevine, another somewhat Western Reliance hometown feel.  I spend a lot of time working outdoors, and I like this.  Fresh air is essential.  Health is essential.  My son and I have played tennis since he was five, and the men’s social doubles league I joined in 1990 is this year 50 years old, SMAT, the longest running active men’s social doubles league in the State of Texas, playing now in Colleyville.  Another fun exercise is Disc Golf, and would you believe a course in downtown Justin was created by another finish carpenter and friend of mine.  Best barbeque is at the local owned Outlaw Burger with owner Yodi (George) who previously owned an establishment less then a mile from where I spent my youth.  His Greek smile and dedication to meat excellence is a mainstay in our cuisine.  I have met almost all of my professional contacts either through carpentry as clients or through tennis as players and opponents.  I have an extensive social network if needed from personal injury attorney to the Grapevine Maternal Unit namesake Dr. Gagnon.  Both my profession in business and my addiction to tennis have provided me with plenty of conversations about things great and small, and mostly filled my being with the knowledge of many different viewpoints and opinions.  I am lucky to have this abundance of talent at my fingers to call upon if needed.  Justin is central to many outdoor activities.  The Champions Golf at Marriot TMS (Texas Motor Speedway) is a nice course and reasonable green fees.  Also, across the HWY 114, at the racetrack, recently open is the Lone Star Kartpark.  I am both a client and a contractor.  Traveling at speeds of near 50 mph and making 16 turns in under 60 seconds has little to compare for the money.  The staff is great and the road course is unique and challenging.  I recommend the exhilarating ten minute session races to those who need to feel the speed.  Another local business I have had the pleasure of providing carpentry services to is DFW Adventure Park.  I have watched the business grow from a few fields of paintball wars to an extensive array of family fun with paintball, skeet, trap and sporting clay shooting. Larry Lipscomb has made improvements every year for ten years.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

At first glance, the Class 1 medical device Auralsplint seems likely to succeed replacing an invasive wounding surgery for the simple affliction.  Far from this over-simplification of a business model, I liken the effort to me building a mountain with a teaspoon.  If anyone deserves a shoutout besides the diligence and hard work of the owner, it would be the Dog Owners who specifically searched the internet for a solution to their problem.  The Problem being the surgical wounding and post-operative recovery.  The solution the Auralsplint.  The Participants in the self-published study totaled 190.  These Fathers and Mothers of these animals said no to what the industry was offering to attempt to correct the aural hematomas in their dog.  They chose to use this experimental medical device to keep from wounding their animal in a surgical veterinary clinic.  For some, they came to me already interested in what I offer due to the common sense the treatment gives the patient.  This understanding is all important and many of them have contributed beyond their case trials, and have contributed testimony to the treatment study and to the website, even furthering the assistance in objective to present and supply this treatment to the market.  No compensation was given to any of the participants.  Residing in the DFW Metroplex, I have had no less than 5 of the 190 trials near enough for me to travel to install the treatment myself and make refinements.  These participants willingly allowed me to come to their homes and work on their animals, with the understanding I am not a Doctor, but a skilled person using these skills in an alternate field. I am greatly appreciative for their efforts and all the participants should be applauded.

Website: https://auralsplint.org/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/public-profile/in/daniel-whitton-08399a86?trk=people-guest_people_search-card&challengeId=AQG9Eh_XaPh8TAAAAXStgRdmbtd4zvkvF3J_7LADgkB25Z23G_2KR1cWUprZssbwgLJWOutu5g1Ci10PI5hVRk4CciYYfUEYPg&submissionId=7841f7f8-769c-3616-0636-1b1522a3c56c
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanielWhitton3
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Auralsplint-104087771173813/

Image Credits
All images property of Auralsplint Inc. PBC

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