From Small-Town Minnesota to Fleets Nationwide: Sheldon Zitzmann of TigerTough

What does it take to grow a fleet-focused brand in a town with fewer than 300 people? In this episode of Faces of Fleet, Lauren Fletcher sits down with Sheldon Zitzmann of TigerTough to talk about building tough, American-made seat protection from a tiny Minnesota town and scaling it to serve fleets nationwide.

Sheldon shares how his family took over TigerTough in 2016 with a simple but serious mission: make seat covers that actually hold up to real work, keep jobs local, and build a company people are proud to work for. From hand-inspected craftsmanship and fast decision-making to balancing durability with safety features like airbag compatibility, this conversation goes deep into what “built tough” really means.

You’ll also hear how TigerTough listens to fleet managers, adapts as trucks get more tech-heavy, and why sometimes the best innovation comes from being close to the people who use the product every day. If you care about fleet durability, American manufacturing, or stories that start small and scale smart, this one’s for you.