Idle Hands Waste Time
I started my business in 2009 while working for a local architecture firm. As a result of the economic downturn, my hours were scaled back and I suddenly had a lot of extra time on my hands. I have never been the type of person who handles boredom well so I looked for other things to occupy my time. My wife had recently launched a jewelry business on Etsy so I decided to browse the site for inspiration. I don't remember how I settled on clocks but I knew very quickly that nobody was making them the way I would.
I spent the entire summer of 2009 sketching my ideas, researching materials, and looking for cheap hardware resources. I launched my shop in August of that year with four designs: three clocks and a thermometer (which can still be purchased today). Many of my other early designs were made out of found items from local thrift stores, yard sales, and scrap yards. Over the next few years, I grew my business by constantly developing new ideas. Some ideas worked, others did not. The current content of my shop represents about 20% of the ideas I have sketched. Everything else is either too complex, too expensive, or simply needs more thought to be realized.
Everything I make is something I would use in my own home and I think that's a very important aspect of my business. I design for me and I'm very grateful other people like it too. It starts with looking at something and wondering how I would build it differently. Outside of clocks, I have also made tables, chairs, light fixtures, bookshelves, display cases, and other housewares simple because I didn't like the other versions of the products out there.
The best lessons I can give to anyone starting their own business are to learn from strife and constantly evaluate. There were no less than a dozen occasions in my first year where I almost gave up entirely on the business. This is where I give the most credit to my wife for forcing me to stick with it. As much as I hate going through difficult times, they are often the most educational. I am very grateful for the success of my business and I hope to continue making useful products for a very long time.
My Sports Bride sells sports themed event stationary in her Etsy shop at CuttingItUp.etsy.com
