Back in 2017 we opened our Etsy shop, but the journey began long before that. It was in 2006 that I made and sold my first product. But if you really want to go way back, it started in grade school. I was that kid that bought candy in bulk at Wal-Mart and then sold it by the piece to my fellow students on the playground. I've always had that entrepreneurial spirit. I probably got it from my parents who each run their own businesses. I've always been a huge fan of film, comic books and pop culture in general. It was the movie 300, (you know the one with King Leonidas on all the Spartans) that inspired me. I was looking for a wolf fang necklace online and really was only finding cheap costume versions of it. I thought to myself if I could only get my hands on a real wolf fang and then make my own. So I did just that, but I saw these cheap versions were still selling like crazy. I thought to myself, I know I can make them way better, why not make a bunch of them and try selling on ebay? The response was overwhelming! My future wife helped me make them and we sold hundreds that Halloween season. After that I sculpted a cape clasp, we made a mold and then cast hundreds of those. Soon we expanded to many other props and costumes. I was still working full time at my day job, but my wife stayed home and did all the production for our side business. Eventually we opened this Etsy shop and grew in popularity almost immediately. Why didn't I do this sooner I thought!? In 2018 I was able to quit my full time job as a graphic designer and work exclusively from home with my wife. We are living the dream now and have expanded into all original handheld props for film. It's been an incredible journey so far going from replica props and costumes to building the actual screen used items that actors wear and use! Looking forward to what the future holds for Caliber Craft Props.