Entrepreneur Spotlight: Patrick Caneday: Damn Good Writer

 Patrick Caneday, also known as surrogate parent to my daughter Grace when her mom is busy building in the garage, is my very talented writer neighbor-friend.  He has a column in Burbank Leader as well as the Glendale Press  called SMALL WONDERS.  He's too modest to tell you that his writing is really, really good.  In fact, so good that Al Martinez, a Pulitzer Prize winning Los Angeles Times newspaper columnist said this about Patrick's book:

"I love Patrick Caneday's work. He seeks out the humanity in us and writes about it in the kind of seamless prose that any author would envy, in a style that only a few can achieve. I have always looked forward to reading his columns and now I have them at hand to consider them in pleasure. Thanks, Patrick, for the immensity of the gift you have given us and continue to give."

Patrick is raising money to self-publish his book Crooked Little Birdhouse: Random Thoughts on Being Human and is doing it in such a cool way.  Through Kickstarter, he's trying to raise $2,500 in 30 days and if that $2,500 isn't raised in 30 days, he gets nothing.  It's literally all or nothing.  He put together a fantastic video explaining what he's trying to do as well as what you, the very gracious donation giver, gets when you make a pledge.  Please take a moment to get to know Patrick and his writing....

Check out the link HERE:

Mod Mom Furniture Hats, Courtesy of Mod Mom Furniture's Dad

My awesome dad showed up at the airport when I was home inking the deal with the Amish manufacturer wearing one of the twelve hats he had made locally in Defiance, Ohio. 

My hat is off to my very cool, very sweet, CZAR of MOD MOM FURNITURE EAST. 

Love ya, Dad!

ATTENTION: BIG NEWS!!! REALLY BIG NEWS!!!

While some things have stayed the same in our little Hathcock family life (I'm still the messy one, Scott's still the clean one, he's still out of work, etc.) lots of other things are changing for the better!  First off, before you get all "OMG I KNOW WHAT HAPPENED ON SHARK TANK" because of what I'm about to write, let me just say that it has nothing to do with Shark Tank other than the ball started rolling when I was prepping for the show/pitch.  In no way did the outcome of my Shark Tank pitch have to do with this amazing news.....

I am moving manufacturing of the toy boxes (and eventual bedroom collections) OUT of my garage and into an Amish furniture manufacturer in Ohio!  Here's why this is unbelievably great all around - for me and for my customers/retailers:

• I'm from Ohio so the thought of putting money back into the state and keeping manufacturing here in the US thrills me beyond belief. 
  
  
• Ray Yoder, Jr., owner of L&J Woodworking, is equally as excited about this partnership as I am.  His shop, which employs 17 workers, is known for quality and Ray is a gem of a person. We actually have a lot in common as he started his business from his small workshop years ago. He'll be doing something few Amish furniture makers do which is make modern furniture. 
  
  
• Each piece will still be eco-friendly, look the same as if I made them in my garage using eco-friendly Baltic Birch ply, and will be built by skilled craftsman who've been building furniture A LOT longer than I have. The finishes on the pieces are incredible!!  He's also able to do some things that I can't do.  Like use a router.  Damn thing scares me to death.
   
• I can only build three toy boxes per week. Any more than that means I don't see my kids, my husband, I don't shower, and I am in a constant state of building.  Ray and his team can build 50, 100, even 1000 per week, if need be.
  
  
• The average wait time for a new order (until the order ships out) is normally 12 weeks.  People are waiting 3 months for a toy box currently.  With L&J manufacturing, clients/retailers will only have to wait 4-5 weeks for a handmade, US-made, eco-friendly toy box! 
  
  
• The pricing will remain the same because he can build them for roughly the same cost as what I pay to build them in my old garage.  Most furniture companies have to resort to manufacturing in China, Brazil, etc and shipping the goods back to the US.  I'm so happy that I can keep the pricing the same, continue to have a quality product, AND keep it in the United States. :)
  

With the manufacturing in place, I'll finally be able to stop turning retailers away from all over the world. I've had to keep my retailer list small because I feared I would run my business into the ground since it was just me building everything.

I can't quite believe Mod Mom is where it is today.  I'm so grateful for your support and encouragement over the past 3 1/2 years.  There were a few times when I thought I wouldn't make it, physically and emotionally.  And I'm so glad I didn't throw in the towel.  

When I was standing there in Ray's office saying goodbye, his eighteen-yr-old daughter came in to tell me how much she loves my designs and that when she has children, she wants one for her kids.  It's so amazing to know that the designs resonate with so many people across all different walks of life.  It makes me realize that my crazy idea to build furniture in my garage wasn't so crazy after all.  Well, maybe just a little crazy. 

A shot of the shop from the road.

Just a shot of a tiny portion of some of the work that is ready to ship out. 

One part of the massive workshop + massive warehouse.  The staining station.

See the tall thin looking things in the back.  All of his equipment is powered by steam. No electricity.

They finishing station using a sprayer.  My finishing station is in my living room next to the couch.