I often find myself wondering who and where the faces and places behind an organization are. I am lucky enough to love what I do for work every day and enjoy the people I work with, so I wanted to show you a bit of the place and people that makes CustomMade.com possible!
Here is our custom-made CustomMade.com awning!
Some inspiration as you walk in the door. We take karate kid very seriously around here.
This is Reid, he helps you with anything you need on the site. Reid likes making his macbook do really tricky things that make most people’s heads spin. If you have a question about any kind of application ever invented, or just simply using our website, give him a call!
This is the all powerful sales team. Well, half of it anyways. Theyhelp artisans get their work on CustomMade. I, being the genius that I am, decided to take these photos right around lunch time. In hindsight, I maybe should have waited a bit, but hey… I’ve got another more inclusive and interactive office tour in mind for later. Stay tuned!
Sometimes we get a visitor named Digby. He is pretty cool, but he barks if you get him too excited.
Matt and Mike chatting about any number of cool things that CustomMade.com has in the works for you guys.
Here’s me hard at work on the job. Just kidding. While it is no lie, I’ve managed to secure a bean bag chair for my workspace, it’s more a decorative touch.
And here she is folks, the glue, the staples, the duct tape that holds us together and keeps the office moving, our super administrative assistant extraordinaire, Rhiannon.
Thanks for stopping in for a visit! We’ll have a new and more inclusive tour in the near future!
Over the long weekend, I had the opportunity to bring myfiancee’to the firing range for her first target shooting experience. This reminded me of some information sent to me by our co-founder Seth about custom holsters and leather workers who specialize in manufacturing leather goods to accommodate firearms. Have a look, and enjoy! –Chris
We have a number of firearm-related custom made products and services featured on CustomMade.com – everything from custom gun cabinets, custom gun stock carving services, CNC machining and engraving of firearms and stocks, and pistol presentation cases!
A custom rifle display by Ken's Woodcraft
But a number of our gun-enthusiast consumers have emailed us asking why we don’t provide profiles for custom gunleather artisans (the folks who make custom holsters, custom gun belts, and handmade leather products related specifically to firearms). While we don’t currently feature any custom gun holster makers, we do feel strongly that gun holsters are just another thing that can (and probably should) be custom made. So we went ahead and pulled together the most comprehensive list we could of every gunleather and holster manufacturer we could find!
Check out the list of every custom holster maker we could find (they aren’t on CustomMade.com yet, but PLEASE tell them that they should be):
The following article was written and published on the DIY blog by Brittany (AKA Pretty Handy Girl) Check out her blog for frequent updates on some more awesome DIY tips, stories, photos, and explanations!
Chalk it up…to a busy day.
…to another busy day in the life of Pretty Handy Girl!
I had fully intended on posting a tutorial on distressing furniture for you today. But, I got side tracked today and then let’s just say that my evening ended up with a visit from these guys:
Thank you Raleigh Fire Department for putting out my oven fire!
Let me tell you, it is a scary thing to see your heating element turn into a 4th of July super-sized sparkler! Luckily no one was hurt and our kitchen is still white (not smoky gray.) Needless to say, we will be in the market for a new oven this week. Any recommendations or “steer clears” would be appreciated. And a word of advice, if your heating element shorts out, sparks and catches fire, turn off your circuit breaker.
Not exactly what I planned on dealing with today! I did have plans for one tiny little project. This little project had me on a hunt for the illusive and extremely rare chalk marker. I have been looking everywhere for one of these exotic creatures.
Target – nope
Walmart – nope
Ace Hardware – nope
JoAnn’s Fabrics – nope
Jerry’s Art-a-rama – Ding, ding, ding! Finally found it!
If you’ve been around the blogosphere lately, you have seen chalkboard paint projects everywhere! I probably wouldn’t be surprised to see a chalkboard painted dog next week.
I had some leftover chalkboard wall decal material, so I cut a little label for our jar of colored pencils. But, I really wanted a chalkboard marker so I could write on the label and not worry about it smudging from little hands using it daily.
So, naturally after using my new chalkboard marker and LOVING IT! I decided to paint some more things with chalkboard paint and use my new marker.
I put up my homemade spray tent (I’ll have to show you how I made it later.)
And got busy. My mind played “Back in Black” in my head as I sprayed. (Any other AC/DC listeners out there?) I decided to use automotive black primer (for better adhesion on the plastic spice lids.)
First up where these Goodwill candy jars all four and the rack for $6.99!
U-G-L-Y oak lids, but not for long…
Blackified, labelled and now looking good.
Next victim was a spice rack and jars (I’m embarrassed to say)
that I repainted years ago.
That’s right, back in the sponge-era.
The gold ink labels are impossible to read.
I carefully lined them up and made a list of the order
they were in to make re-labelling them easy.
Seemed like a great idea, UNTIL my oven caught fire.
Then I swept everything off the counters and away from the stove.
After testing my sense of smell, I put the lids back on. And now that I can read them,
I shouldn’t mix up red pepper and paprika anymore.
The rack received several layers of treatment to give it a distressed look.
I promise, I will still give you a tutorial on distressing. Just not tonight.
Finally, I spray painted a Goodwill picture frame heirloom white and distressed it.
I cut a piece of foamcore to size (since I accidentally broke the glass) and sprayed it with chalkboard paint. Easy framed chalkboard.
Co-Founders Mike Salguero and Seth Rosen sporting some custom made shirts.
The much awaited blog post!
Hi everyone, for some time now we have been asked to write a Founders’ Blog. We want to use our time on this blog as a way to discuss the world of Custom with our members and customers. Both Seth and I are avid consumers of custom services, so many of our postings might be reviews of things we have had CustomMade for ourselves. We live a CustomMade lifestyle, and so should you!
But first, a little bit of background about why buying Custom is the only way to go. Read a little, open your eyes to the world of shopping from makers who surround you, engage in a CustomMade project, and most of all, have some fun!
The average person spends thousands of dollars a year on goods and services that do not actually meet their needs. Time and time again, they settle for good enough, nice enough, close enough – and end up tossing their purchases into the back of the closet, the basement, the attic or the trash. But there is a better way to buy; one that doesn’t contemplate the purchase lasting a mere year or two.
CustomMade for Individuals Purchasing CustomMade items eliminates the problems inherent in a traditional purchase. When an item is manufactured for the masses, the company’s marketing department decides which feature to include according to their profile of a “typical consumer.” This mythical person might resemble you or me, but is probably not representative because we are all unique.
CustomMade items are made for you, not the formulaic typical consumer. After all, you have your own taste, style, and preferences. Mass manufacturers want you to forget that. They want to dictate what colors you wear, what fit you prefer, and what style is in season or trendy. But, one size does not fit all.
A Personal Experience Buying CustomMade means you get to decide what your purchase looks like. When you have something CustomMade, you develop a relationship with a craftsperson who cares about you and your preferences because it helps them to serve you better. Buying custom should be a service process, not a product purchase. It is the personal interactions that help make buying CustomMade different. Also, when you work with a craftsperson to make a table, you get to put a little bit of yourself into it, too. Your table will forever have your touch upon it, which you can pass down to your children and grandchildren.
A Practical Choice Instead of filling closets, attics and landfills with “good enough” items, it’s far more practical to have something CustomMade for your purposes. Can’t find a dresser for the oddly-shaped nook in your home? Don’t struggle with something that doesn’t fit only to have to toss it out or replace it; have it CustomMade to fit the space.
In the past, buying a custom item was very expensive. That is no longer the case thanks to modern technology. In addition, once you factor replacement costs into all of your imperfect purchases, buying CustomMade can be one of the most cost-effective decisions you will make. Most people don’t know that CustomMade purchases are competitive on price and quality when compared with products from big box stores and manufacturers. In fact, your CustomMade purchase can be as simple or as extravagant as you want – that’s the point. CustomMade purchases are created to be exactly what you want. Its hard to compete with that.
Sustainable Buying Our environmental and economic sustainability depends upon us buying only what we need, reusing what we can, and supporting small and local businesses whenever possible. When you buy something CustomMade, there is less waste because you purchase only what you need (maybe even re-purposing materials in the process). Also, you support your community by working with local artisans. It’s a truly sustainable buying method.
CustomMade Makes Sense It’s no wonder so many people have already embraced buying CustomMade. Not sure if CustomMade is for you? CustomMade is for you if you value personal service; if you want to stop spending money on products that don’t fit your needs; if you are excited about supporting artisans in your local community; if you care about the environment; or if you are tired of mass manufacturers telling you to buy products that are only good enough. “Good enough” should never be, well, good enough.
The following article was posted on Workbench Marketing on September 1st, 2010. Workbench marketing is the blog of online marketing guru Alison Heath. Alison’s blog covers everything from blog optimization to marketing and pricing your work. Check out Workbench Marketing for regular information about marketing for woodworkers. Congratulations and best wishes from me and all of CustomMade.com to Alison on her wedding!
The newlywed!
Hi, this is Alison. I got married last Saturday so while I’m on my honeymoon, I asked a few of my friends and associates to write guest posts for you on topics that I don’t normally cover. Today I’m featuring an interview I did withCustomMade’sChris Cioffi, the face behind CustomMade’s social media efforts. For those not familiar with the site, it’s a destination site for customers looking for custom made furniture and cabinetry. They maintain a Facebook page, a Twitter presence and a blog that promotes their efforts to the public at large, improving awareness of the quality and availability of custom made furniture. Take it away, Chris!
Workbench Marketing: How did Custommade.com get its start?
CustomMade: CustomMade started over 14 years ago by one woodworker as a community for woodworkers to log on and share their work with their colleagues. Co-founders Mike Salguero and Seth Rosen found the site and noticed it was underdeveloped, but had a good amount of traffic and an enormous amount of potential. As a result, Mike and Seth purchased CustomMade in 2009 and immediately began working on revolutionizing the way custom products are bought and sold. Within a year, a community of 350 woodworkers has grown in number and expanded across mediums to over 1,000 of the highest caliber artisans in the world.
WM: What are the goals of the site?
CM: We are striving to break down the barrier between consumer and creator, exposing and debunking the myths and taboo that typically bar the communication required to have a custom piece made. We believe strongly that custom is a service, not a product. In this spirit, we aim to educate consumers on the process, quality, and other benefits of custom, while at the same time allowing smaller less marketed work, which wouldn’t have otherwise been noticed, to reach a global audience.
WB: Do you have anything new and exciting on the horizon?
CM: At CustomMade we are always trying to better the company and serve the consumer and the artisan better. We are constantly improving our marketplace, with new updates and improvements quite frequently. Another feature we are quite excited about is a whole new section of the site, where consumers will be able to go custom in a whole new way. We can’t talk much about it right now other than that!
WB: Have you seen any change in interest in custom furniture over the past year?
CM:The struggle as people who love custom remains more or less the same battle. While the awareness and recognition for the superior quality of custom made goods is on the rise, and will continue to rise, the same can be said about factories pumping out sub par goods for a cheaper price. We believe in the service that is custom work and will continue to work against the mass production grain.
WB: What does Custommade.com do to promote its advertisers?
CM: We are constantly promoting the idea of custom in all of our efforts. We push our artists personally through our social media efforts and blog regularly. In addition, simply by virtue of our stellar web address, we are ranked decently in search engines. When paired with our search engine optimization efforts, our partnership efforts, our advertisement efforts, we are ranked among the very top and we are always striving to remain there.
WB: What results have you seen from your social media efforts thus far?
CM: Our social media efforts as they are now are relatively young, but off to a great start. We have picked up quite a bit of speed as far as regular visitors and partnerships. A lot of the value remains in relationship, as some of the relationships we are building will remain beneficial as marketing tools and information resources for a long time to come.
WB: What is your best marketing tip for woodworkers?
CM:Other than “Join CustomMade?” Our best marketing tip would be to get involved with the community in which you work. Get on the forums and contribute. Get a Facebook page and add your fellow woodworkers. Create a twitter and let everyone know what you are up to. Make a blog and update people on your projects. These things go a long way and build relationships! Word travels fast, and word of your work could be the next word to do so!
When last I visited the issue of “am I green enough“, I was reluctant at best to take on the moniker of a green maker, but considered myself at least on the right path. Now the subject has come up yet again.
I was recently approached to join a website selling eco friendly art to the the design trade. So once again I must ask myself if I am worthy to join such a select group? My first thought in responding to the request was to chant my mantra, “I am not your typical green maker who uses groovy bamboo recycled plastic and Forest Stewardship Council certified wood in their work. I just make well-crafted work mostly in solid wood from mostly locally sourced materials that hopefully will not end up in a landfill for a couple hundred years.” The response I got back, “ yeah that works for me,” was not what I expected. I expected to be politely declined and to take the easy way out of having to further explore my greenness. Instead, I felt like I had just gained entry into a club in which I did not belong and now had to come up with a new rationale to justify my membership.
So I set out on a quest to make myself greener. My first step was to call my local family run lumber yard, where I buy most of my lumber, and see if I could get that holy grail of greenness – FSC certified wood for future projects. When I spoke with the owner, he replied that because he was not FSC certified he could not sell FSC products and because it cost $3,500 a year to become certified it was unlikely he would be able to do it. That seemed like a lot of money to me as well but I figured as long as I had him on the phone I would ask a few more questions. I was curious if he knew the source of most of his domestic hardwoods, to which he replied all most were from the southeast and mostly came from Appalachian hardwoods or roughly about a 200-mile radius from us. He also went on to say that he had certificates from the U.S Forestry Service certifying most of his hardwoods as sustainable harvested. While not the green seal of approval I sought, that all seemed pretty in line with my own beliefs on green and it would allow me to continue to support a small family run business instead of a large corporation – something also in my belief system.
But I decided to continue my search anyway. I did a google search and called the large local lumber yards. As I had suspected, nobody local stocked FSC products but it could be found within a couple hours drive. The suppliers were almost all the big boys and I would have to pay trucking fees, buy in larger quantities and of course pay more for the materials as well as not being able to hand pick the lumber for color, grain, and the least waste as I usually do.
If there is a moral to this story it is that being green involves tradeoffs. I might like to build my furniture from FSC certified woods, but to do so the wood would have to be trucked in from further away, bought from a large corporate entity and would result ,ironically, in more waste than carefully hand picking what I need from my small time local dealer. It was a long trip, but I’ve returned to my beginning. Being green is many things. I may not be able to claim the sexy aspects of it but I do my best.
The preceding article was generously written by our own Erik Wolken of Works in Wood. Please leave him some feedback in the comments below!! Would you like to share your thoughts or opinions in a future blog post? Contact us and let us know!
The following video can be found on a publication by Fine Woodworking editor Asa Christiana. Thank you to Asa for hanging out with us and chatting about CustomMade at IWF Atlanta 2010!! Please check out the original article here.
Mike Salguero and Matt Goldstein of CustomMade.com having a chat with Fine Woodworking editor Asa Christiana!
The following article appeared on MediaPost Publications on August 26, 2010. Please visit the original article here.
“Sarah E. Needleman reports on the growth of companies that create customized goods — from mattresses to pet foods to toilet paper –for customers who are not only discerning but also tight-fisted. The made-to-order goods may cost more than mass-produced products but they are generally cheaper than luxury goods because of the efficiencies of the Internet and low start-up costs. Lack of inventory is another advantage. “We don’t have to make anything in advance,” points out Nick LaCava, co-founder of a design-your-own-chocolate-bar business called Chocomize.com.
Young people, accustomed to customized ring tones and the like, are the main buyers. “It’s almost a base expectation that a product should be tailored to one’s personality,” says Avery Pack, founder of RepublicBike.com.
An online directory of custom home-furnishings businesses, CustomMade.com has more than 1,000 businesses listed that are expected to earn a combined $20 million from consumers who find them there.
If you are now or ever were into woodworking, the chances are pretty good that you’ve heard of or even attended theInternational Woodworking Fair. The “IWF is the largest showcase of machinery, materials, supplies and services in the Western Hemisphere for these and related industries.” Whether you work in remodeling, furniture, recreation, or make anything from custom boats to custom musical instruments, there is something at IWF for you. The show’s slogan is “Bringing it all together” and with eight floors and two buildings worth of space to fit all of the woodworking industry’s names and faces, I’m sure they’re doing a good job fulfilling that slogan. This year, CustomMade.com president and business development director Mike Salguero and Matt Goldstein headed down to Atlanta for the show. Here are some photos from the show!!
Mike with a collapsible floor lamp by Lumiere
Mike sporting some awesome headgear courtesy of MultiCam
Mike and Asa Christiana of Fine Woodworking Magazine chatting it up
Some feedback we’ve seen on twitter about IWF:
@cabinettrends says “Third day at IWF and show traffic seems to be pretty good. Mostly positive comments from exhibitors.”
@WWGOA says “Lots of new stuff coming from Rockler. Watch for pics. Really like the make your own handle pizza cutter”
Our friends at Fine Woodworking have also been hanging out with us at IWF, and in case you haven’t heard, announced their partnership withCustomMade! They have also been working on a comprehensive guide to the coolest new tools of IFW as they see them. You can check out that article over on the Fine Woodworking blog!
Stay tuned for more from IWF Atlanta 2010!! Did you attend IWF?? Do you have any photos or stories to share with us?? Please let us know!!
CustomMade and Fine Woodworking Announce Partnership To Expand The Market For Woodworkers Selling Custom Made Pieces
Companies Promote Knowledge and Project Sharing among Woodworking Artisans
BOSTON & NEWTOWN, Conn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–CustomMade, the world’s largest online marketplace for custom services, and the category’s premiere media brand, Fine Woodworking, published by Taunton Press, today announced a strategic partnership to offer the woodworking community the ability to gain online exposure via CustomMade’s successful marketing as a service platform.
“CustomMade is excited to have the opportunity to work with Fine Woodworking and FineWoodworking.com to share our knowledge and insights into the business of woodworking”
As part of a wider partnership, CustomMade will develop and distribute content focused on business and marketing best practices for woodworkers to the Fine Woodworking artisan community. Working together with the team at Taunton Interactive, content will be featured in the monthly Fine Woodworking newsletter as well as the publication’s online property, FineWoodworking.com. The two companies have plans to integrate their artisan galleries so that select CustomMade woodworker projects will appear in the Fine Woodworking galleries.
According to Asa Christiana, editor of Fine Woodworking, “This is a natural partnership. Many Fine Woodworking readers make money from their work, or intend to at some point, and CustomMade offers an exciting new way to market and sell custom woodwork. CustomMade also gives excellent business advice to artisans of all types, and we’ll be sharing some of their expertise with our audience on FineWoodworking.com.”
“CustomMade is excited to have the opportunity to work with Fine Woodworking and FineWoodworking.com to share our knowledge and insights into the business of woodworking,” says CEO and Co-Founder Michael Salguero. “Our goal is to provide woodworkers with the tools to expand their audience and find new ways to promote and market their work.”
“Over the last twenty-plus years, Fine Woodworking has helped fuel my passion for making custom furniture and cabinetry. Since its inception, CustomMade.com has helped me turn that passion into a thriving small business,” says woodworker and CustomMade member, Tony O’Malley of Tony O’Malley Custom Woodworking. See Tony’s CustomMade profile here.
Taunton Press
The Taunton Press, publisher of Fine Woodworking, has been a trusted source of valuable information and inspiration on the house and home, including home building and design, gardening, woodworking, fiber arts and cooking since 1975. Millions of professionals and consumers purchase Taunton’s books, magazines, DVDs, and use its Web sites to improve their skills and expand their horizons. Taunton Press is a privately held multi-media publishing company headquartered in Newtown, Connecticut. For additional information, visit: www.taunton.com
CustomMade
CustomMade provides custom makers such as woodworkers, metalworkers, glass makers and home remodelers, with the necessary tools to find a global audience for their services. For artisans and other providers of custom services, CustomMade acts as a highly-trafficked gallery of their work, a local directory, and a marketing resource all in one. For consumers and members of the design trade, CustomMade is the primary online source for locating a custom maker. CustomMade was founded by CEO Mike Salguero and CFO Seth Rosen in 2009. CustomMade received an equity investment from a contingent of private angel investors. For additional information, visit: http://custommade.com.
