We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Randall and Paola Hollis. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Randall and Paola below.

Hi Randall and Paola, thanks for joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

R+P Handcrafted’s main focus is making toys for children. It started with making toys as gifts for our nieces, nephews, and the children of our friends. We wanted to show that we really cared about the kids and that they knew that we took the time to make something unique for them. Seeing their little faces light up as they receive a gift built specifically for them is priceless to us, such as a wooden excavator for a boy who loves construction equipment.

At the start, we would walk through stores looking for a toy for our son but could never find anything that felt right. Everything seemed to be colorful plastic and flashing lights, which was nice at the start but left no long time enjoyment. Our toys, although simple, provide a natural warmth that allows each child’s imagination to spark. They can create stories and memories that we hope will last a lifetime.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

R+P Handcrafted started in 2020 consisting of Randall and Paola Hollis. We are a husband and wife team with two wonderful children, Gideon and Isabella. We did not start with the intention of creating a business but simply just to step out of our comfort zones and build a wedding arch for Paola’s sister’s wedding.

One day, as Paola and her sister were talking about wedding decorations, they found the perfect design. Paola came to me with the idea and said “Can you help me build this.” At the time I had very little knowledge of woodworking and was not sure if I could even do it, but when your wife comes up to you with sparkles in her eyes and full faith and confidence, you will move mountains. I said: “Yes, of course I can.” As we were building this hexagonal arch, we worried, rejoiced, stressed, and finally cheered as we completed our task.

We posted wedding pictures and immediately had friends and family members asking about the arch, so we started renting it out. It has been in weddings that we are extremely thankful we were able to help provide something the bride and groom felt brought beauty to their special day.

The arch has since been retired but it opened the door for custom commissions. We knew from the first rental we had something special and decided to make a leap of faith and started R+P Handcrafted.

As time progressed, we started to build toys for the kids of family and friends. We saw a need for simple but beautiful wooden toys that would spark the imagination and joy in kids. Each item that we make is hand designed, cut, sanded, and finished to provide a unique toy for littles to play with. Each item is built with the hope it will become a family heirloom.

As a team, we continually push each other to step out of our comfort zones and build something that we believe will bring joy to the world. We love it each time we have a client come to us with an idea wanting to know if we can make it a reality for them.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Our approach to maintaining a positive reputation is to simply treat everyone we interact with, with as much respect, joy, and kindness as possible. We take pride in our products and do everything we can to ensure that each item is crafted with our standards set to the max.

We feel the quality of our work and the interactions we have with our clients instill a sense of trust and assurance in our brand.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

We started off utilizing Facebook and Instagram to reach people. We found some success with that but never took off as fast as we hoped. At the end of 2022 we decided to start attending local vendor markets. This proved to be a highly valuable tool for us. Not only were we able to network but we were able to hone our product line. Meeting people in person and being able to see their reactions to our products has been a huge boost to our self-esteem and courage.

Contact Info:

• Website: rphandcrafted.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rphandcrafted
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rphandcrafted?mibextid=ZbWKwL