We recently connected with Aaron + Allison Gibbs and have shared our conversation below.
Aaron + Allison , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s talk legacy – what sort of legacy do you hope to build?
At Gibbs House Design, we thoughtfully hand-craft fine bed-swings with one legacy in mind: Amidst a wildly busy and increasingly anxious culture, we aim to provide beautiful pockets of rest and sanctuary for individuals and families seeking respite. We dream of providing a piece of the solution, a place to disconnect from life’s stressors and reconnect with those they love most.
Of course we hope for a lucrative business! We absolutely strive to meet market trends, to provide the most quality product possible, and to curate a luxury experience for each and every client. However, all of these aims bow to the supreme goal, which was the impetus and is the continual motivation for our labor. If the world remembers us for nothing else, we hope they remember the way our swings made them feel. We hope that the detail of our craftsmanship inspires creativity and the quality of our product makes others’ lives feel a bit richer. We hope that the movement, back and forth, reminds them of a slower time, of their grandparents front porch, of being rocked as children….Free. Relaxed. Connected. These are the things that matter in life. This is what matters to us.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
Gibbs House Design is a luxury bed-swing venture out of Athens, GA aiming to redefine the age-old tradition of porch swings and tackle a host of modern epidemics in American culture, namely busyness, anxiety, and a desperate need for refuge. Husband and wife team, Aaron & Allison Gibbs, are parents to three small children and a part of a robust community where, in 2023, they began to grow weary of hearing nearly everyone they knew daily lamenting about their high-speed lifestyles and lack of adequate rest. Aaron, who was a high school Spanish teacher, and Allison, who has background in design, began dreaming of a simple, beautiful, in-home solution for both disconnecting and reconnecting with the things that matter most. In October of 2023 the couple took a huge risk, left their jobs, and decided to combine their skills of design, marketing, building, and networking to develop a fresh take on a timeless American staple, the porch swing. Since their launch, just over a year ago, the couple has hired two employees, been featured in almost a dozen prominent publications, and consistently produced a gorgeous line of unique and high-performance bed-swings. They call them “pockets of sanctuary” and, with each purchase, offer a promise of exceptional quality, gorgeous craftsmanship, and the best nap you’ve ever had.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
The two business strategies that have proved abundantly fruitful in our business are authenticity and out-of-the-box design concepts.
Even as we sell at market, our favorite and most evangelical customers have come from those who we connect with, who we exchange stories with, and to whom we proudly and regularly remind that we are “real people who care about people, building in a workshop behind our house.” We strive to be individuals of character in general and so I think that comes through in our customer service and general relations within business, as well. Consumers value that we are a couple with a story to tell, who really enjoy one another and play off one another’s strengths. I think they like watching our journey unfold and appreciate participating in the communal warmth of “buying locally.” Even as our business grows, authenticity is a foundational value for our business that will certainly be paramount in our marketing and business practices.
Additionally, secondarily, the market definitely craves unique finds. I’ve made it our goal for this to be our reputation. Customers, especially designers and high-end clients, want to invest in items that are different than what the mainstream offers, conversational pieces. I believe it’s an implied sign of wealth and prestige to have furnishings that are uncommon, especially if those items have aesthetic that exudes a feeling of luxury. I love explaining to others how I came up with my design concepts and how I’m slowly pushing the envelope on how we view porch swings because, to me, it truly is an artistic process. Aaron’s precision and craftsmanship is also, truly incredible. So! I think offering a product that is different and well-made, from two individuals who have great knowledge of construction and design trends, really builds a reputation for our business that is distinctly…… distinct.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
The beginning of our journey started with the book “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry” by John Mark Comer, a modern look into the pace of American life and the toll it’s taking on it’s citizens. At the same time we were reading “Start with Why ” by Simon Sinek, who challenges entrepreneurs to approach all business decisions, particularly the mission and vision of an organization, with an attempt at solving a pervasive problem. The former text provided our “why” (Americans are over worked and stressed out) and the latter provided a pathway forward (a method for communicating how our product could help solve that problem). Moving forward, we have really benefited from books like “Storybrand” and “Rocket Fuel” in addition to endless Ted Talks and podcasts by Craig Groeschel and Michael Hyatt.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.GibbsHouseDesign.com
- Instagram: @GibbsHouseDesign
- Facebook: Gibbs House Design
Image Credits
David Cannon Photography