We recently connected with Bogdan & Nicole Ionescu and have shared our conversation below.

Bogdan & Nicole, appreciate you joining us today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

Starting a business is a huge risk in and of itself, regardless of the circumstances. So, me deciding to retire from the Army and Nicole choosing not to go back to work as a scientist were even bigger risks. We were both doing very well in our respective careers, but our priorities changed after having kids. Now, we’re unemployed, raising six and four-year-old sons, while trying to grow a business. It sounds scary when I say it that way, but that’s the reality. Had we both continued climbing the ladder in our careers, we would have only become busier and busier. Just grinding, you know? For me, that would have meant significantly more time spent away from my family. That’s not something I wanted, regardless of whatever promotion. It’s the little things in life that matter most. For example, when you’ve never been able to drop off or pick up your kids from school, getting the flexibility to do so is transformative. We didn’t want to take those moments for granted. So, we’re figuring it out.

We have the luxury of being able to take a lot of risk in our business because it’s not our sole source of income; I get a nice pension after serving over 26 years in the Army. We don’t have to grow fast, or at all, really. We can focus on the quality and craftsmanship of our work, banging out some amazing pieces without sacrificing our quality of life. We’re not sure how things will turn out, but we are confident in our trade. We’re still working on putting OGC on the map as the go-to for custom work and repairs (we’ve done a lot of repairs!). Now that we have a solid handle on the business administration side of things, we’re looking forward to 2025 and revealing some exclusive, hand-made pieces that will be available only on our website. We’re excited to offer traditional stained glass artwork, seasonal pieces, mixed media pieces incorporating nontraditional materials, and military-themed pieces that appeal to a broader audience. Regardless of what we make, each piece will be one-of-a-kind.

Bogdan & Nicole, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

We are Bogdan and Nicole Ionescu, owners of OGC Stained Glass in Fuquay-Varina, NC. We’re a small, veteran owned business that started in 2024. Our company is young, but we have been artists for over 25 years. We make custom stained glass art, everything from hangable sun catchers to windows to lamps. We also repair stained glass. Every piece is custom-designed and hand-crafted. We’ve both loved art since we were little, and OGC was born out of our passion for fine arts and the desire to create beautiful pieces that preserve culture, tradition, and heritage for our customers.

What sets us apart from others is our brand. OGC stands for Ordway Glass Company. Everything from the name of the company to our logo has deep meaning behind it. When most people think of stained glass, they probably think of churches or some trinket you can pick up at a crafts fair. We’re bringing a different character and swag to the industry. We want people to think outside the box when it comes to stained glass art. That’s why we also run an Instagram series on North Carolina stained glass, where we catalog pieces from across the state. There are so many hidden gems that people just don’t know about, and it’s a blast visiting all these places, taking pictures, talking to so many awesome people, and finding inspiration. Making videos is fun, too. We treat each one like an art project on its own.

Whether it’s a more traditional piece or something contemporary, the thing we’re most proud of is our craftsmanship. We use only the highest quality glass and materials. Our attention to detail is insane. Hand-cut stained glass art is not perfect, but we strive to make every piece flawless. For example, the three-panel quilt design we recently made involved many small shapes, straight lines, and sharp angles. If you watch the video and check out the pictures, you can see how precisely those pieces fit together. That’s not easy to pull off, but that precision and craftsmanship is who we are; we may come up with modern designs, but you’re always going to get exceptional, old-school craftsmanship from OGC.

We work one-on-one with customers to bring their vision to life. We are willing to push boundaries and try new techniques to reach each client’s goal. We aim to provide top-notch customer service and 100% satisfaction. Most of our projects are more than creating exquisite artwork. They tell a story. They bring a personal touch into people’s homes and transform their living space into timeless expressions of art that can be passed down for generations. Depending on how and where your stained glass is installed, you can watch your piece take new life daily, as the sun never shines the same way twice. We are mindful of the sentimental value of our work and enjoy being able to restore old or broken pieces to their former glory. Whether crafting something brand new, repurposing, or repairing, we work diligently to get our customers exactly what they want.

How did you build your audience on social media?

To be honest, our audience on social media is small, but that’s okay. We knew from the beginning that we wanted to showcase our work on Instagram and Facebook. We also upload all our videos on YouTube, and I focus my personal LinkedIn page on the business. We’re on Yelp! as well. This gives us wide coverage. But we’re not worried about the number of “likes” we get or the number of followers we have. That will all come in time, and we’re not trying to be influencers. Right now, we’re focused on building our portfolio, making the content fun, and inspiring artists all over the world. The key is casting as wide a net as possible. If you’re everywhere, your customers will find you.

My advice to anyone just starting to build their social media presence is to not worry too much about insights, achievements, or metrics. Your posts may not generate many “likes” initially, and gaining followers may take some time, but you must never forget what your goal is. If going viral or becoming an influencer is your goal, you must invest substantial time and money into your online presence. If your goal is simply to generate exposure for your business, you can post less and invest more time into your actual craft. Let social media do the work for you, not the other way around. While “likes” feel great, they’re not the driving force of your business. Quality over quantity is key. Focusing on your product and posting quality content is more important than accumulating followers. Stay true to your brand, your mission, and make content that represents who you are. Always keep it real. The rest will fall into place. We don’t use fancy lighting in our videos, and we don’t have a pristine studio. That’s not who we are. What you see is what you get.

Any advice for managing a team?

Teams must be led, not managed. There’s a huge difference between the two. We both have a lot of experience leading teams from our previous careers. The key to leading a team is to never forget that teams are made up of individuals – individuals with dreams, aspirations, fears, and anxieties. To effectively lead a team and maintain high morale, leaders must know their people and connect with them on an individual level. How many kids do they have? What do they enjoy doing outside of work? What are their short and long-term goals? These facts sound trivial, but leaders must take a genuine interest in their people. And they must check on their people periodically. Not just in terms of their work performance, but on how they’re doing as individuals. If a leader truly cares about their people and takes an interest in them, those people will commit themselves to the team and to the organization. I’ve always encouraged leaders to step away from their email or phone and engage with their people face-to-face, on a more personal level. That’s how you create and maintain high morale and build trust, commitment, and loyalty.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://ogcstainedglass.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ogcstainedglass/profilecard/?igsh=MW55bmh6cWo2bmt5aA==
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095226954821&mibextid=ZbWKwL
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ogcstainedglass
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEDEte_tBAPBF4VtjyAw4–GzgyTdbmRt
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/ogc-stained-glass-fuquay-varina?utm_campaign=www_business_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct)