Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Connor Lockhart. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Connor, appreciate you joining us today. Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?

In the height of the pandemic, I found myself working a marketing job for a small local company. My office had no windows, I was commuting an hour each way for work every day, and most days I was the only person working at the office (not kidding!).

I tried to be as efficient as possible with my tasks so that I could buy & sell mid century modern furniture in my down time. I would reach out to sellers before work, pick up furniture on my lunch break, and deliver pieces after work or the next day. When I started making more money selling furniture than I was at my desk job, I took the leap into full-time reselling & business ownership.

For the past 5 years, I have been a one-man-show. I’ve learned my target market, my competitive edge, how to use social media to my advantage, how to build a website, and most importantly: how to restore the pieces I buy and sell. Adding refinishing to my business has been integral to my growth and will be equally as important as a stepping stone to my first Brick & Mortar.

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.

ORL Vintage all started as a passion project side-hustle. Since buying my first home with my wife, I have continuously fallen more & more in love with mid century modern design. When the pandemic hit and Facebook Marketplace grew in popularity, I noticed lots of MCM furniture listed for a fraction of the price I’d seen elsewhere. As a lifelong entrepreneur at heart, I loved the idea of buying low & selling high– especially pieces I personally coveted.

I gave myself a $500 loan for my budding business and only purchased new inventory with profit and whatever remained from my original fund. I’ve not had to raise any additional capital since ORL Vintage’s conception– something I’m very proud of.

Regarding the business itself, my primary focus is to buy and sell mid century modern case goods & decor. What sets me apart from most resellers in the same industry is that I also offer free white-glove delivery on any purchase of $500+ within 100 miles of Winter Park, FL, where I am based. Not only is this an easy “sacrifice” to make monetarily, but the reward & satisfaction of personally delivering a product to my customers cannot be matched. My products are more a luxury than a necessity and are usually a large purchase for the customer, so witnessing their excitement & gratitude upon delivery is my personal favorite part of my job. Something else that has helped me stand out is that I refinish almost every piece that I sell. Restoring a piece to its original glory has increased profit margins exponentially, widened my scope of potential inventory to purchase, and added a commissioned refinishing service that I’m able to offer my market.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

My customers are the best part about what I do. I have multiple costs that go into each sale– marketing, restoration supplies, utilities, and of course inventory, but the reason I am able to keep ORL Vintage as my full-time gig is because my margins are great. I use those margins to pass along a “thank you.” Whenever someone buys a piece, it is generally a big purchase, so I do little things to let them know I’m grateful for their business. Every sale includes some ORL Vintage stickers & coasters along with a handwritten thank you from me. For repeat customers, I have sent t-shirts & coffee mugs as a small gift because it’s so special to me.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

I am a retail business but don’t have a storefront. I operate entirely online & personally deliver every piece that I sell. There have been two avenues for growth that I have focused on since the very beginning. The bedrock of my clientele has been social media. I have funneled qualified buyers to my social media pages via Facebook Marketplace listings. Every single person who follows me on social media has once been in the market for a piece of furniture I’ve sold at the price I’ve sold it at. Once I gained traction on social media & in my community, I began using paid advertising on social media to my advantage (this was integral to the growth of my restoration service). The other “strategy” that has worked for me is simply word-of-mouth. I do what I can to be personable, professional, and offer a quality product at every turn. I’ve had so many repeat customers and referrals that have been instrumental to sustaining my business.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://orlvintage.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/orl.vtg
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/orl.vtg
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@ORLVintage
• Other: Tik Tok – tiktok.com/@con.vtg