We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jason Glaser. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jason below.
Jason , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with 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?
This business was owned by my dad , Jay Glaser. For years, I would to help him out around his shop whenever he needed. We had a lot of fun coming up with new ideas, gaining more clientele, and repeat customers. I started building up the retail side of the business last year when, unexpectedly, my father passed away. I wasn’t prepared to take over the business so soon. There was so much more that I needed to learn from him, but I decided it was worth the risk to keep the business going and carry on his legacy. I hired my two best friends from High School and we slowly started creating the business my dad dreamed of. Right before his passing, we came up with a new product to hang potted plants. Like the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention–I had a lot of heavy plants that I needed to get off my floor but nothing in stores would hold the weight. We started creating a metal plant holder that could withstand a lot of weight but also enclosed all sizes of pots. Thus, we created our most popular product, the hanging plant hanger with movable arm. The movable arm was the hardest task–we needed to figure out a way to close in the potted plant so it wouldn’t fall off with heavy winds, but would be able to open for watering and to get the pot inside. My dad and I created several prototypes and finally came up with the version we sell today. It has one arm that loops at the top and sets into place at the bottom. The design is sleek, decorative, and hides the movable arm well. We started taking the plant hanger to art shows and people responded to it well. Today, we offer the hanger in three sizes, two different designs, and in every color of the rainbow. Without my dad, our best selling product wouldn’t have come to life!
Jason , 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?
My Dad started this business over 30 years ago. He was a self-taught welder and I apprenticed under him from the time I was old enough to hold a welder. He unexpectedly passed away last year and I decided to take over the business. I hired two of my childhood best friends and we have been working hard to uphold my dad’s legacy. JaysMetalCrafting is two-fold in our business endeavors–we have a commercial welding side and a retail side. The commercial side is the bulk of our business. This includes going out to residences, businesses, and restaurants to install/restore steel hand rails, fence, gates, bar backs, fire escapes, etc. The retail side is our newest venture. We make metal home decor and sell it all around Ohio at art festivals. Our biggest seller is our innovative plant hanger that opens and closes to get large pots in and out of it, but we also sell candle holders, marshmallow roasters, jewelry organizers, wall mounts, wine racks, and metal art.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
Being a small business owner means that every aspect of the company falls on your shoulders. It’s a great problem to have, but sometimes it’s necessary to take a moment to reconsider what is truly important. For example, I recently read a book entitled, Worth Every Penny. The book goes in depth about how important it is to understand the parameters of a small business–you’re not Walmart, you can’t be available 24/7 and offer deep discounts every season. This was a tough ideal to unlearn. Since taking over the business, I have felt the need to be available for customers at all hours of the day and shift my schedule to make sure each client is taken care of as soon as possible. During our slow months, this is very doable, but every Spring and Summer I find myself running out of hours in the day. Having to unlearn that I don’t have to operate like a big box store with 1,000+ employees was difficult and I’m still working on it. To be a small business owner, you have to have passion and drive. However, to be a well-rounded small business owner, you have to understand your boundaries and limitations.
We’d love to hear about you met your business partner.
My situation is unique in the sense that my father owned this business all by himself. His dream was for me to take over when he was ready to retire and run it as a one-man operation. However, with his abrupt passing, I had to pivot a bit to make sure I didn’t fall behind on his work. Right away, I new I needed help so I hired my business partner and best friend, Eric. I met Eric in middle school. We grew up in adjoining neighborhoods and became fast friends. In High School, we would go to each other’s houses every weekend. He was close with my dad and had been to the shop many times. When my dad passed, he was the first person I called. I knew that if I was going to continue JaysMetalCrafting, I would need him. He immediately quit his job and came to work full time with me. I am truly grateful for our friendship and even more grateful to have him as my business partner.
Contact Info:
- Website: jaysmetalcrafting.com
- Instagram: @jaysmetalcraftingco
- Facebook: JaysMetalCrafting
- Other: Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/JaysMetalStudio
Image Credits
Columbus Dispatch