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We are the Naylors, Josh and Alexa! And we run Concrete and Copper Co. We are a husband and wife team that turned our passion/hobby into a career. We both have a background in Design and Construction, and decided to marry the two and create something we would both enjoy. We specialize in making custom handmade concrete home decor and planters, delivering them in the most eco-friendly way.
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Honestly, we were looking for a concrete planter, and couldn’t find exactly what we were looking for and what we did find seemed to be too expensive for its quality. So, we created our own product and saw that our items were unique and met not only our needs, but other needs as well. What was once a small hobby of creating some planters for our house turned into a full time job for both of us.
Taking that jump, headfirst and dedicating 100% of our time into our business and not working a normal 9-5. Don’t get me wrong, you do work more hours than a 9 - 5, but they are on your time. This in itself was another challenge. Quitting our jobs actually happened in the middle of COVID and it paid off within the first week. We are also experiencing quite a bit of growing pains, albeit good growing pains. From finding a space large enough to accommodate our growing inventory, to completely switching our selling strategy during a pandemic
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As unfortunate as COVID-19 was and still is, it was a catalyst in our growth, especially in 2020. With everyone in quarantine they had no other way to shop other than online. Being an online retailer has its challenges and perks. Once lockdown was over, we had to completely switch strategies, and shift our gears towards our wholesalers.
Be pleasant to work with no matter what. If someone receives a broken item we go above and beyond in getting them a new item in a timely matter. We try to communicate with our customers quickly. So many times we have heard that they appreciate a fast response. We live in a world where people, our customers, want things and they want them quickly. The same goes for communication.
Also say ‘Yes’ to everything in the beginning; difficult date to meet - do it. Large quantity items - do it. Say yes to everything in your growing stage so you can say No to things you don’t want to do later. Collaborate with other artists and companies to get engagement from two different markets.
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Our items are hand-crafted and are not produced in mass quantities. This allows our products to be one of a kind. Also, with us producing, processing, packaging, and shipping our products we get to be quality control through the whole process. By using superior materials to create the highest quality items possible, our products can often get confused for ceramic rather than concrete.
We honestly started this company for ourselves and for our family. We wanted a future where we weren't necessarily stuck behind a desk 8 hours a day. We had goals in mind and wanted to create our own schedule and stay at home with our kid. What was a side gig quickly turned into a full time job.
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Do it! Don't get discouraged though, nothing happens overnight and if it does, it often doesn't last. Invest in yourself and your business rather than someone else's. Get comfortable with hard work, and do the work even if no one is watching.
We are currently looking for a new space, and to hire some help. For so long we have been a two person team and are looking to expand. We are looking to sell our stuff overseas to reach even more people. We are also starting to push our 100% custom pieces to vendors that want to have a say in the design of the pieces and to individuals who want that truly unique piece.
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That's all for this week's edition of The New Yak Times! And a huge thank you to Josh and Alexa Naylor of Concrete and Copper Co. for sharing their recipe for success. Tune in next week and subscribe below!
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