Gentlemen,
Thanks for the kind words, that I don't deserve. You're making it darn hard to live up to this reputation...
Please remember, we failed pretty miserable the first couple of years while adjusting from selling to dealers to selling directly to customers. I had always worked with dealers with my other businesses. We had to complete change our business and service model. I now spend about half the day online and on the phone talking hunting with folks and hunting chairs, which is not all bad. With the support of so many in the Traditional Tribe, we would not have made it this far! The first prototypes were showing to many of the Gurus of Traditional Bowhunting at Compton's, I was looking for their feedback and blessing, T.J., Dale, G. Fred to mention just a few.
I'm a seriously flawed human that needs all the grace one can be given. And trust me the Good Lord still loves to humble me, not to mention my wonderful wife, my kids and good friends who remind me of that now and then. The older I'm getting less tolerant and more cranky. Like right now when my allergies kick in, or during summers like this last when the oppression from the heat does not let up, day after day... Lord, please 70s and sunshine, my jeans and flannel shirt, a cool walk in the woods with my dogs and my boys...
Or when folks who have never started a company from scratch, hired one employee or made a payroll, put the house, your 401K and the kids college accounts on the line, or because you make your product in China. SheltonCreeker, "publicly", sorry if I gave you such a hard time for your question, but like I said, when folks first question is "where is the chair made" I general know how things are going to go or know where they're coming from. Therefore when I can, or have the time, I try to educate folks how dam hard it is to start a company in this country any more. You just can't fix things if you think the Chinese are the problem! The main problem in this country's is out of control bloated overspending Gov't... Oops... now I got back up on my soap box, sorry...
Like most products, this chair business started out of a personal need for a better hunting chair, no, a great hunting chair, something like a Bass boat seat, for ground hunting with traditional gear, for us long bowman and Ghillie suit. It had to stand tall and rotate dead quietly and pack up...
About ten years ago, or more, Half of my Traditional Hunting Tribe, hunting buddies, started getting on the ground as a challenge, not to mention a rush. Half of that half have bad lower backs, therefore we came out with a chair not a stool, me included. and thank you Tom for pushing so darn hard for that backrest! There were days I wanted to kill you!
Anyway, before I get any more sentimental or senile, I'll be a much happier man once this container of chairs are sold out and the weather cools. When a fire at night feels good and there is a slight nip in the air. When I can grab my longbow and my chair, get lost in the woods and make more happy memories out there, until the freezer is full and more arrows need to be built, I will be happy out there!
Thanks everyone for your love and support! Our family could not have built this company and business with out it!