Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Brady Bartlett, co-owner of Madbury Road, located in Cumberland, RI, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Madbury Road manufactures high-quality outdoor lounge and dining furniture. We sell our products both residentially and help clients furniture the patios, decks, and rooftops nationwide. We also sell commercial outdoor furniture to hotels, restaurants, and cafes.
Tell us about yourself
Shopping for high-quality outdoor furniture can be a challenging process. The industry has always been dominated by a few main brands that were charging an unfair premium for their products. These overpriced products were combined with long lead times and poor customer service, leaving clients waiting far too long to enjoy their new purchases.
We founded Madbury Road to make the process of shopping for outdoor furniture enjoyable and would go as far as bringing the furniture to people's homes for them to see in their space before they even purchase it. We handle each call and customer ourselves, with expertise that is hard to come by from your average retailer. We also offer some of the fastest lead times in our industry, often delivering orders within a week of purchase. We're motivated by being the best in our industry and standing out amongst the crowd by offering a shopping experience that our customers will want to tell their friends and family about.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Every year, our main source of business is referrals and existing customers coming back for more outdoor furniture. This always makes me proud and helps confirm we are doing some things right! We have furniture on Richard Branson's private island (called Necker Island) and also had one of our collections used on the set of NBC's morning coverage of the 2022 Winter Olympics. It was so cool turning on the TV every morning and seeing different guests being interviewed on our outdoor furniture!
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
The hardest thing for me has always been unplugging. These days, it's always tricky to put your phone down and stop checking your work email at a normal time. It's even harder when it's your company, and I often feel like I need to pick up that phone call no matter when it comes in to help the next customer.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Choose something you love and want to come to work and do every day. If it's not a passion, you will have a hard time keeping the discipline to show up and do your best.
- Delegate! You may want to do every job at first, and you should know your company in and out, but you can and should always find someone who specializes in a certain area to take over that part of the company. This will allow you to keep a more macro-based approach to growing your business and stay out of the busy work whenever possible.
- Find a great business partner (or partners). Running a business has enough stressors, and having an equal partner to brainstorm with regularly, work through challenges together, and share the journey with is invaluable.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://madburyroad.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MadburyRoad/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madburyroad/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brady-bartlett-0a102a9/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
Turn your craft into recurring revenue with Subkit. Start your subscription offering in minutes and supercharge it with growth levers. Get early access here.