Today we’d like to introduce you to David Andora Sean Hunt.
Hi David Andora, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
David:
I was working in Chicago as an independent designer for a wide variety of creative projects. Window displays, haunted houses, parade floats, museum exhibits, themed environments for nightclubs and corporate parties… I’ve always loved the warm cozy atmosphere of “big bulb” Christmas lights and often wanted to incorporate them in my projects, but practical limitations like power consumption and heat output made using incandescent bulbs challenging. When LED light bulbs, especially filament bulbs and warmer color temperatures started becoming more common I was sure one of the big retailers would make lights like this, but year after year it just wasn’t happening. Having some experience working with overseas manufacturers for custom products, I started exploring the possibility of having some made to my specifications. I found a factory willing to do it, but had to meet minimum order requirements so I took a chance and used a good chunk of my savings to order way more light bulbs than I could ever use myself. I felt confident that I could find a few other people interested and sell off any surplus lights to them. The COVID pandemic had just started, so I thought it would be a good little side project while we sequestered ourselves in my family cabin in Northern Michigan. I made a little website and shared a few posts on social media and it immediately took off. I couldn’t believe how many people chimed in with “this is exactly what I’ve been looking for!”. That first batch of light bulbs sold out in about 2 weeks. After realizing that there was a lot more demand than we expected, we started considering it as a more serious business venture. We spoke to some business savvy friends who also saw the potential and were willing to invest. Four years later Tru-Tone has grown significantly and completely taken over our lives. We’ve gone from packing orders in the basement in Northern Michigan and hauling them on a wagon through the snow to a UPS truck, to running a small storefront and fulfillment warehouse in Utah.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Sean:
Haha! Definitely not smooth. I’d be suspicious of any entrepreneur who says it has been a smooth road. We both come from creative backgrounds, so we had no education or experience in running a business and it’s been a lot of trial and error and “learn-as-you-go”. Working with manufacturers half-way around the world with a different culture and language is extremely challenging and time-consuming. We are also shipping electronics wrapped in glass all over the world which comes with a lot of challenges. It all feels like a constant game of catch-up, but we try to take it one day at a time.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Tru-Tone?
Tru-Tone sells our unique vintage style LED Christmas lights which look identical to classic incandescent. They are available in several styles and sizes. Along with our bulbs, we offer a growing selection of vintage Christmas lighting accessories, all with attractive vintage style packaging. In addition to our website, our mid-century showroom in Ogden Utah is a great place to view our products.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
David:
Well, first I would ask “are you SURE this is what you want to do?”. It’s not for the faint of heart and will almost certainly take vastly more time and effort than you could ever imagine. I would also suggest to keep it simple, especially in the beginning. Focus on one or a few exceptional, easy to ship products and if it goes well, grow from there. Also, I wouldn’t underestimate the importance of good customer relations.
Sean:
You’d be surprised how quickly you can turn around a bad experience, just by letting the customer know you are listening and care about their problem.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://tru-tone.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trutonebulbs
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trutonebulbs
- Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/trutonebulbs
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TruToneBulbs
- Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/tru-tone/
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/37Ijcj26kldX51v6AOSsT4
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@trutonebulbs
