Today we’d like to introduce you to Bryce Green.
Hi Bryce, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I have always had a passion and love for old cars. When I was 21, I started working in the family business and was going to be the 4th generation insurance company owner.
After one year, I knew I was not meant to sit at a desk. So my wife and I moved to Logan to attend Utah State University where I was going to major in international business. I speak Cantonese and figured I could use that to make a career. However, I always had cars in the back of my mind and just wanted to build custom rides.
So once my wife graduated, I told her what I really wanted to do, and she said: “Let’s do it”. We moved to California three months later where I attended Wyotech for a year. After that, I applied to work at a custom shop here in Utah and I got the job. I worked there for 6 1/2 years. Half of my time there I was the Body and Paint Shop Manager. The shop had its own TV Show known as Bitchin” Rides.
I wanted to move forward with my own opportunities since that was frowned upon at the company I worked out. I had created custom sanding blocks and knew I could make it into a successful business. So in February 2020, I left that company, and my wife and I launched Big Kid Blocks. Yes, it was right before the COVID Pandemic started, but we were determined to make it work. The company thrived and took off in the first year doing almost $500,000 in sales.
In late 2020, I also started Big Kid Custom Rides since building cars has always been my passion and driving factor. Fast forward to today, Big Kid Custom Rides’ builds have been featured in magazines, content channels, SEMA, and more. I have nine employees and a list of builds happening over the next few years.
Big Kid Blocks is now a global company with distributors in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Belgium, the UK, Sweden, Canada, and more.
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?
The biggest struggle was definitely starting two businesses during COVID.
Big Kid Blocks is a product-based company and we relied on materials, shipments, manufacturing, etc which were greatly affected by COVID. However, we found ways to make everything work. I started assembling and making all of the custom sanding blocks in my basement. After a few months, the company grew beyond our manufacturing capacity and we started outsourcing to local companies in Utah.
We are excited to say that we have now almost completely brought manufacturing back into our shop. We have an industrial laser, CNC table, and sticker machine. We are able to cut, make, and fulfill all our own products within our shop.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Big Kid Empire, Big Kid Custom Rides, and Big Kid Blocks?
Big Kid Custom Rides specializes in high-end automotive builds. Mainly classic cars, muscle cars, and resto-mods.
Big Kid Blocks produces custom sanding blocks for the automotive, furniture, residential/commercial painting, marine, and aerospace industries.
We are proud to be a MADE IN USA brand and deliver quality products and services throughout both our companies.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk-taking.
Regardless of the popular belief of being on TV and in a high-end shop, I did not make very good money. After almost 7 years and running the entire body and paint shop I was only making $26 hr. I worked 60-80 hours a week to make sure I could provide for my family.
So when I started my own business I only had a few weeks the make it happen or it was all going to fail. It was a huge risk, but I knew what I wanted for my life; “Full Time Family, and Financial Freedom”. That was enough motivation for me to work through any problems, and stay up till midnight in my basement making blocks because I knew the end goal.
Pricing:
- Big Kid Blocks products range from $24.99 – $249.99
- Big Kid Custom Rides – Builds range from low 6 figures to $500,000 depending on the client’s wants and vision for the project.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bkblocks.com
- Instagram: @big_kid_blocks and @big_kid_custom_rides
- Youtube: @bigkidblocks
Image Credits
@sodiepopmedia and @southvalleyphoto
