I’m Darren Green, owner of The Old Wood Company in Asheville, NC. In 2007, I opened our doors with a vision to develop a company that could compete in the marketplace and also be immune to the onslaught of low-cost foreign imports. I wanted to give people options, suggestions, and one-of-a-kind products tailor-made for their homes and businesses. I believe most people really care about and consider the origin of their purchases. It’s not always about who offers the lowest price, but who offers the highest value.
In 2015, we were having difficulty remaining competitive against foreign imports and marketing our product line and custom production capabilities. We learned about SETAAC through a mutual business acquaintance and initiated the qualification process. We were motivated when we received our award, considering that the cost-share funds SETAAC provided would be instrumental in allowing us to deploy a strategic marketing plan. We formed an adjustment plan together and identified our goal — to reach a larger audience and to expand our client base and revenue stream.
As a result of SETAAC’s assistance, our gross revenues grew by 20% within a year and we were able to hire two additional employees. The assistance enabled us to work with Integritive, an amazing web development and design company, who deployed a state-of-the-art website and implemented a search engine optimization campaign. We were also able to create unique videos and spruce up the design catalog for our website. These efforts have resulted in a significant increase of product inquiries and sales. Overall, SETAAC far exceeded our expectations and we are extremely satisfied in what we were able to achieve.
“A close friend and mentor described sustainability not in terms of products or features, but in the quality of relationships; with employees, suppliers, or in our case, artists, and of course – the customer. It’s those sincere and close-knit connections that have proven to sustain our company through both the good and trying times.” – Darren Green, owner of The Old Wood Company
