New (small) beginnings
Hi there. Phil here.
I’ve been (poorly) running this newsletter for four years now, starting with the original launch of the Pedestal Plant Stand. Over the years, I’ve had a bit of a crisis of identity with the newsletter and the business itself.
I have big, ambitious plans for Wright in the coming years, but to get there, I also have to scale back. Back to 2020. Back to small beginnings.
From the start, Wright has always been about making high quality, smart things for the everyperson. Along the way I’ve also tried add scale, both in manufacturing and appearance.
In 2023, I spent more time trying to reel in manufacturing for the 1948 than actually creating anything new. There have been more phone calls, emails, and manufacturing quotes this year than all the previous years combined. After eight months, I finally have answers: American manufacturing is mostly uninterested in businesses my size.
And that’s because of a poorly-hidden secret I’ve been strangely ashamed of: it’s just me. From the guy who answers your emails to the person cutting, assembling, and boxing your orders, it’s mostly just me. For years, I’ve been trying to build Wright in the images of the major companies making the things I adore, but the truth is, that’s not Wright. I am Wright, so why hide it?
So, in 2024, I’m intentionally pulling back to my 2020 small beginning. That means a few things:
I’m taking almost everything in-house (literally), so quantities will be low and launches may be slower.
I want to get back to creating, so I’ll be putting up a few very small experiments throughout the year, including a re-engineered Pedestal.
I’m choosing to open myself up. If you’re reading this, you’re the person I want to be talking to and making things for. I want to hear your stories of using my products and I want to know what you’d like me to make next. Send me an email and I’ll read it, guaranteed. I might even respond.
In the new year, I’m also changing how this newsletter works. Running any business is hard; running a product design and manufacturing company is doubly so. I want to share that journey and give you an inside look at what I’m designing, how things are going, and peel back the well-curated veneer to show how messy it can get sometimes. If that’s something you’re into, sign up for the Casual Fridays newsletter, my mostly weekly newsletter.
I’m so excited for this new, small beginning. I hope you are too. My inbox is open.
Talk soon.
✌️