Today we’d like to introduce you to Ron Hayes.
Hi Ron, 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.
Growing up, I always had a mechanical mind with an appreciation for art. As a kid, all I recognized art to be was drawing/painting, which I wasn’t very good at, nor did I really enjoy. So, I stuck with mechanisms and numbers, and that led me to become an Aerospace Manufacturing Engineer. About two years into the job (June 2022), I came across this rug of a Crocs shoe on Instagram. It was the coolest thing to me. That random post was how I discovered tufting. I started researching and watching many YouTube tutorials. I quickly realized this craft was exactly what I wanted as a kid. It’s quite literally taking a digital drawing and constructing an object from it. To start the brand, I used some money I had from currency investments to fund the LLC and all other costs. On Halloween of 2022, the business was officially licensed, and I opened up shop on January 31st of this year.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Surprisingly, the road has been smoother than expected. It has also been an expensive one, but I’ve been able to bite that bullet. Perhaps the biggest challenge has been trying to put myself in my customers’ shoes. As the artist, I think it’s easier for me to appreciate my works because I know what goes into them. However, the customer may not know anything about tufting and only know what I present to them. For example, there are always loose fibers that shed from a freshly finished rug. No matter how much I vacuum or scrape, some still remain. As the rug is used with the customer, it will eventually shed these fibers. However, if this information is not presented to the customer beforehand, they may think the product is defective or of low quality. So being able to see your business from a customer perspective is vital to success.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a fiber artist specializing in a technique known as tufting. It’s essentially custom rug making, but the use of these rugs is limited only to the imagination. I have a little slogan, “more than the floor.” I’m just getting started, but I have already created tufted wall art, bench seat covers, headrests, coasters, etc.
Unlike many other tufting artists, I use 100% natural wool yarn. I don’t use popular synthetics such as acrylic and I’m very proud of this. To start, I think using something natural to create the art brings an intangible value to the work. But other benefits are that natural wool is a renewable resource as long as there are sheep around, and there are less carbon emissions in production as opposed to synthetics. Natural wool is more expensive for me to work with, but I think it’s worth it.
I’d ultimately like to be known for my ability to blur the line between craft and fine art. Always creating quality works, functional and decorative.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
You have to do it for yourself before anybody or anything else. You have to love what you’re doing. I started tufting as a creative outlet, as something that simply made me feel good (hence, the brand name) above all else. I believe that if you want the most success in the business, what you do in your business has to bring you joy above all else.
Pricing:
- Approx. $40 per sq ft. (Varies based on complexity of design)
Contact Info:
- Website: www.feelsgoodtufts.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/feelsgood.tufts
- Youtube: youtube.com/@FGtufts
- Other: www.tiktok.com/@feelsgoodtufts
