From corporate stress to closet success
SpaceMan Home & Office owner David Linda left the boardroom behind to be his own boss.
Perhaps at one time or another in our lives, we have all thought about helping someone in need - a loved one, even a stranger. And many of us regularly give our money, clothing, time and even our blood. But have you ever thought about donating your bone marrow to help a cancer patient?
Well, David Linda, owner of SpaceMan Home & Office Inc. of Houston, TX, has done just that.
"Years ago, when I was in business school, there was a bone-marrow drive. I gave a vial of blood and joined the national registry," Linda recalls. "For 12 years I never heard anything. Then, one day, I got a letter that said I was still on the registry and the foundation thought I might be a possible match for someone who needed a bone-marrow transplant."
Linda decided he would like to help and contacted the organization. He was sent to the hospital where 40 vials of blood were drawn for typing and testing. All expenses, including medical, food, travel and lodging were paid in exchange for his time.
When it was discovered that he was a good match (a 1 in 100,000 chance), Linda was sent back to the hospital for further testing, including X-rays, EKGs and counseling to make sure he was physically and emotionally able to give the donation.
Meanwhile, the recipient had begun treatments to eradicate his immune system, so his body would accept the new marrow. "I began to realize just how serious this was," Linda says. "I thought, 'I can't get into a car accident now or I'll kill two people.'"
On April 13, 2005, Linda donated a liter-and-a-half of bone marrow, which his body replenished in six weeks. Prior to the extraction, he was given medications to mobilize the stem cells out of his bones, putting them into his blood stream. "I ached for four days. It felt like I had the flu or like I was an old man. But it was not excruciating," he adds.
"Yes, it was a little bit of an inconvenience. I missed about 20 hours of work. But it was worth it to save someone's life. It's not much of a sacrifice, and I would do it again in a second," he says.
Sadly, the recipient's immune system ultimately rejected the marrow and he died from respiratory failure 85 days after the transplant. But amongst the sadness, he left joy behind for his family and for Linda.
"After the transplant, the family sent letters thanking me. The recipient sent me a letter filled with hope that said his doctors felt the transplant procedure was a major success since I was an unrelated donor and those tend not to go well. Unfortunately, his body rejected it. No transplant is a cure or a guarantee that you'll live forever.
"Doing something like this, though, helps you appreciate how much you have going in life. You hope that perspective can last, but it never seems to. Even for me, it is not as prevalent as it first was, but it is still there. It has allowed me to take a broader perspective in life and in business, and see what is really fundamental and what is of secondary importance," Linda adds.
For more information about donating bone marrow, visit the National Marrow Program at www.marrow.org, or the American Cancer Society at www.cancer.org. |
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David Linda did not follow the usual path into the custom closet and home office business since he was not a custom woodworker or professional organizer first. Instead, he holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering from Northwestern University, and an MBA from Northwestern's Kellogg Graduate School of Management.
After graduating, he was a management consultant with Deloitte Consulting and worked in strategic planning for a $20 billion retailer. Until the day he decided to leave behind the corporate hustle-and-bustle of Boston, MA to become his own boss.
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| This stylish home office is compact enough to fit into a spare bedroom, while still allowing for plenty of work area and storage. It hides a bed behind cabinet doors, allowing the room to be multi-functional. |
"I was surrounded by brilliant people and making a great living consulting, but I saw a business opportunity [in closet and home office storage organization] and felt there was money to be made," he recalls. "I believe that the corporate world isn't the only place a person can make their millions, there are other things people can do with their lives. Find something and work hard at it and your business will thrive."
With that philosophy in mind, and his extensive background in engineering and management, Linda's decision to leave the corporate world for the custom closet, home office and storage business proved to be a perfect fit.
In 1998, Linda moved to Texas where his wife's family lives and launched the aptly named SpaceMan Home & Office Inc. in Houston, home to one of NASA's ground control centers.
Getting the business off the ground
"I'd always done my own closets since I was out of college," Linda recalls. "I liked being organized [and thought others would like to have their closets and home offices done as well.]"
He began a letter-writing campaign, sending dozens of letters to friends and family to inform them that he was starting a closet business and to ask if they were interested in his services. "I only got to the M's when I had received enough phone calls to know that I didn't need to mail any more letters," Linda says.
To prove market potential before he launched SpaceMan, Linda tested his business concept and sold closet organization systems on the side while still working for the retailer. At the time, he and his wife had just had a new baby, so he chose to limit his work hours in order to be available at home. At the same time, he also sold closet systems (which he purchased at Home Depot) after weekday work hours and installed them on weekends.
Orbiting a successful venture
Today, SpaceMan has evolved far beyond its humble beginnings with its new line of high-end melamine organization systems. As a member of the National Closet Group, the company also offers the high-end wood Siena collection to its customers.
Linda's shop, office and showroom space fill out a 4,200-square-foot building. The company has one part-time and 13 full-time employees. In the office, Linda works with builders and develops prospects and sales. He has turned the day-to-day management of the shop and office over to his top employees.
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| This home office features a Wild Cherry finish with raised panel doors and drawer fronts. Crown moulding and a faux marble top give the room a luxurious look. |
"Our product is good, but the people who work here are what make the company successful. I moved my office to the back of the building years ago, because I don't want to be in the fast track. The managers are capable of figuring out solutions to problems that arise," he says.
Laughing, he adds, "I am trying like hell to extricate myself. I don't mind being here every day, but I don't want to be involved with every aspect of the business. I don't need to be. I have long-term employees who are perfectly capable. They are nice to the clients - and nice is what we need to show the client, not the fact that we offer a better drawer slide than our competitors."
With the exception of the Siena line, the company fabricates its home office and closet products in-house. The company makes its own drawer boxes and uses thermofoil doors from Northern Contours and Door Mark. Wall beds are purchased from Tilt-Away. Hinges and decorative hardware are purchased from Hardware Resources, slides from Top Slides.
Components for closet oranization systems are fabricated in the shop using an SCMI K203 edgebander with corner rounding, a Homag Espana CH 12 panel saw from Stiles Machinery, and a Detel M2H line borer from Adwood.
Linda says SpaceMan stands apart from its competitors by using 1mm edgebanding from EdgeCo on its panels, rounded to a radiused edge. The company also makes its own closet accessories such as tie and belt racks.
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| This garage features floor-to-ceiling slatwall with various hooks and hanging accessories. Custom almond-color melamine cabinets of varying heights and shelves maximize storage space along the back wall. |
Landing new jobs
An average job for SpaceMan is $4,000, but projects can range anywhere from $200 to $50,000 depending on the size and materials used. The company fabricates home offices, entertainment centers, garages and mud rooms in addition to closets.
SpaceMan advertises in Houston House & Home magazine, a local publication, as well as in the Yellow Pages. However, Linda notes that word-of-mouth is the best form of advertising since he also sees a lot of customers coming back to do other rooms in their homes, or returning when they buy a new home.
"We also get a good response to our Web site (www.spacemanager.com). People will see something on it they like and e-mail an inquiry. It has become a powerful tool. I have requests waiting for me every morning when I arrive," he adds.
Meet David Linda in person
Did you miss David Linda speaking last year in Dallas? Would you like to hear the new business advice he has to offer this year? If so, come see him speak at the 2nd annual CLOSETS & HOME ORGANIZATION CONFERENCE & EXPO, March 1-3, 2006, in Santa Clara, CA, at the Santa Clara Convention Center.
As a successful business owner, Linda will be on hand to share his expert knowledge and advice about "Managing for Growth." For more information about registration and the full conference schedule, visit www.closets-expo.com. |
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