![\"UncommonGoods](\"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/David-Bolotsky.jpg\")
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David Bolotsky, UncommonGoods Founder & CEO<\/p>\n
My Hometown is\u2026<\/strong> My childhood dream was\u2026<\/strong> As a kid I caught the entrepreneurial bug early, starting a baseball card business when I was 10. I also had a paper route and later began my own lawn mowing business, Dynamow.<\/p>\n Something I value most is\u2026<\/strong> In college I\u2026<\/strong> The most interesting place I\u2019ve visited is\u2026<\/strong> Dave meeting artisans in India<\/p><\/div>\n I founded UncommonGoods because\u2026<\/strong> I visited the Smithsonian Craft Show in Washington DC in 1999. It was packed with shoppers and when I asked them why they were there, many talked about looking for products that spoke to their individuality, as opposed to mass-produced items they\u2019d find in the mall. In talking to artists, I saw how the Internet could provide a more efficient venue to showcase their work 24\/7, instead of just one weekend in April in a single location.<\/p>\n I got the idea for our name when\u2026<\/strong> The hardest part about starting the business was…<\/strong> Since founding the company I\u2019ve learned\u2026<\/strong>
\nNew York, New York<\/p>\n
\nTo create a sanctuary for unwanted animals and to start a business to pay for it. I became a vegetarian when I was 11 and volunteered at a nature center caring for rats, raccoons, ferrets and birds. And I spent several years working at an animal shelter in high school and college.<\/p>\n
\nIndependence and looking out for the underdog. I encountered a lot of bullies as a kid. That led me to want to be self-reliant and to look out for others who don\u2019t fit in with the status quo.<\/p>\n
\nStudied a little bit of everything. My major was political science, though I also took history, English and business classes. I also ran the campus record store, Slipped Disc, where I was paid in vinyl (the equivalent of $0.60\/hour).<\/p>\n
\nIndia. While there are cosmopolitan cities and big businesses, there\u2019s also so much that\u2019s unique. Early in 2014 I travelled there with my wife and our young sons. We had the opportunity to visit a village near the foothills of the Himalayas where some of UncommonGoods\u2019 wooden objects are made. It was moving to see first-hand how our purchases support a generations-old craft and help boost the entire economy of the village.<\/p>\n![\"Dave](\"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/DaveinIndia1-548x730.jpg\")
\nI learned about the Internet in the mid-90s and thought it was the most exciting new development I\u2019d ever seen. I was a research analyst covering the retail industry at the time and began writing about investment opportunities in Internet retailing. Pretty soon, I decided I\u2019d rather be building a business than writing about one, and so I began looking for an idea.<\/p>\n
\nMy wife still jokes about the weeks of interrupted sleep we had while I was searching for the company name. I had a notebook by the side of the bed, and every time I had an idea at night, I\u2019d turn on my flashlight and start jotting away. Or I\u2019d run into the other room and fire up the computer and our 56k modem to see if someone had already taken the name.<\/p>\n
\nNearly running out of money in 2001 when the so-called \u201cInternet bubble\u201d burst and funding dried up for start-ups. We had to shrink from 35 to 5 people and while most folks left voluntarily, I still had to let a few people go. It was very tough to fire someone for making the mistake of believing in your vision. I vowed to do everything in my power to avoid getting in that position again. Since then, we\u2019ve taken on no debt and have grown at a sustainable pace.<\/p>\n
\nHow much I have to learn about just about everything. It has been humbling, exciting and gratifying. Much harder than I imagined, but also more rewarding. Perhaps the biggest insight is the positive impact we can have on people\u2019s lives \u2013 our team members, our customers and our suppliers \u2013 when we do things well.<\/p>\n