December 26, 2005
Tile style | A chat with Aron Buterbaugh, co-founder of Una Terra in Portland.
By Whit Richardson
Founded: July 2005
Employees: Three, plus eight sales agents
Startup costs: $25,000
Projected revenues, 2006: $2.2 million
Projected revenues, 2007: $9.9 million
Contact: 874-2333
4 Moulton St., Ste. 440G, Portland 04101
www.unaterra.com
Tell me about your business.
Una Terra is a premier provider of high-end specialty tile, stone and glass products. We have multiple divisions: a retail division, wholesale division and an architectural and design services division.
What has the first six months in business been like?
Very multifaceted. We sold [tile for] only two jobs in the first six months. But we weren't actually trying ˆ we were just in development mode. We have been in discussions with industry leaders, people who own tile fabrication and manufacturing plants such as [German tile maker] Steuler Fliesen and many more. We have successfully brokered supplier deals over the last six months with vendors from Italy, Germany, France, Argentina, Venezuela, China and the United States. We have built a national sales force that extends across the United States and eastern Canada.
How do you market your business?
Our first line of attack is through our PR firm, Communicators International, located in Portland. And this is amazing because they are the number one PR firm in the tile trade in the United States. And with them we strategically promote products in about 300 major magazines ˆ consumer and trade oriented ˆ including TileDealer Magazine, Contemporary Stone and Tile Design, Better Homes and Gardens, Interior Design, Hospitality Design, the list goes on. We expect to spend something like $40,000 a year on PR and advertising combined.
Your website says you seek out the most beautiful tiles in the world. Tell me a little bit about how you go about finding your product.
I travel around the world. We visit trade shows and rely upon references from our key trade partners. And, I must say, a big part of it is through independent manufacturing agents who are located in the U.S. Those people are the key conduits between the manufacturer and the buyers.
What prepared you to launch your own tile import business?
I would say the experience of myself and co-founder, John Yates, [owner of Maine Kitchen Design in Yarmouth]. Our background draws upon certified kitchen and bath design, ceramic engineering, retail tile and stone design, [my] previous ownership of a similar business ˆ a tile decorating business ˆ and also my work experience managing a decorative manufacturing division for a large U.S. ceramic manufacturer.
I know how this stuff is made, I know how to judge the quality, we know how and where it can be used in a commercial setting or residential setting. And from the end-consumer perspective, we know what the prices should be.
What was the most challenging aspect of launching your business?
The most challenging was dealing with various cultures, and dealing with their concept of time versus the American concept of time. There are various paces of business depending on the culture you're dealing with. Like with Italian [manufacturers]: Many times you'd send an e-mail or request to get something by a certain date and you have to factor in what I like to call Italian time ˆ you won't get it by that date, but you'll get it a week later or more.
Who's your competition?
There are no local competitors. We consider our competitors to be [national companies] like Walker Zanger, Artistic Tile, Country Floors and Ann Sacks.
What are your plans for growth?
Our growth plans are to expand our retail showroom presence with kitchen and bath and tile and stone dealers. We have a showroom being built in Yarmouth in collaboration with Maine Kitchen Design that's slated to be completed in early 2006, and another avenue of growth is through our architectural services and design division.
Where is the most interesting place your company's tiles have ended up?
I would say the most interesting place I've seen them thus far is in an outdoor spa, connected to an infinity swimming pool on the Caribbean side of North Key Largo, Fla.
New Entrepreneurs profiles young businesses,
6-18 months old. Send your suggestions and contact information to wrichardson@mainebiz.biz.
Employees: Three, plus eight sales agents
Startup costs: $25,000
Projected revenues, 2006: $2.2 million
Projected revenues, 2007: $9.9 million
Contact: 874-2333
4 Moulton St., Ste. 440G, Portland 04101
www.unaterra.com
Tell me about your business.
Una Terra is a premier provider of high-end specialty tile, stone and glass products. We have multiple divisions: a retail division, wholesale division and an architectural and design services division.
What has the first six months in business been like?
Very multifaceted. We sold [tile for] only two jobs in the first six months. But we weren't actually trying ˆ we were just in development mode. We have been in discussions with industry leaders, people who own tile fabrication and manufacturing plants such as [German tile maker] Steuler Fliesen and many more. We have successfully brokered supplier deals over the last six months with vendors from Italy, Germany, France, Argentina, Venezuela, China and the United States. We have built a national sales force that extends across the United States and eastern Canada.
How do you market your business?
Our first line of attack is through our PR firm, Communicators International, located in Portland. And this is amazing because they are the number one PR firm in the tile trade in the United States. And with them we strategically promote products in about 300 major magazines ˆ consumer and trade oriented ˆ including TileDealer Magazine, Contemporary Stone and Tile Design, Better Homes and Gardens, Interior Design, Hospitality Design, the list goes on. We expect to spend something like $40,000 a year on PR and advertising combined.
Your website says you seek out the most beautiful tiles in the world. Tell me a little bit about how you go about finding your product.
I travel around the world. We visit trade shows and rely upon references from our key trade partners. And, I must say, a big part of it is through independent manufacturing agents who are located in the U.S. Those people are the key conduits between the manufacturer and the buyers.
What prepared you to launch your own tile import business?
I would say the experience of myself and co-founder, John Yates, [owner of Maine Kitchen Design in Yarmouth]. Our background draws upon certified kitchen and bath design, ceramic engineering, retail tile and stone design, [my] previous ownership of a similar business ˆ a tile decorating business ˆ and also my work experience managing a decorative manufacturing division for a large U.S. ceramic manufacturer.
I know how this stuff is made, I know how to judge the quality, we know how and where it can be used in a commercial setting or residential setting. And from the end-consumer perspective, we know what the prices should be.
What was the most challenging aspect of launching your business?
The most challenging was dealing with various cultures, and dealing with their concept of time versus the American concept of time. There are various paces of business depending on the culture you're dealing with. Like with Italian [manufacturers]: Many times you'd send an e-mail or request to get something by a certain date and you have to factor in what I like to call Italian time ˆ you won't get it by that date, but you'll get it a week later or more.
Who's your competition?
There are no local competitors. We consider our competitors to be [national companies] like Walker Zanger, Artistic Tile, Country Floors and Ann Sacks.
What are your plans for growth?
Our growth plans are to expand our retail showroom presence with kitchen and bath and tile and stone dealers. We have a showroom being built in Yarmouth in collaboration with Maine Kitchen Design that's slated to be completed in early 2006, and another avenue of growth is through our architectural services and design division.
Where is the most interesting place your company's tiles have ended up?
I would say the most interesting place I've seen them thus far is in an outdoor spa, connected to an infinity swimming pool on the Caribbean side of North Key Largo, Fla.
New Entrepreneurs profiles young businesses,
6-18 months old. Send your suggestions and contact information to wrichardson@mainebiz.biz.
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