The idea began to take root shortly after Army reservists Patrick Farrell and André Schlappe returned from their tour in Iraq in 2004.
The machine-woven rugs that they’d purchased and shipped home while serving in the war were winning such rave reviews that they began to consider importing them.
“Our family and friends saw them and thought they were really neat. People started asking for more,” said Schlappe, 33, of Arvada.
The pair, who both work full-time as engineers, took a leap of faith and earlier this year contacted an Iraqi contractor they’d worked with while stationed in Tikrit. They imported 50 of the rugs and launched a home-based business called Hardcastle Imports LLC.
They are selling the rugs, which measure roughly 10 by 13 feet, online and at local shows. They’d like to see their efforts turn into a profitable side venture.
“I see it as a way to supplement my income and possibly replace my income from the reserves,” said Farrell, 37, of Lakewood. “My wife is pregnant with our first child, and I’d rather sell rugs and be a lot safer.”
The name Hardcastle Imports is derived from the pair’s military service. Hardcastle was the radio call name for the battalion in which Farrell and Schlappe served.
The budding entrepreneurs are quick to say the machine-woven rugs are more colorful and durable than their hand-woven counterparts. They’re also cheaper, selling in the $1,200 to $1,500 range rather than the several thousand dollars that hand-woven rugs typically command, they said.
They took the rugs to metro-area rug shops to get opinions on the feasibility of selling them before jumping into business. They taught themselves Web design and made their trade-show debut earlier this month at the Home Decorating & Remodeling Show at the Colorado Convention Center.
While business at the Home Decorating and Remodeling Show wasn’t as brisk as they’d hoped, the pair distributed enough business cards that they have high hopes for the future.
Officials who work with veterans who launch their own business ventures say it’s not surprising that Farrell and Schlappe are trying to turn their military service into a business opportunity.
“Some of men and women deployed in Middle East are going to end up identifying and launching entrepreneurial opportunities based on their experiences,” said William Elmore, associate administrator for veterans business development at the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Military personnel who have served throughout the world have made similar efforts, although there’s no solid data on how common it is.
“Some of the people who served in Iraq, Germany, even Brazil are going to develop an interest in doing international trade with people they came to know while they were in the service,” Elmore said. “It’s something we encourage. These men and women have international acumen that helps America grow in the international trade arena.”
The SBA estimates that about 14 percent of veterans will end up successfully self-employed during their lives. It offers several loan and counseling programs to help veterans navigate the entrepreneurial waters.
Separate data from the National Veterans Business Development Corp. shows that there are 115,440 veteran-owned small businesses earning a collective $4.4 billion in Colorado.
The groups says that veteran-owned businesses tend to have a higher success rate than other business start-ups as a result of the experience their founders gained while serving in the military.
Staff writer Kristi Arellano can be reached at 303-954-1902 or karellano@denverpost.com.
