Meet Marshall Whitney of Raum Furniture in Central

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marshall Whitney.

Marshall, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I left my 9-5 job, titled as a project engineer, about two years ago. In truth, I was running the on-site construction of small US-based refinery projects. About a week later I stopped at my sister’s house on the way to an interview. As we sat there and talked I did a self-assessment and realized that there was one thing I was good at (building things) and one thing I wanted to do (build things).

So I bought a small business startup book and a book on building cabinets – my two big weaknesses. When I got home from the failed interview I bought a laptop and taught myself 3D drafting and modeling so that I could begin designing my first line of furniture. Everything was going great when I promptly left for a two-week vacation to Europe. Three months later, I came back home with a notebook full of sketches and ideas and a fully working website.

I quickly began working on my first few pieces in a shared workspace, TXRX Labs. From there I made a lot of connections and got my first client – a large organic produce stand for a high-end grocery store downtown. We barely made any money but we delivered a fantastic product. That job quickly led to another and another. By word of mouth alone we have grown exponentially in our first full year of business. We do work at bars, restaurants, mercantile and have even built a few large art installations on display at some local universities.

Currently, we are broadening our reach and have moved into the residential sector. We typically come in with our crews and complete the details of a home that most spec builders don’t do. We bring our love of building furniture into the large-scale aspects of home building.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It’s been OK. Not always smooth, not always rough – maybe more like a worn out cobblestone road in the warehouse district. Growth, when you’re small, is the hard part. Not that there isn’t work available or that people don’t want your services, they just don’t know about you yet. I don’t think advertising is the key when you’re small. It’s a big cost that can run away from you with most online ads charging you per click. Naturally, cash is king and will save you in the beginning. You need enough money saved to get you through the hump.

For someone like us, our big costs are tools and labor. It takes a lot of equipment, especially high-end techno-cool stuff, and pro fabricators to build unique things that are both impressive and cost-effective for our clients. These two cogs need a wheel to call home – and a big one. We are constantly running out of space. We are on our second shop and are ready for another!

Lastly, the biggest struggle of all is that there is never enough time. There will be a point when you need to decide if you want to grow or stay a one-man shop. In that time you won’t have enough work to hire someone and pay the both of you a salary, but there will be more work than you can manage alone. Customers don’t stand for 6 month lead times. That time period is tough because you’ll be working on bids and proposals all night while running the business all day just to manage enough part-time help to get you through the busy time. Those are the tough times, for sure.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Raum Furniture – what should we know?
We build things. Our name is a bit of a misnomer – we don’t just build furniture. We build (and demolish) large art projects. We design things and build them. We do cabinets, we build out your new restaurant or we will make you a display stand for your replica brass naval dive helmet. (I did not make that up!)

I think we are known for doing the “big” things that need building. People often find us a last resort, or as we like to say, “an answer to their prayers”. You need glossy yellow elliptical award podiums for a once in a lifetime event in a month? Done. Crystal clear cast resin tap handles with machined aluminum pommels? Done.

We are often the last person called but always the ones that can make it happen. We do this through a unique blend of computer design, sophisticated CNC equipment, a shop full of tools and talented builders. Sprinkle with some bravado that we can build anything and you get Raum Furniture. I think that this is what I’m personally most proud of about Raum. We can get it done, we have the tools available and our Spotify motivation mix is killer. If you need it, we will build it.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
Definitely. If you can build a small business alone, well, you aren’t reading this article so…

I’d like to thank my small business mentors, whether they know it or not:
-Greg Bright – many many talks over tax laws, protections and getting a product to market
-Larry Ciscon – always there to help discuss legal matters and putting his shop at my command when needed
-Roger and Clark – for showing me your true skill as master woodworkers
-Clint Hallford – helping me acquire new tools and all the talks about welding techniques
-Miguel Silva – motivating me to take the next big leap and for always being cool and calm
-My lovely wife, Kelsey – for sitting on the tailgate in the early days and literally telling me, “You’re winning at life!”

Contact Info:

• Address: 6138 South Loop E Houston, TX 77089
• Website: www.raumfurniture.com
• Phone: 832 413 1539
• Email: marshall@raumfurniture.com
• Instagram: @raum_furniture
• Facebook: facebook.com/raumfurniture
• Yelp: yelp.com/biz/raum-furniture-houston

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