Springfield Business Journal_2019-02-25

Member FDIC Grow with us. UMB.com/GrowSmart Business Loans • Commercial Card • Treasury Management Real growth takes time. And managing your financial needs in today’s complex economic conditions can be more challenging than ever. You need real advice you can trust, and our record shows stable, consistent growth for more than a century through thick and thin. We thrive on helping you think big picture when it comes to building your business. 18 · SBJ.NET FEB. 25-MARCH 3, 2019 MADE IN THE OZARKS Brad Calbert’s foldable fire pits started out of necessity. An avid motorcyclist who started his own repair shop, Calbert often camps with the basics his bike can carry. Now that includes one of his hot-rolled steel fire pits that collapses to a quarter of an inch thick and can be easily strapped to his motorcycle. The original concept, the Buckner, now has developed into two other versions: one for cooking, dubbed the Chef, and another, Ouray, meant for home use. SBJ: How did Skunkwerks Adven- ture Products begin? Calbert: Skunkwerks began in a one-room storage building as a motorcycle tire shop. This was a side hustle as I worked designing robotic welding stations for various local companies. Our core business is a fast-paced Euro-cen- tric motorcycle shop that works on all makes and models. Our passion, though, is custom metal goods. We purchased (computer numerical control) equipment in 2012 and have produced products for Bass Pro (Shops), Tether Tug and other local businesses.  SBJ: What are the challenges and opportunities to manufacturing your fire pits in the Ozarks? Calbert: We have a neat niche here in that there are a lot of out- doorsy people in the Ozarks. We’re trying to push that “Ozarkian” feel into the market. This is a neat destination, and there are some really good craftsmen in the area. We’re always going to push built in the Ozarks. SBJ: Where did the inspiration for the fire pits come from? Calbert: When we’re traveling and camping off our motorcycles, there are a lot of places that don’t let you build a fire. Originally, it was just out of necessity. That sparks conversations in the shop Monday morning. What if there is a market for this thing? We made a Face- book post about it and gave a few of them away as market research. We got some really good feedback. SBJ: What is the first thing you remember making? Calbert: My parents bought a train set for Christmas around age 9. By age 11, I disas- sembled the ma- jority of it, fixed it to a piece of scrap plywood and created a launchable rail rocket.  SBJ: You’re only four months into making these fire pits. What does the future hold? Calbert: We’re going to continue developing outdoor products, durable goods made out of metal. Provided this continues to do well, we’re going to take that capital and put it back into (research and de- velopment) for other products. We have an eye on outdoor retailers. WES HAMILTON A HEAT NICHE Brad Calbert’s Skunkwerks Adventure Products makes collapsible fire pits for easy transport. Skunkwerks Adventure Products Owner: Brad Calbert Founded: November 2018 Address: 2500 S. Holland Ave., Springfield, MO 65807 Phone:  (417) 848-9512 Web: SkunkwerksAdventureProducts. com Email:  skunkwerksadv@gmail.com 2018 Revenue: $5,960 Product cost: $150 Employees: 3