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Teenage Carpenter Constructs Wooden Sports-Themed Clocks
Some might say Richard Foster was born with a hammer and saw in his hands. Demonstrating advanced carpentry skills at an early age, he seemed destined for greatness.
“I started to watch woodworking TV shows when I was 3,” recalls the 17 year-old owner of Richard Foster Construction. “I quickly got into the craft, and by age 7, I had re-finished my first hardwood floor.”
Now, a successful business owner working out of his parents’ garage in New Hyde Park, New York, Richard continues to exhibit his natural born talent for woodworking — specifically, in the construction of one-of-a-kind sports-themed clocks.
Richard launched the Time for Sports division of his construction company in 2003 when he began hand-crafting wooden clocks and selling them to tennis, golf, and baseball enthusiasts. He has designed 10 different clocks in all — representing all of the major sports — and each one can be personalized with a person’s or organization’s name.
As demand for Richard’s clocks made it impossible to continue making them by hand, Richard invested in a CNC (Computerized Numerical Control) routing system from Techno Inc., to help automate the process. “The CNC router has helped me to cut costs, reduce production time, and most importantly, lower the cost of my product,” says Richard. Now, instead of charging between $75 and $90 for his clocks, he charges around $40.
Richard sells his clocks on his web site, www.richardfostertimeforsports.com, and at major sporting events across the country, including the Nasdaq-100 Tennis Open and the Ford Championship Golf Classic. He is also under contract with the Yale Campus Customs Shop to produce clocks with the Yale logo for their stores.
Selling his products in 14 countries, having earned two design patents, and receiving considerable media recognition for his work, Richard is by no means an ordinary teenager. “I would have to say my greatest achievement is the fact that I have overcome the typical stereotype that entrepreneurs are MBAs who have had years of experience in a given field,” says Richard. “I have been able to take my natural entrepreneurial spirit and put it towards accomplishing so many goals that have led my company in the right direction.” HBM
Previously published in the February 2007 issue of HOME BUSINESS® Magazine, an international publication for the growing and dynamic home-based market. Available on newsstands, in bookstores and chain stores, and via subscriptions ($15.00 for 1 year, six issues). Visit www.homebusinessmag.com
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