Casa Rustica Inc., Decade-Old El Paso-Based Furniture Business Tops 17,000 Contenders for Entrepreneurial Achievement Award

Furniture World Magazine

Casa Rustica Inc. – which grew in just 10 years from selling furniture on street corners and door to door to an international business with more than $45 million in sales and providing jobs for 3,500 people – is the recipient of the Entrepreneurial Achievement Award from the George S. May International Company. Presented annually to one of more than 17,000 possible contenders, the Entrepreneurial Achievement Award is given by May International to a small or mid-size company that best exemplifies excellence in business practices in the United States or Canada. An American Dream Realized: "Casa Rustica is an example of the American dream coming true," said Donald J. Fletcher, president of May International. "The fact that Eduardo Ganem, his employees and their company have won this award shows the power of their vision and illustrates the vitality of independent businesses in the United States." May International's president noted that the success of Casa Rustica illustrates the need for entrepreneurs to look beyond themselves to grow their business and communicate their visions and beliefs to the people working for them. As the nation's leading management consultant to independent businesses, May International is uniquely qualified to evaluate companies and their business practices. Award-winner Casa Rustica, headquartered in El Paso, Texas, was founded by Ganem and his wife in 1989 with just a few thousand dollars. Together they went on the road with a pickup truck and trailer full of Mexican furniture to visit furniture stores between El Paso and the West Coast. When they had contacted all the stores in a given area, they'd set up shop on street corners and sell furniture right from their trailer. Catalog Cover Unleashes Order Flood: This was the Ganems' principal method of operation for more than three years – until 1993 when a buyer from the San Francisco-based Pottery Barn saw a Ganem television armoire in a store. When the amoire was featured on the cover of the Pottery Barn catalog, Casa Rustica quickly logged 400 orders. With this initial exposure and sales burst, other retailers soon took notice and the company started on a steep growth curve that continues today. Annual sales grew by more than 40 percent in 1998. Targeting still broader consumer appeal, the company recently introduced two next-generation looks in both rustic pine and hardwood to capitalize on existing factory capacity. The new Monterrey and Dark Rustic lines use darker, mocha-like finishes for pine cases that have less distressed finishing and cleaner lines. Monterrey features a Japanese-like austerity in design that complements the company's rustic tradition for a very clean, young look. Casa Rustica distributes four different lines – rustic, painted, iron and fine – furniture throughout the United States, Canada and Europe, and has showrooms in High Point, N.C.; San Francisco, Calif.; Atlanta Ga.; and El Paso, Texas. The majority of Casa Rustica sales are derived through national retailers, including the Pottery Barn, Pier 1 Imports, Haverty's and Sears. Jobs Created in U.S., Mexico: Eleven factories in Mexico – including three owned by Ganem – currently manufacture furniture exclusively for Casa Rustica. Company-wide in the U.S., Casa Rustica has about 200 people on its payroll. Combined with the workers at factories in Mexico, the company provides jobs for more than 3,500. "I try not to think about the success I've had," explained Ganem. "I believe I became successful when I stopped worrying about success and just dedicated myself to the work. Success came with that dedication." "Operating a company this size can be exceptionally challenging," Ganem noted. "That is why I value the relationship with May International. Having started on a street corner and growing to the size we are now requires a variety of skills and understanding." "Using the consulting expertise and ideas provided by May International has been exceptionally helpful at Casa Rustica," explained Ganem. "Being as busy as we are, it is difficult for us to keep up-to-date on all the latest procedures and best practices. May International helps us do that and much more." The George S. May International Company is headquartered in Park Ridge, Ill., with offices in San Jose, Calif.; Montreal, Canada and Milan, Italy. Founded in 1925. George S. May International is the leading management consultant firm specializing in work with small and mid-size businesses. For more information on how to analyze your business, contact George S. May International Company on the Web at www.georgesmay.com.