Scaling the business was an intense undertaking that brought long work days as well as many sleepless nights. The cup were sturdy, ready for the dishwasher, and instantly recognizable as a party favorite. “There were several different iterations of prototypes before we nailed it… The challenge was being extremely particular about putting out a world class product, getting it right the first time.” And they did. whereas China is more of a competitor.” Due to his previous working relationships, Mike did not find working with an overseas manufacturer to be particularly challenging, but quality control and a superior product were more elusive. I believe you get a higher quality product in Taiwan… And, most importantly, Taiwan is an ally of the U.S. In designing and planning the iconic party accessories, he tapped into an established network of manufacturers in Taiwan. Knowing that he wanted to expand quickly with multiple SKUs, he decided to pursue overseas manufacturing as the tooling costs in the US were too significant for the new company. In a previous business Mike co-founded, he developed and marketed kitchenware items worldwide. Very soon after, product ideas were flowing, written down, and designed. There wasn’t… and we realized we had to bring them to market.” With this spark, a company was created in 2011, and Mike and his wife embarked on the adventure of creating their lifestyle brand, Red Cup Living. We woke up one morning and said, there has to be a reusable and dishwasher safe party cup out there. “I became really tired of throwing away the single-use plastic cups every Saturday morning. “We thought there’s really something cool about having red cups and bringing people together, creating community.” But after working all week and partying Friday evenings, the Saturday morning clean-up also became a regular routine. As all good gatherings happen, neighbors began gravitating to the Romley’s evening respite, meeting neighbors for the first time that they had lived by for years. Turn back the clock to when Mike Romley and his wife purchased a new home and immediately added a beautiful brick patio to enjoy the evening Phoenix sun. But for all the hours of effort and his previous experiences scaling companies, the difference between a successful exit and retaining a beloved company came down to one factor, timing. For Mike Romley, ingenuity, passion, and experience are woven throughout his company, Red Cup Living. In the end, you may have products, a company, and global sales, but often, the story doesn’t play to such a finely-tuned melody. The emotional investment necessary to create something bigger than yourself can leave you with little time for anything other than invention, marketing, and growth. Creating a brand can seduce you with its need for bottomless creativity as can the hope for a secure financial future.
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